About the Author: In a few weeks, Hunter will be a Freshman at UC Berkeley, considering a major in Physics. He applied to 10 colleges and wrote 18 short answer and full length college application essays in Fall 2011. _________________________ Tips for writing college essays (from someone who wrote quite a few): Don’t sacrifice your…
Tag: College applications
College Rankings: What Are They Worth?
College rankings and lists are not lacking–Forbes, US News & World Report, Washington Monthly, Newsweek–just to name a few. And, for families already wondering about a kid’s chances of college acceptance, after 12 years of thinking and re-thinking every class, homework assignment and academic opportunity, not to mention the hours spent at sports practices, dance…
Thinking Outside the Box to Pay for College
What are you willing to risk to pay for college? Would you seriously consider these alternative methods of paying for college? If it sounds too good to be true, definitely take a second (or a third) look. From the Wall Street Journal, 7/31/2012
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.
Guest Post: Parent to Parent Advice about College Applications
Norman’s daughter will be starting her Freshman year at the University of Washington in Fall 2012. He offers the following perspective, having just completing the college application process: _________________________ Applying for college is an exciting time for every family. It represents all the hopes and dreams that your student has had since he or she…
UC Tuition and Fees: Up, Up and Away
Anyone involved in the University of California over the past thirty years knows one thing for sure: The tuition and fees for the UC has gone in one direction–UP.
You Can Dish It. Can You Take It?
Opening up to outside review of one’s work, including college essays, can create a wincing-eyes-jaw-clenching-fidgeting reaction to the surely unfounded criticism anticipated to be unleashed. While the ultimate reward of such perspective can be a sharper argument and greater understanding, the human tendency to prevent humiliation can get the best of us. (Incidentally, as humans…
College Application Advice for Rising Seniors & Their Parents
“OMG, I’m going to be filling out college applications in the fall!” Rising seniors (and their parents) can react on a scale, somewhere between total avoidance and frenetic activity to get it all done. Here’s a few tips to prepare for Fall applications:
Summer and the College Essay
Every summer, several parents of soon-to-be seniors contact Creative Marbles to ask about finishing college application essays before the next school year starts. In parents’ minds, the thinking goes, “Summer’s a totally unstructured time. Less distractions with school work and after-school activities. The college essay is essential to a competitive application, and I want my…