Posts by Dave Bergman:

Top High Schools in the Albany, NY Area: How They Compare for College Admissions

Posted on: 15 Sep 2025

If you are raising a college-bound student in the Albany, New York area, you are navigating one of the most competitive secondary-school ecosystems in the Northeast. The region offers consistently top-ranked suburban public schools, the distinctive rigor of New York’s Regents exam system, and a strong bench of independent schools. Albany-area families have meaningful choices […]

Case Study: Meet Elias: A Curious, STEM-Leaning Student from Radnor High School

Posted on: 11 Sep 2025

When Elias first connected with College Transitions, he was a motivated Radnor junior with solid academics, broad STEM interests, and a tendency to spread himself thin. Like many students from high-performing schools, he had taken several APs and Honors classes and earned strong grades, but he hadn’t yet developed a clear admissions narrative. Radnor’s environment […]

Is Ann Arbor a Good Place for College Admissions?

Posted on: 11 Sep 2025

Ann Arbor, Michigan, occupies a genuinely unusual position in the college admissions landscape. It is home to one of the most selective public universities in the country, a deeply education-focused culture, and a cluster of high schools that consistently rank among Michigan’s finest. Families here tend to be well-informed about college admissions, and the local […]

Sarasota’s Labs, Studios, and Civic Doors: A Guide for Local Students

Posted on: 10 Sep 2025

Sarasota often gets marketed as a retirement destination and a beach town. That reputation, however, undersells what the city offers a motivated high schooler. Within a few miles of downtown, students can find a marine research institution with global reach. They can also find an art and design college with a genuine pre-college pipeline. In […]

Top High Schools in the Ann Arbor, MI Area: How They Compare for College Admissions

Posted on: 09 Sep 2025

If you are raising a college-bound student in the Ann Arbor, Michigan area, you are in one of the most academically competitive secondary-school markets in the Midwest. The shadow of the University of Michigan shapes everything here: the community’s educational expectations, the density of highly educated families, and the intensity with which Ann Arbor students […]

Case Study: How One Albuquerque Student Earned Admission to Selective Colleges

Posted on: 06 Sep 2025

Families across Albuquerque and the greater Bernalillo County area know that selective college admissions have grown more competitive every year. High-achieving students at schools like La Cueva, Eldorado, Sandia, Volcano Vista, Cibola, Albuquerque High, and Rio Rancho often carry strong GPAs and take multiple AP courses. Yet many find themselves unsure how to stand out […]

Case Study: How One Sarasota Student Earned Admission to Cornell, Georgia Tech, and the University of Florida

Posted on: 05 Sep 2025

The Sarasota Landscape Sarasota County sends a distinctive mix of students into selective college admissions each year. Pine View School, a magnet for gifted learners in Osprey, currently ranks first in Florida and 12th nationally among public high schools, according to U.S. News & World Report. Riverview High School, home to an International Baccalaureate program, […]

How Competitive Is College Admissions for Charlotte-Area Students in 2026

Posted on: 05 Sep 2025

If you’re raising a college-bound student in Charlotte, Union County, or Fort Mill, you may have noticed something. College admissions here feel tougher than they were even a few years ago. You’re not imagining it. The Charlotte metro area is now home to some of the strongest public, charter, and independent schools in the Carolinas, […]