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Deferring enrollment, AKA Taking a Gap Year at the University of California

For Fall 2023 first year and transfer applicants to the University of California (UC), who may be considering deferring their enrollment, consider the deferment policies at each campus carefully.  Also, students, who are dependent on financial aid in order to afford college costs, would be prudent to talk with financial aid officers and other academic…

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The Spring Reality of Early Admissions: Juniors Beware

For high school juniors steadying themselves for The College Application Gauntlet, seeking any seeming advantage in the quest for an acceptance letter thus considering applying early admissions, take heed of the Class of 2023 ahead of you, especially those early applicants who’ve been denied or deferred.  In fall, fueled by hope, many students rush to…

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Choose a College Wisely 

Often families mistake college affordability as “lowest price”, yet few consider the potential opportunity costs of an (un)realized genius. Thus, as high school seniors, transfer students, and their families weigh the awesome choice of one college acceptance over another (often while grieving an admissions denial), exercising patience and careful consideration is most prudent.  While every…

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College Acceptances Are Conditional

In Spring, Seniors can experience “Senioritis”, needing more effort to complete everyday homework, while coping with anxiety of waiting for college responses. In some cases, such a lack of motivation can lead to strategic missteps, from which the consequences can be destructive, especially for college admissions. All college acceptances are conditional or provisional. Often, one…

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Columbia First Ivy League College to Permanently Implement Test Optional Admissions

Updated March 11, 2023 As of March 1, 2023, Columbia University admissions officers declared a permanent test-optional admissions policy for all first year applicants, starting with the Fall 2024 cycle.  We have designed our application to afford the greatest possible opportunity and flexibility for students to represent themselves fully and showcase their academic talents, interests…

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Comic: If I was the teacher, I'd give this kid an A...

How Many Years of Language Other Than English (LOTE) Should I Take?

Students generally need to study two years of the same Language Other Than English (LOTE) in order to meet minimum college admissions eligibility standards. (The caveat is some colleges, like MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, do not require LOTE courses for admissions eligibility.) So, families should check eligibility requirements for first year admissions at a…

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Student struggling to balance her options

Advice when Choosing AP’s, IB’s, Honors and Dual Enrollment Courses

Students often ask, “How many AP’s (Advanced Placement), IB’s (International Baccalaureate), Honors, and Dual Enrollment (taking community college courses while in high school) courses should I take?” with the “…so I can be accepted into a college of my choice” left unstated. In asking, families mistakenly prioritize competitiveness for college admissions over the interests and…

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Tips for Researching Colleges Whether Virtual or In Person

With self-reflection in conjunction with thorough research of each college, families can conscientiously select a campus where a student is most likely to discover even more about their aptitude as well as fits the budget of the family, reducing the risk of malinvestment.  First, students should reflect on their ideal college experience, both socially and academically,…

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Quote: Ferris Bueller

How to choose a summer program for high school students

Parents and students are often confused about how to choose a summer program, especially when a simple Google search merits hundreds of choices. Yet, with reflection, focused on the student’s needs, families can choose more effectively.  First, students can develop their own projects, recruiting mentors to explore their interests, all from home, saving money, while…

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Seeking Scholarship Monies Can Be Trickier Than You Think

Many parents believe the greatest hurdle to applying for college scholarships is finding scholarships. Nope. Not by a longshot. For many seniors, the motivation to write one more autobiographical essay for a scholarship application is the largest impediment.  For one, many are depleted of energy after writing a dozen (or more) college essays over the…

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University of Southern California’s First Early Action Results

On Friday, January 20, 2023, according to a newsletter sent to counselors, the University of Southern California (USC) admissions officers admitted its first ever class of approximately 2400 Early Action candidates, a 5.9% admit rate.  40,600 first year applicants requested admissions by the November 1, 2022 Early Action deadline, which was also the deadline for…

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