Posts by Andrew Belasco:

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 […]

Simple Truths About The College Essay

Posted on: 24 Sep 2013

The basic rules for writing a stellar college essay vary little from the general guidelines for producing any strong piece of written work: be authentic, tell a story that is personal and compelling, and diligently edit, revise, and polish your product. Writing in an authentic voice does not mean scribbling down some stream-of-consciousness thoughts 24 […]

Lessons on the College List

Posted on: 02 Jul 2013

Mark is a highly accomplished senior with excellent grades and stratospheric test scores.  He recalls a friend of similar class rank who was admitted into Princeton just last year, and as a consequence, believes that admission into an Ivy League school is a virtual lock.  He decides to apply to all 8 Ivy League institutions, […]

The MOOC Revolution: Opportunity or Overhype?

Posted on: 18 Jun 2013

Since 2011, major news and media outlets have devoted substantial attention to the rise of Massive Online Open Courses, better known as “MOOCs.” Journalists and educators alike have lauded startups like Udacity, Coursera and edX—primarily for their aims to make high-quality education both accessible and affordable—and have written extensively on a new education landscape, where everyone—no […]

Inside an admissions office

Posted on: 23 May 2013

This insightful article on the inner-workings of the Lehigh University admissions committee this past application season is well worth the few minutes it takes to read. This piece hammers home the message that when it comes to admittance at a highly selective college like Lehigh, every minute detail of your application becomes magnified. The following are our […]