The Parent Trap

A parent’s job is often unenviable. Thankless. Tiring. Trying. Tireless. Especially when the child is a teenager. Parents’ reasons for making decisions can vary from encouraging their children to “live their own lives, do what makes you happy” and worries that what makes their children happy won’t pay their bills, let alone save for retirement,…

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Tricks of the Academic Trade

Online tools are useful homework management techniques for students.  Yet, with the plethora of online tools available, knowing which tools are actually worthy can be tricky.  So, here’s a couple tools that are student-tested and recommended: Wolfram|Alpha: a searchable database for all academic subjects, including solutions to exact math problems.  For an additional fee, students can…

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College Admissions Decisions: The Troll Underneath the Bridge or The Gateway to Oz

As college admissions decisions are delivered to email and postal mail boxes all over the world, the decisions can seem to either validate or condemn a lifetime’s efforts. However, just as in Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do, where Harvard Professor Michael Sandel hypothesizes a straightforward college acceptance letter, the truth can be more layered: In…

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The Final Lap

California’s high school seniors (and increasingly non-Californian high school seniors) will be eating  turkey, yams and mashed potatoes and gravy in the glow of a computer screen, as they complete their University of California (UC) applications.  Any parent who believes that Thanksgiving will be an incentive to finish college applications early will be sorely disappointed.   In fifteen…

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Early Admissions: “The New Normal”

In what’s increasingly becoming an “Arms Race” of admissions, more and more students are applying early admissions.  The higher admit rates during early admissions in comparison with the regular decision period seemingly indicates greater chances for admissions.  For the current Class of 2021, 14.5% of Early Action applicants to Harvard were admitted, while during Regular…

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College Admissions: An Unexpected Treasure

In a recent text conversation with Megan, a second year student at MIT, she reflected on the benefits of the college application process.  _____________________________________ Creative Marbles Consultancy: Any advice for seniors going through the application process, especially when applying to MIT? Megan: While it’s hard, I think they should try to enjoy the application process…

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