College admissions officers are increasingly expecting students to use AI tools to help them write their college essays. However, students should use AI tools in addition to, not instead of, their own creativity and effort. Students can use AI tools to brainstorm ideas for essays. Students prompt AI responses with details about themselves and their…
High school seniors and transfer students are often advised, “Start drafting your college essays early”, especially by students in the class ahead who recently completed their college applications. Yet, few will confess why they themselves did not start writing their essays early, nor the complexities of crafting one’s autobiography, which can include: Lack of experience…
It’s normal for rising seniors and transfer students to be anxious about the college application process. People typically are anxious when facing uncertainty, and when applying to college, students confront many unknowns: from unpredictable admissions results, to doubts about how they’ll transition to living away from family. When parents, with good intentions, try to alleviate…
Educational consultants are valuable guides, offering personalized advice for both parents and students. By understanding each client’s unique educational goals, consultants distill the deluge of internet-available information and wide-ranging “advice” from other parents (both IRL and virtually) into practical recommendations. Then families can make informed choices that contribute to their children’s success. Moreover, life rarely…
When calm, one can concentrate. And, when concentrated, one knows instantaneously how to react appropriately in any situation, including during a standardized test like the SAT or ACT. Upon examination, what many students term “test anxiety” is a lack of concentration, which is more complicated to address than a 6-8 week cram course called, “Test…
Amidst the stress of the college admissions process, parents may be inclined to dive into college applications and essays, while teenagers may display disinterest or hesitation, leading to conflicts. As a parent, it is important to pause and reflect on how your teenager reacts in stressful situations and what forms of support have been effective…
While making a list of colleges is essential in the college application process, without knowing oneself and why one seeks a college experience, then generating a list may not be the most effective first step. Instead, rising seniors and transfer applicants on the cusp of applying to college can: 1. Engage rigorous self-reflection: Preferably in…
High school students throughout the US are likely spending the weekend, cramming the most amount of information possible in their memory banks, before Advanced Placement (AP) exams start on May 1, 2023. In their anxiety, many mistake the highest score as strengthening their applications for college. SPOILER ALERT: College admissions officers don’t consider AP exam…
One parent of a high school senior likened college admissions waitlists to “the extended torture of hope”, wishing to simply to move beyond decisions and let the grieving begin. And, in some ways, the institution gains more from waitlisting than the applicant, having a reserve should their first choice candidates choose to attend another college. …
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…
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…
Thus, possibly for their parents… May students’ fingers be swift, memory banks quick to recall significant life-shaping experiences, and word snipping their quintessential memoirs to just 250 words be effortless. And, may all parents be assured that if servers crash, admissions officers (within hours) extend deadlines, and trust that their children’s efforts (be it last…
In the next few weeks, students who applied early admissions, both Early Action and Early Decision, will be: Admitted, Denied, or Deferred to the Regular Decision pool. Yet, in Teenager the three admissions responses (respectively) translate to: Validated (or Vindicated), Rejected and In-Between rejected but not a rejection. For students (and sometimes parents), the admissions…
The short answer is, “Yes, one can always clarify their sentences to more accurately reflect the meaning intended, all in the quest to be understood by the admissions officer.” Students can use the definition of “to edit” as a guide when considering any changes: Yet, to “prepare (an autobiographical college essay) for [re]publication”, students must…
To borrow the immortal words of Thomas Jefferson, “Prudence, indeed, will dictate…” any student’s choice to share their personal COVID-colored experiences. In an informal query of admissions officers around the United States from highly selective to not-so-selective universities, the consensus is be judicious, if choosing to share a COVID-related experience. Most admissions officers advise students…