College Application Deadlines Making You Want to Scream?

Surviving the college application can test the patience and self-interests and emotional stamina and gumption and understanding and willingness of parents, as much as the Senior.  Sometimes, of everyone in the family all at once.  As a result, parents may find themselves thinking up choice names for Senior teachers over the past month and into December, as…

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The Climb to the Summit is Always the Most Beautiful, Yet Dangerous

The University of California deadline comes to pass at Midnight (U.S) West Coast time, November 30. Plus, a number of highly selective private and flagship public colleges—notable names include the University of Southern California (USC)—have a deadline for Midnight Dec 1. Students and their families scurrying to complete applications within this backdrop are confronted with…

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Things NOT to Say to (Or Do And Expect From) A High School Senior During the Holiday Break

Many seniors are in the midst of applying to college.  What that may mean to an outsider is an opportunity to enter into a conversation, small talk or a polite (i.e. socially acceptable) inquiry; however, “So where are you applying to college?” may unwittingly trigger a frustrated response or terse answer. (Seniors often tell us that they…

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Editing College Essays Can Test Your Last Nerve

To the Senior (i.e. novice college essay author), the college essay editing process–especially when the editor is a third party–can be expletive provoking, feeling like a nit-picking critique of a final product spawned from a laborious drafting process, which can cause tension (or exacerbate it), and get on Senior’s last nerve.   Seemingly “together” seniors…

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College Applications: Beware of Hidden Obstacles

Stress and seniors.  For us, at this time of year, the two words are synonymous. Senior teachers are marching forward with their curriculum and homework assignments, seemingly without regard for the time, effort and mental space required to focus on college applications, especially essays. Seniors, in their typical teenage wisdom, are continuing to attend EVERY…

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Defining Claremont McKenna: Understanding the Supplement Essay Prompt

The Supplement questions of the Common Application are not only another opportunity for applicants to state WHY s/he is a strong candidate for admissions to ________ university, they reveal more about the college’s values and academic environment the student may join, eventually.    As previously stated in earlier posts, competitive essays start with a thorough…

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The Inside Scoop about the University of California Essay Prompt #1

126,000 single applications received by the University of California (UC) system for Fall 2012 Freshman admissions.  That means at least 252,000 essays were written and included within those applications.   (Mind you: These numbers are only for unduplicated applications, and DO NOT include that each application may have ben considered by multiple UC campuses.)  …

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Unlocking the University of California Application Essay Prompt #2

The most effective communication model yet may be when all parties involved are actively participating. When clarifications are needed, it is naturally asked and answered as many times deemed necessary. Now best communication practices aside, what happens when person A, someone from someplace–an admissions officer–with his/her sum of experiences, is to read person B’s essay,…

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“My Student is Average. Where Can She/He Get In?”

First, “average” doesn’t mean “not admissible to any college, anywhere.”  What is  important for an “average” (and I use “average” loosely) student and their family is the college selection process–just as important as for EVERY student wanting to go to college.    The selection process for the “average” student may include a different scrutiny of…

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“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…

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