For those of you contemplating your purpose and vision, here’s some inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s final sermon, given on February 4, 1968. Reposted from the Creative Marbles Consultancy Archives, July 2012
Tag: Wisdom
Can I Change My 650 Word Common Application Essay After Submitting It?
Updated: November 2020 from the original posted in July 2018 The short answer is yes…with an *. [See Below] But, like any life-impacting decision, the short answer doesn’t account for the complexities of choosing a college. And, the last three words are what’s most important to keep in mind: YOU, the applicant, are the one…
Navigating Fall 2021 College Admissions: Test-Optional Policies
Current high school juniors who will apply to colleges this Fall are anxious about amending their college plans, given the numerous cancelled SAT and ACT tests this spring, distance learning for the end of the spring semester, as well as not adding to their weighted GPAs as the academic progress of many is indicated with…
Is Sentiment Shifting Regarding College?
The current generation of high school students are preparing for college admissions at a time of annually increasing college costs and significant university fiscal deficits, which could diminish the quality of education for all students. In addition, current high school students will join an already inflated number of college grads competing for jobs in a…
Collaborators Come In Many Forms
Sometimes collaborators in an uber-competive academic environment may seem like an arch-rival, but is actually what we need to succeed.
Modern Adulthood
“Adulting” classes may likely be the byproduct of a generation raised by “Helicopter Parents”, parents who don’t encourage self-sufficiency as their kid matures. Many students’ sole responsibilities have been managing schoolwork and extracurriculars, punctuated with the occasional “clean your room”, yet rarely do students I advise have part-time jobs. And, until the shelter-in-place, when school…
The Commencement Wisdom Well
The excitement of those students on the cusp attending college is palpable. Yet, simultaneously, many are inventorying their lives, attempting to envision the next two, four, or maybe more years of college. Listening to past college graduation speeches helps incoming college students anticipate what’s ahead. Graduation speakers typically wax philosophically about their life experiences, offering…
New COVID Related Questions on The Common App
In order for students to provide a complete and thorough summary of their achievements and qualifications for admissions, The Common Application added two new questions to the form. The Common Application is an online application utilized by almost 900 public and private universities across the US and internationally, which make applying to college more efficient…
Students Balk, Lawyers Talk
Currently, students at 25 different universities are suing for fees and tuition refunds. Students’ sentiments can generally be summized in the language of the Cornell students’ lawsuit: Students have been deprived of the opportunity for collaborative learning and in-person dialogue, feedback, and critique. The remote learning options are in no way the equivalent of the…
Beyond Graduation
Although disappointing to not participate in the traditional celebratory graduations, for the Class of 2020, what are the opportunities as they commence into the next stage of their lives? The Class of 2020 graduates into a time where asking tough questions about the status quo is the norm. Many are asking, “What is normal?” We’ve…
Put Down Your #2 Pencils: The University of California Will Eliminate SAT/ACT Scores by 2025
Yesterday, Thursday, May 21, the University of California (UC) Board of Regents unanimously voted to eliminate the SAT and ACT as a requirement for all first year applicants by 2025. Over the next five years, the UC will phase in the elimination of the SAT and ACT scores from consideration in first year admissions. For…
Obtaining Employment Amidst Great Unemployment
Recovery from the recent massive job losses around the globe will likely not be swift nor immediate. In the United States, 14.34 million more people are unemployed than the total jobs created over the last decade since The Great Financial Crisis of 2009. In other words, in eight weeks, all the jobs created during the…
Open for business, partially
Although more states are beginning to reopen, which is progressing everyday, the degree of “reopening” will vary given the differences in political inclinations of each city, county and state, as well as the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak in a particular region. And, although states, counties and/or cities may be lifting shelter-in-place orders, as Goldman…
AP Adversity
Beginning with the first Advanced Placement (AP) exams on Monday, May 11, thousands of students were unable to submit their answers. As students continued taking additional tests during the week, more and more students reported technical difficulties and expressed frustrations about not being able to submit their answers. For the students who experienced technical glitches…
The counselor will see you now
Choosing an academic major, or a set of college courses in a particular speciality, is not simple. Students often equate “academic major” as “career-training“, yet academic knowledge doesn’t always immediately translate into “job”. Often, students will still need to understand their aptitude, so they can find an application for what they know, or “to get…