How to Make a College Application Stand Out

This article hits the main points and, I hope, might diminish the fear factor for some. Take a look.

“The good news is that most colleges accept the majority of applicants, and thus the well-publicized scare tactics apply only to a small handful of the most sought-after schools,” says Sally Rubenstone at College Confidential. “Even students who are disappointed in a quest for an Ivy League school can find well respected institutions where they will be happy and engaged.” READ MORE

College Testing Anxiety Sends Kids to Therapy~

An article about the trend for high school students to take both the SAT and the ACT in today's New York Times has some disturbing news about what I call College Admissions Mania Syndrome. One New York City student ended up in therapy because her anxiety was so serious. The article fails to mention that there are 800 colleges that do not require standardized tests. The Washington Post has a 2012 article about that trend, which you can read here.

What?! Stanford is Number 1, Princeton Number 3, Harvard Number 8?

"NEW YORK, July 24 (Reuters) - California schools bested East Coast universities in Forbes' annual ranking of top U.S. colleges on Wednesday, with Stanford University and Pomona College capturing the top two spots.

"Stanford, a research and teaching university in Northern California's Silicon Valley, ranked No. 1, jumping from third place last year after scoring high marks for retention rates and high graduate starting salaries. It has 19,945 students and annual costs are $58,846.

"Princeton University in New Jersey, which was No. 1 last year, slipped to third place, followed by Yale University in Connecticut in fourth place and Columbia University in New York City at No. 5." READ MORE

Families Rejecting Top School Because of Cost

While tuition, room and board have always been considerations in deciding which college to attend, the exponential rise in costs is preventing a slew of talented people from attending America’s top universities.   A study released this week by Sallie Mae found that 67 percent of families eliminated colleges based on cost, up from 56 percent of students in 2009.

Read more ...

Stanford U. Staff on College Admissions Consultants

A startling statistic from Huffington Post: 'In 2013, 26 percent of all college applicants -- three times as many as in 2003, hired a "private admissions consultant" or an "independent educational consultant (IEC)" to assist with their college applications.' READ MORE...

If this seems like a luxury that's beyond your means, please consider: I give discounts to military families and low-income families with verification. 

Mocking #YOLO and Tufts' Trendy New College Essay Admissions Prompts

It was only a matter of time before someone did a send up of Tufts' new #YOLO prompt for the college application essay section. I mean, YOLO. I might also mean, "What does #YOLO mean to you?" Reading this list, you might mistake it for real at first, but probably not by the time to get to this mock-prompt:

 • You have been tasked with naming a celebrity baby, but you can't use a name that has been registered in the United States since 1945, colors, or food items (even organic ones). What do you name the baby and why?

Enjoy!

Countdown to Aug. 1st for Common App Essays & Supplements

What to do between now and August 1st and beyond - my latest article on Huffington Post's College page.