With first counts of Fall 2016 applicants totaling 206,339, the competition for University of California (UC) admissions will be even greater for current high school seniors and community college transfer students. A recent Atlantic Monthly article highlighted the steep odds for admissions of today’s UC applicant. The UC has educated generations of Californians in the…
Tag: High school freshmen
Guest Post: Knowledge is Power
About the author: Rocio and her eldest son, Daniel, worked together to successfully navigate the college admissions process. (Not a simple task for any teenager and mom duo). They asked questions, thoughtfully considered editing suggestions to write 21 college essays and faced 7 acceptances in the Spring of 2015 before choosing New York University. Rocio discusses…
For All The Parents Out There
For more information about how to both plan for and navigate complex educational issues, including the college admissions process, in order to minimize the risk of educational malinvestment, contact Creative Marbles Consultancy‘s experts.
Does a Free Lunch Exist?
Here’s how to borrow $127,000 in student loans, only repay $87,000 over twenty years, and have the U.S. Government pick up the tab for the $450,000 still owed at the end of the repayment period. [Notice the quadrupling effect on the total balance owed because of the interest that accrues in the two decade long repayment period?…
Changes to the ACT Writing Section
The ACT will be changing the Writing portion of the test, starting in September 2015. The following outlines the changes: Extended Writing Time: Students will have 40 minutes to craft an essay response, rather than the previous 30 minutes. Changed Prompt Style: Test takers will be presented a contemporary issue and three perspectives regarding the…
Where is the “Middle” in Middle Class?
Middle class families can sometimes feel like this: Cartoon credit: Americans for Limited Government, 2015 Especially when considering the annually increasing tuition, and other costs for a college education:
Arts and Science Are Not Mutually Exclusive
All too often, science is considered the polar opposite of arts. Dr. Mae Jemison speaks to the intersection of arts and science, given her own experience, as a dancer, doctor, chemical engineer and first African American female astronaut. “Many people,” she wrote, “do not see a connection between science and dance, but I consider them…
The Modern “Starving” Student
College alumni often joke about days as a “deprived” undergrad, only eating instant noodles—fast, filling meals on a limited budget—like a badge of honor. Growing numbers of today’s college students, however, embody the literal meaning of “starving” college student. According to the Wall Street Journal: In 2010, the UC [University of California] system added a food-security…
Welcome to the New Adulthood
For most of us, moving out of the parental units’ house is the ultimate signifier of adulthood. So, what’s the threshold defining adulthood for the growing numbers of 25 year olds, who live with their parents (even after moving away for college)? Since 2002, parental co-residence rates have only risen: And, in 2012:
What a 99 Year Old Wall Street Trader Knows
Although Irene Bergman intended her advice for Wall Street finance types, her wisdom can apply to anyone in any situation. Bloomberg News recently highlighted Ms. Bergman for her longevity in a notoriously competitive business, stock trading. We can all learn a lesson, if for no other reason, than Ms. Bergman has the weight of a century…
Homework Blues
Presented for parents who contend daily, sometimes through a full 12 rounds, with their teenagers about their homework assignments: Published May 13, 2015
#CommunityServiceMatters
Yes. The reasons for completing community service matters… Cartoon credit: The New Yorker Magazine
On Being Sick
As we enter the winter season, this year’s class of bacteria and viruses will be waiting to greet students with open arms. While no one intends to be sick, sickness is an inevitable part of life. Yet, once sick, students resist taking time to rest, so as to “not fall behind.” Sickness is disruptive, forcing…
On Writing
The writing process is not simple nor are perfect college essays developed in one draft. The following is an excerpt from a recent New York Times Magazine article, “Old Masters“: Lewis Latham on writing: When I was 6, I delighted in the act of writing, at 12, in the expecting that by the time I…