Seniors (and their parents) who’re unsure about where to start writing their college application essays should start at the beginning of the writing process. The writing process doesn’t change; the challenge is most students aren’t often taught the writing process or have developed their own process to write essays for class assignments, that don’t fit…
Category: Podcasts
“Passion” is not Just for Soap Operas; It’ll Help Get You Into College
The Notre Dame Supplement asks: ” You may have noticed that you have an exemplary passion that separates you from your peers. How does this intense focus set you apart and how will it affect your life’s journey? Please provide us with as much concrete evidence as possible.” Listen as Art and Jill define the…
English Teachers & The College Essay
At this point in the school year, many senior English teachers assign the college essay as a class assignment to be completed for a grade. While this may seemingly “kill two birds with one stone”, relieving parents concerns about their student’s seeming procrastination to start writing the essay and student’s thinking that “once and for…
“ARRRRGH! Why is High School So Stressful?!?”
The worry that comes with trying to understand how actions today will affect one’s unknown future can create stress for anyone. Now, add that one is 15, 16 or 17–with limited life experience–trying to predict their future based on their academic performance on one class assignment today, and there’s even further cause creating stress. …
“OMG! I Have to Write a Common App Supplement Essay, Too?!? How?”
Essays can be one way for applicants to distinguish themselves and present their case for why s/he should be admitted. But, they require some effort. Often, the Common Application Supplements–which are a series of questions specific to the individual college submitting in addition to the general Common Application–provides the applicant the opportunity to tell more…
College Selection: It’s an Imperative
College selection. College selection. Let me say it one more time…College Selection. College selection is the foundation of the college application process. It sounds so basic and simple, that families may not invest as much effort into this step–relying on a few campus visits and a short browse through a website. Yet, taking the time…
To Seek Early Admissions Or Not, That Is The Question
The question of early admissions, within the context of the college application process as a whole, is more complicated than most students and their families think. Take five minutes out of your busy day to listen to Art and Jill as they share over twenty years of combined experience surrounding the question of seeking to…
How Common is the Common Application Essay?
In this podcast, Art Baird and Jill Yoshikawa, our company’s educational experts, generously share their 10-years of experience to help students write competitive college admissions essays within the context of the Common Application. They define an effective outline for drafting this complex autobiography. For more helpful information, please also read: Storytelling Season is Around the…
Enjoy Yourself While You Can: The Story of the Little Fir Tree
My son, who loves fairy tales, recites in this podcast a timeless fable from memory for all who care to listen. I hope you enjoy and take this cautionary tale to heart, as your lives continue unfolding and you seek the peace and prosperity you deserve. Photo Credit: Art Baird, Creative Marbles Consultancy 2012
Guilt? I Didn’t See that On My College Bill
Without understanding the value of a college degree, students can sense, what they often term, “guilt.” They may not confidently understand why their families, and increasingly themselves (in the form of student loans), are paying the thousands of dollars (and rising each year) that a college degree costs. Listen to the following podcast, featuring Julie…
Advice for Parents: Thinking about Alternatives to College
The expectation of college, as the next step after high school, is a lifetime of effort. To stop and consider an alternative is complicated. Julie Nguyen, CMC’s CFO & Managing Partner, knows the complexities of choosing options other than college. She offers the following podcast of advice for parents:
The Pitfalls of “Great Expectations”
I have been slowly reading Dickens’ “Great Expectations.” Inspired after a recent night’s reading, I went to the microphone to record my thoughts on the possible conundrum of creating expectations that are too great to meet and yet, too painful not to be met. I offer another approach to the turmoil of setting expectations, when…
Location, Location, Location: Keystone to College Selection
To tour or not to tour? What activities should be arranged when visiting colleges and new cities? These questions and more are answered by Art Baird & Julie Nguyen, Creative Marbles CEO & CFO respectively, in the following podcast, after their return from visiting Chicago area universities. For more information, listen to our previous podcast.
High School = College Tours “Invade” Family Vacations
Once students enter high school, parents start planning summer vacations to coordinate with college campus visits (often wondering where all the time went). More exposure to college life helps students make informed decisions about applications and eventually enrollment. Listen to our tips that will help make time on campus more productive: Starting tours early also…
Maybe a Summer-Slide Is Just What the Doctor Ordered?
Annually, this is the time of year parents and teachers share concerns that students forget academic concepts, since they’re not in school several months. It’s often called, “Summer-Slide.” Yet, how much does consistency affect students’ comprehension and academic progress?