“When You Cheat You Only Hurt Yourself”

Although, generally cast in moral terms, academic cheating can be explained by examining practicality and circumstance, rather than attributing to simply a character weakness. Understanding when people cheat can help show the complexity of why people cheat. In 2012, 125 Harvard undergraduates were investigated for sharing answers on a take home final exam, and approximately…

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Scantron Nightmares

Say, “S-A-T” or “A-C-T” to a high school junior, and watch their whole demeanor change.  The idea that a test score that will be considered as part of a future college application can provoke a racing pulse and perspiration. A typical conversation with Juniors about the SAT and ACT goes something like this:

Test Taking Tips

As high school Juniors prepare for the SAT and ACT this spring, some test taking tips from Creative Marbles favorite, eight-year old commentator, who offers his thoughts about getting ready for exam time.  As an added bonus, his advice can help with everyday classroom tests as well.  

Guest Post: Life of A Naval Academy Mom

About the author: Samantha’s son enrolled at the Naval Academy in Fall 2012, after considering colleges, like University of California Los Angeles and Boston University.  She highlights the support of the Navy Academy parent groups in the local area to bring families together, building a connection with their sons’ and daughters’ experiences at the Academy from…

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How NCAA Football Can Help Find the Right College, Wait…what?!?

During college football games, the fans, the close referee calls on memorable plans and multi-generational rivalries can all make an impression about a particular college campus.  Once a student is building his/her list of colleges for application, watching college football can be an entertaining way to learn more, supplementing college websites and the hundreds of…

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Ahead of the Curve: October 29, 2013

From the News: College Financial Aid Drops – Families Pinched, San Francicso Chronicle October 23, 2013 Is College Tuition Too High? Of Course (Not), Higher Education Data Stories Blog October 15, 2013 So Many Students – So Little (Counseling) Time, Sacramento Bee October 28, 2013 From Clients: On-going Common Application Technical Issues:  From recommenders not…

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Losing Sleep Over College Affordability Concerns? You’re Not Alone.

Families attempting to determine college affordability can be subjected to acute bouts of insomnia.  The predicament of framing the pros and cons of each college choice for their children can be, at times, daunting for parents.  Parents face the dilemma of defining the value of a future outcome–a college degree with all of its attendant…

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When and How Do I Prepare for the SAT and ACT?

The three hours and forty five minutes of SAT and ACT testing time tests patience, as much as knowledge.  However, developing mental stamina to endure the testing experience, as well as learning to perform under timed conditions, can come with effort and a little foresight.  First, reviewing previous test-taking experiences can help expose areas of…

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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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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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