Posted on: 26 Aug 2014
More is better Applicants often feel that more is inherently better when it comes to their application file and proceed to send along everything from editorials penned for the school newspaper to 5th grade book reports plastered in gold stars. Such offerings are highly unlikely to sway the admissions gods. If you decide to include […]
Posted on: 12 Aug 2014
Two caveats, before we dish out the advice. First, as readers of our blog know, we do not advocate over-focusing on highly selective schools. Yet we also recognize that the allure of brand name universities is quite powerful and that, in some instances, those schools may represent a good “fit” for certain students. Second warning… […]
Posted on: 06 Aug 2014
When free agent Carmelo Anthony was being heavily recruited by the Los Angeles Lakers, the seven-time NBA all star entered the Staples Center to the ultimate red carpet treatment. A short film about Anthony’s life narrated by Tobey Maguire played on the Jumbotron, featuring computer-generated images of the high-scoring forward donning the Lakers’ purple and […]
Posted on: 23 Jul 2014
We frequently receive questions from students and families in reference to PayScale.com’s new college rankings, which sorts institutions on the basis of a calculated 30-year return on investment (ROI). Are these rankings reliable? Not so much. Here’s an example of why: Harvey Mudd College, PayScale’s top ranked school for ROI, produces a disproportionately high number […]
Posted on: 14 Jul 2014
Attempts to navigate the world of private college scholarships often result in students and families left adrift in the proverbial mile-wide, inch-deep ocean of cyberspace. Let the following tips serve as your guide, helping you to streamline your search for the “best-fit” scholarships and maximize your chances at emerging with the ultimate prize: substantial funds […]
Posted on: 31 Jan 2014
I got a letter from the Dean! I’m in! For a high school student, there is something undeniably exciting about being the recipient of an unsolicited brochure from a prestigious university, or even better yet, a personalized letter from the Dean of Admissions practically begging you to apply. Unfortunately, this material usually has about as […]
Posted on: 31 Dec 2013
With FAFSA season fast approaching, you no longer have the luxury of long-term financial planning for college unless you happen to stumble upon a 1985 Delorean fully-loaded with a flux capacitor (in which case you should pull a Biff, bet on future sports events, and not even worry about financial aid). Space-time continuum transcending scenarios aside, here […]
Posted on: 30 Oct 2013
It is common knowledge that private colleges and universities are typically eager to recruit out-of-state applicants in order to help enhance the geographic diversity of their freshman classes. However, many elite public schools have traditionally set a higher bar for those applying from afar in order to maintain a student body that was heavily comprised […]