Northwestern University’s 2012 Common Application Supplement Essay Defined

Northwestern University includes one essay question as part of their Common Application Supplement.  The question is designed to gain insight to the student’s interests and their potential match with Northwestern, which reads: What are the unique qualities of Northwestern – and of the specific undergraduate school to which you are applying – that make you…

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The (*$%^&@!) YOWCH of College Admissions

To the Senior and possibly their parents, who’ve been anxiously awaiting December 15th early admissions notification deadlines, checking their email every 30 seconds from midnight, a college admissions denial email can sound like: “We received a record number of blah, blah, blah–oh, my goodness, JUST TELL ME IF I’M IN OR NOT ALREADY–and while you’re,…

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The Six Figure Cost of College: In Dollars & Sense

The words, “financial aid,” can send chills down any parent’s spine, as they wonder, “How in the (insert expletive) are they going to pay for college, without going bankrupt?”  Many American families approach college, like other purchases in their lives–dream big and figure out how to pay later.    Parents often believe, “If my kid…

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Guest Post: The Savings for College Challenge, Part Three – How Much to Save in a 529

About the authors: For over 25 years, Cynthia S. Meyers, CFP®, MBA, has assisted people with their Lifetime Financial Planning–helping to build and preserve wealth in every area of life.  Jenny Hood, CFP® has been a paraplanner with Cynthia S. Meyers for five years and enjoys being a part of the financial planning process.   _____________…

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“College Admissions Speculation”: Let the Comparisons Begin

Every Senior and his/her parents want to know, “Which college is going to accept me and which college is going to deny me?”—for although, the Senior and their parents, say out loud that college is about getting a good job, moving away from home etc, a college acceptance or denial also can feel—internally—like a validation…

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Transfer Admissions from a California Community College: Bargain or Cost?

Several changes to California Community College policies in the current 2012-13 school year may affect the typical transfer student who chooses community college, by extending the total number of semesters before transfer to a 4 year university. The typical transfer student is usually qualified for 4 year college admissions, yet “doesn’t know what s/he wants…

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University of San Diego Supplement Essay Defined

The key to writing a competitive college essay is understanding the prompt.  (Sounds simple, but in the heat of writing college essays, while still keeping up with 15 hours a week of extracurricular activities, plus going to school and completing everyday homework,  clearly defining the prompt may be overlooked.)  Not to worry, we’ve done half the…

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College Application Deadlines Making You Want to Scream?

Surviving the college application can test the patience and self-interests and emotional stamina and gumption and understanding and willingness of parents, as much as the Senior.  Sometimes, of everyone in the family all at once.  As a result, parents may find themselves thinking up choice names for Senior teachers over the past month and into December, as…

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The Climb to the Summit is Always the Most Beautiful, Yet Dangerous

The University of California deadline comes to pass at Midnight (U.S) West Coast time, November 30. Plus, a number of highly selective private and flagship public colleges—notable names include the University of Southern California (USC)—have a deadline for Midnight Dec 1. Students and their families scurrying to complete applications within this backdrop are confronted with…

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Things NOT to Say to (Or Do And Expect From) A High School Senior During the Holiday Break

Many seniors are in the midst of applying to college.  What that may mean to an outsider is an opportunity to enter into a conversation, small talk or a polite (i.e. socially acceptable) inquiry; however, “So where are you applying to college?” may unwittingly trigger a frustrated response or terse answer. (Seniors often tell us that they…

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Editing College Essays Can Test Your Last Nerve

To the Senior (i.e. novice college essay author), the college essay editing process–especially when the editor is a third party–can be expletive provoking, feeling like a nit-picking critique of a final product spawned from a laborious drafting process, which can cause tension (or exacerbate it), and get on Senior’s last nerve.   Seemingly “together” seniors…

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