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The optional statement is NOT optional

Too many students fail to complete optional parts of an application, and severely hinder their admissions prospects in the process. Optional statements demonstrate interest and provide an additional opportunity to showcase attributes that cannot be captured via a grade or test score. On the other hand, not completing the...

Making college affordable

In Back to the Future II, Marty McFly travels from 1985 to 2015 and is shocked to learn that a bottle of Pepsi costs $50. With Pepsi bottles sitting firmly in the $1.50 range as we approach 2015 in real life, this estimate of inflation may have been as...

Choosing Between the SAT and ACT: Ten Quick Facts

We are frequently asked by clients whether they should take the SAT, the ACT, or both. Here are some quick facts that may assist in helping to determine which test is right for you: The SAT and ACT cover Math, Reading, and English/Writing; however the ACT also includes Science...

College recommendation letters: What you need to know

With the first week of the school calendar in the rear-view mirror, teachers and students alike are still adjusting to the return of their alarm clock’s discordant daily greeting, hurried breakfasts, and long, regimented days. Soliciting college recommendation letters might be the furthest thing from anyone’s mind which is...

Admission Mythbusters: The College Transitions Edition – Part 3

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...

“Backdoor” Admission: Earning entry to an elite college with less than elite credentials

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...

“Fast” Applications: What to do when a college gives you the VIP treatment

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...

Low test scores? These colleges don’t care.

In the past few years, and increasing number of selective colleges and universities have adopted test-optional policies, no longer requiring students to submit their standardized test scores. Institutions eliminating or de-emphasizing standardized tests often cite a lack of confidence in the SAT’s and ACT’s ability to predict college...

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