The idea that senior year will be simple and stress-free is a myth. Yet, most seniors expect that their last year of high school will be smooth-sailing until graduation. Between college applications due in the fall, the non-stop homework through the school year, and generally transitioning toward adulthood, the stress can build for a senior. Catie discusses…
Tag: Private colleges
Preparing for Your First College Admissions Interview
Going to your first college admissions interview can be pretty nerve-wracking if you don’t know what know expect. In the following podcast, admissions interview veteran, David Alcalay, shares his first college admissions interview experience, and some tips on how to prepare:
Guest Post: SAT: Stressful Anxiety Time
About the Author: After being accepted to four year college, but choosing to postpone going to college in favor of pursing a career as a cyclist, David in his spare time works at Hubbubbaloo Creative. In the following, he offers insights to the challenges in taking the SAT or ACT. __________________________________________________ It’s a cold Saturday morning. You pull…
The College Essay
Choose an essay topic wisely. Cartoon courtesy of The New Yorker.
Does a Free Lunch Exist?
Here’s how to borrow $127,000 in student loans, only repay $87,000 over twenty years, and have the U.S. Government pick up the tab for the $450,000 still owed at the end of the repayment period. [Notice the quadrupling effect on the total balance owed because of the interest that accrues in the two decade long repayment period?…
Guest Post: How often should you talk to your college student?
A timely post from a mom who knows. Louise’s two daughters are attending Cornell University and University of California, Berkeley, while she lives in Sacramento, California. Since her oldest daughter moved to New York, Louise has learned a few lessons about keeping in touch with her kids, while giving them space to grow. Her thoughts…
Changes to the ACT Writing Section
The ACT will be changing the Writing portion of the test, starting in September 2015. The following outlines the changes: Extended Writing Time: Students will have 40 minutes to craft an essay response, rather than the previous 30 minutes. Changed Prompt Style: Test takers will be presented a contemporary issue and three perspectives regarding the…
The Free-For-All in University of California Admissions
The University of California (UC)’s reputation as a flagship public university system attracts not only us Californians, but a nationwide and international applicant pool. Record numbers have applied to UC schools year over year. Given the finite number of seats on each UC campus, someone’s not going to be admitted, regardless of residency status. (And, for Fall 2015,…
Where is the “Middle” in Middle Class?
Middle class families can sometimes feel like this: Cartoon credit: Americans for Limited Government, 2015 Especially when considering the annually increasing tuition, and other costs for a college education:
Intern Beware
As we recently posted, internships are becoming the new entry level jobs. Although appealing to students hungry for future jobs, given today’s challenged employment outlook, not all internships are created equal. The line between “employee” and “unpaid intern” needs to be carefully defined by both companies and student interns, in order to create a mutually beneficial and legal…
Arts and Science Are Not Mutually Exclusive
All too often, science is considered the polar opposite of arts. Dr. Mae Jemison speaks to the intersection of arts and science, given her own experience, as a dancer, doctor, chemical engineer and first African American female astronaut. “Many people,” she wrote, “do not see a connection between science and dance, but I consider them…
The Modern “Starving” Student
College alumni often joke about days as a “deprived” undergrad, only eating instant noodles—fast, filling meals on a limited budget—like a badge of honor. Growing numbers of today’s college students, however, embody the literal meaning of “starving” college student. According to the Wall Street Journal: In 2010, the UC [University of California] system added a food-security…
Welcome to the New Adulthood
For most of us, moving out of the parental units’ house is the ultimate signifier of adulthood. So, what’s the threshold defining adulthood for the growing numbers of 25 year olds, who live with their parents (even after moving away for college)? Since 2002, parental co-residence rates have only risen: And, in 2012:
New Information about the June 6, 2015 SAT Error
Scores from the June 6, 2015 SAT will still be valid; however, any student believing their June 6, 2015 SAT scores were unduly affected by the printing error, which we discussed in our previous post, can petition for a retake for free. The College Board will waive the fees for the October 3, 2015 SAT…
About the June 6, 2015 SAT Error
First, take a deep breath. Hearing “error” and “SAT” in the same sentence can create stress. The College Board will NOT ask anyone to retake the SAT, despite a printing error on the June 6, 2015 test. Here’s what happened, straight from the College Board public announcement: The time allotted for a specific math…