OH NO! Common Application Technical Glitches?!?

The Common Application unveiled a new interface this Fall, which is currently experiencing a range of technical issues.  The New York Times recently highlighted several issues from difficulties with payments and submitting letters of recommendation.  Stressed clients have also been calling and texting, after encountering similar challenges.  Don’t worry.   After a query of college admissions…

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Common Application Essays Part 5: Essay Prompt 3 Explained

Knowing the definition of the prompt can help applicants select topics that most effectively highlight their qualities and give understanding to their qualifications for admissions. Our latest podcast defines the third of five new Common Application essay prompts, that asks applicants to: Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted…

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“The Three D’s: Death, Disease & Divorce”

When beginning to write college application essays, students often worry about having lived an “ordinary” life, under the assumption that a dramatic event is a compelling topic to persuade college admissions officers.   A few years back, a stressed-out Senior, with tears welling in her eyes, exclaimed to her dad, “Why couldn’t you have died?!?  Then,…

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Ahead of the Curve: October 5, 2013

In the News: Financial Literacy, Beyond the Classroom New York Times: October 5, 2013 How to Be a College ‘Resimuter‘ Washington Post: October 2, 2013 UC’s Twist on Crowdfunding Inspires Students San Francisco Chronicle: September 18, 2013 From Our Clients: Quarter Grades/Midterms–conversations with teachers to identify academic areas for improvement, as well as what the student…

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Common Application Essays Part 4: Defining Prompt 2

Knowing the meaning of the essay question can help college applicants write the most insightful college essays possible.  Luckily, we, at Creative Marbles Consultancy, have done the defining work.  Over the last decade, we’ve complied a stack of hand-written, dog-eared yellow pads full of words, along with a growing library of digital photos of our…

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Gaming College Admissions?

Nervous anticipation arising from predicting who’s going to get into which college doesn’t only affect Seniors, community college transfer students and their parents.  The sense of foreboding can extend to parents of middle school age students, who are thinking backwards to choose a high school that seems more advantageous to meriting the college acceptances they…

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Does My Kid Have Even the Slightest Chance to Get Accepted?

At this time of year, about one to two months from the first college application deadlines, parents’ and high school seniors’ concern about outcome of submitting college apps, is usually concluded by, “I’m never going to get in, ANYWHERE!”  The lack of a straightforward, formulaic standard about who will or will not be accepted at a college can send normally…

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Sigh of Relief for Parents: CA Passed an Online “Eraser” Law

The California Legislature and Governor Jerry Brown recently enacted the Online “Eraser” Law.  Good news for parents concerned about social media’s impact on their children’s possible college admissions and future employment.  Starting in 2015, teenagers will be able to request photos of embarrassing or otherwise youthful indiscretions be deleted by online providers.  (The caveat: anyone…

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College Admissions Can Seemingly Provoke More Questions Than Answers

Questions abound when parents and students are moving through the college admissions process, especially when everyone has a story to tell about who got in where and the media reports the falling admit rates at selective universities around the country, as well as annually rising college tuition and increasing average student loan amounts.   A…

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