Posts by Dave Bergman:

Recommendations Matter

Posted on: 16 Oct 2013

On average, college applicants tend to underestimate the importance of recommendation letters, but they shouldn’t.  Letters of recommendation provide context to your application in a way that other credentials cannot. Ideally, a letter of recommendation will further reinforce your strengths as an applicant and reveal positive information not found elsewhere in your application.  All other […]

U.S. News Nonsense

Posted on: 18 Sep 2013

Last week, U.S. News & World Report released its highly anticipated, and highly controversial, annual college rankings. Like most people, we love ratings systems and refer to them when purchasing a variety of things, like computers or household appliances. But let’s face it, paying for a higher education is not the equivalent of buying a […]

Three considerations before applying Early Decision

Posted on: 02 Aug 2013

Early decision has never been a popular choice among college bound seniors. For some, it’s about maximizing their chances of being admitted to the school of their dreams. For others, it’s about minimizing the stress of senior year, bringing peace and certainty to one’s fleeting high school days. ED can be an excellent choice for […]

Picking a Financial Safety School (FSS)

Posted on: 20 Jun 2013

Most college-bound students are aware of the importance of having a “safety school,” an institution where obtaining admission is pretty darn close to a statistical guarantee. However, for anyone without unlimited funds, selecting a “Financial Safety School” may be of equal importance. No one likes to consider doomsday scenarios, but if you thoughtfully selected an […]

The Importance of “Grit”

Posted on: 15 Jun 2013

For those who still think of acceptance into an Ivy League School as a sole guarantor of future success, a classic article worth reading. http://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/06/business/the-humbling-of-the-harvard-man.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm Takeaway: Grit* and tenacity are qualities that recent higher education research has identified as being vital to success in academics and in life. This is even more true in today’s […]

Do I need to choose a prospective major?

Posted on: 11 Dec 2012

It’s perfectly acceptable to be undecided about a prospective major. You’re still in high school and have yet to explore much of what this world has to offer. Further, more than half of all college students change their major at least once. So, use your freshman (and possibly) sophomore year to sample coursework, delve into […]