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College Essay Q&A: The Applicant
I get questions all the time. Here’s a popular one I receive from an applicant… Q: Will this year be as awful as last year? A: Ugh. I can hear the frustration in your voice, my friend. And I share it with you. I wish I could say it will ease up a lot, or even a...
College Essay Q&A: The Parent
I get questions all the time. Here’s a popular one I receive from a parent... Q: Why was this application cycle such a crazy, ugly dumpster-fire of a year? Yes, this question has been asked a lot. And I mean A LOT! I've read lots of posts everywhere about why. But...
College Essay Q&A: The Applicant
I get questions all the time. Here’s a popular one I receive from an applicant… Q: Why did MIT bring back the standardized test requirement? A: The short answer, while imperfect and arguably biased, it works. The last two years saw lots of changes in college...
College Essay Q&A: The Parent (Part 3)
I get questions all the time. Here’s a popular one I receive from parents... Q: How exactly did you get into the admissions consulting business? Over the 11 years I’ve been at this, I’ve seen a dramatic change in not only the admissions process but in the applicants...
College Essay Q&A: The Parent (Part 2)
I get questions all the time. Here’s a popular one I receive from parents... Q: How exactly did you get into the admissions consulting business? A: One question I most often ask the applicants I work with is, “how did that (the experience they had) make you feel?” And...
College Essay Q&A: The Parent (Part 1)
I get questions all the time. Here’s a popular one I receive from parents... Q: How exactly did you get into the admissions consulting business? A: I entered the admissions essay business as an act of pure desperation. I had asked my then-girlfriend to move in with...
College Essay Q&A: The Applicant
I get questions all the time. Here’s a popular one I receive from applicants.... Q: How important is my activities list? A: Very important! Look at it like it's your resume. They want to see what your life outside of class was like. The activities say a lot about...
College Essay Q&A: The Parent
I get questions all the time. Here's a popular one I receive from parents. Q: I read the other day that 475,000 fewer kids applied to college. Why is this? And does it help my kid achieve better results? A: There are many reasons why fewer kids applied to college last...
College Essay Q&A: The Parent
I get questions all the time. Here’s a popular one I receive from parents. Q: How do we choose the right schools to apply to? A: School choice comes down to a number of factors. Let me break them down: Academic fit: You're going to be educated there. Does it have the...
College Essay Q&A: The Applicant
I get questions all the time. Here’s a popular one I receive from applicants.. Q: I've read lot of essays online and so many seem like sob stories. Do I have to find something sad to write? A: I get this question all the time! And the answer is a resounding "no!" A...