Posts by Andrew Belasco:

So you want to be a doctor…

Posted on: 29 May 2014

Welcome to the second installment of College Transitions’ “So you want to be a…” series. Designed to help career-minded high school students think intelligently about their postsecondary journeys, these blogs will look at the financial, academic, and personal factors one should consider when exploring various professions. Do I need to attend a prestigious undergraduate school? […]

Five things you can do without on your college application

Posted on: 07 May 2014

So much misinformation about the college admissions process is transmitted through the “you have to do x, y, and z” admonitions of peers, relatives, media outlets, and message boards. The items on this list tend to cause students and parents undue stress and, in the end, add little-to-no value to the application process. To be […]

The Case for College Admissions Consulting

Posted on: 30 Apr 2014

As college admission consultants, we are aware of the negative labels attached to our profession. In a field occasionally described as exorbitant, unregulated, and even predatory, we work hard to demonstrate the value of our service, as well as our commitment to the students we guide. Although the rapid rise of the admissions consulting industry should suggest […]

Paying for college: How to win merit aid

Posted on: 15 Apr 2014

At the risk of sounding like Matthew Lesko, the question mark suit-clad lunatic of early 2000s infomercial fame, COLLEGES WANT TO GIVE YOU FREE MONEY!!! Okay, so schools aren’t exactly looking to send cash to any freeloader with a self-addressed stamp envelope, but each year billions upon billions of dollars are indeed handed out by institutions […]

Thinking “big picture” about college admissions

Posted on: 23 Feb 2014

In their quest for acceptance, college applicants often fail to see the bigger picture.  They obsess over “getting in,” while ignoring current realities about the value and role of an undergraduate education.  These realities should play a central, rather than ancillary, part in the college choice process because, when considered, they can help students circumvent […]

Questions you need to ask your prospective colleges

Posted on: 06 Feb 2014

In the throes of the admissions frenzy, it is hard to be face-to-face with a college representative and ask anything other than a thinly veiled version of “Are you going to accept me?” Yet any insight you’ll uncover through this line of inquiry could just as easily have been gleaned from the earmarked pages of […]

Elite U? Only if it Makes (Dollars and) Sense

Posted on: 20 Dec 2013

The lure of an elite undergraduate institution is undoubtedly very powerful.  And if you have the credentials and money to comfortably matriculate, by all means… However, if finances are tight and the financial aid isn’t right, take a moment to put your education and career into perspective. In today’s economy, an undergraduate degree is necessary […]

Applying to college? Beware of Facebook

Posted on: 05 Nov 2013

The vast majority of college admissions officers rarely, if ever, Google applicants names, rifle through their Facebook accounts, carefully pore over their archived tweets, or analyze their “selfies” on Instagram for artistic value. For some officers, this is a moral issue; your social media should be your private space. For others, such as those at […]