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…
Tag: High school junior
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…
A River Runs Through It
The late winter run-off from 12 years of school melting during the latter half of a high school senior year can create an emotional flood. A confluence of Senioritis and waiting for college admissions responses quickly overruns the levees built during a senior’s youth-limited life experience. Seniors decry, “When will I hear from colleges?” or…
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…
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…
Guest Post: The Meritocracy-Diversity Divide
Affirmative action policies could use closer scrutiny—but don’t lose sight of their benefits. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION is an increasingly rare sort of debate, the kind where both sides present a valid analysis of a complex and thorny issue. This is not always the case. On climate change, the left is reacting to a real, imminent problem,…
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…
In the Midst of College Admissions, Brilliance is Born
The Daily Academic Dilemma Director: Surya Sundararajan with an assist from Hubbubbaloo Creative
The Dilemma of Every College Applicant
Do you know what you want? Well, do ya…
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…
College Admissions: Controlled Chaos
How college applicants view college admissions officers: And, how college applicants view themselves: Then, how parents of college applicants feel: For all, Sir Winston Churchill offers sage advice: ‘Cuz in the end:
Passion Practiced in the Dorm Room Promoted in the New Yorker
MAY 22, 2017 Pith Graduates from the Dorm Jonah Reider was a senior at Columbia University when he became a famous chef. Now he serves eight-course tasting menus in a ritzy Brooklyn town house. By Emma Allen Photograph by William Mebane for The New Yorker There are plenty of weird ways to get famous these…
“I Got 99 Problems and Being a Kid Ain’t One…”
Imagine being 16 years old, awake at the crack-of-dawn on a Saturday, sitting in a classroom “listening” to a test proctor who might as well be a sloth, awaiting the start of a three hour and fifty minute test in which the results seemly determine their lifelong success…or abject failure. If only the SAT were…
Email: America’s Past-Time (Literally)
The typical teenage inbox … because email is Snapchat’s great-grandmother. Photo credit: Hubbubbaloo Creative, 2017
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.…