Only 2.43% Made the Cut

By definition, “highly selective college admissions” means more applicants denied than accepted. Harvard’s admissions results put the exclamation mark on the above statement. 98% or 40,003 people, a combination of “36,119 regular decision applicants, plus the 4,882 students deferred in the early action process” were denied admissions for Fall 2018. And, before assuming that applying Early…

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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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What If’s?

The What If’s seem more than the I Know’s when applying to college.  While teens are the ones applying to college, parents have their own unique doubts, as they watch from the sidelines while their seniors complete college applications. Work colleagues who often share their opinions about college can further fuel parents’ second-guessing.   But, just…

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Carpe Diem

From the Business Insider, an interview with Mr. [Jeff] Bezos about choosing “service and adventure” over “ease and comfort”. “Bezos said everyone has two options for creating their “life story.” Either you go for a life of “ease and comfort” or a life of “service and adventure.” Bezos is clear about which is the right…

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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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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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Creative Marbles Summer College Essay Intensives

In August 2017, the experts on Creative Marbles editing team will offer Summer College Essay Intensives for a select group of seniors. Not only will participants begin the complex drafting of their life stories, they’ll develop a college essay writing strategy with educational experts, who have twenty years of experience helping students be competitive in the admissions process.…

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