The Highs and Woes of Early Decision

I really would have preferred to call this post Early Decision: The X Effect.  The thing is that no one source gives you a straight answer about Early Decision.  You are advised to apply early, and yet are confronted with tons of “if”’s and “but”’s…  So should you really apply Early Decision?  Does it even [...]

Junior Year: First Semester Recap, Second Semester Preview

Phew!  The first semester of the most grueling year in high school is officially over!
I leave it with words of wisdom to young sophomores and tips for weary second semester juniors.
Seniors always told me their junior year horror stories with a shudder… and rightfully so!  Everyone knows why junior year grades are so important.  No [...]

How-To: Make a Portfolio

In applying for colleges and scholarships, I have been asked many times to include a writing or artistic portfolio. It really helps the recipient get an understanding of your personality, interests, and even intelligence, through proper use of grammar and so forth. So how exactly is a portfolio made? Let’s start with the basics.

My Experience with Personal College Counselors

Every high school has counselors who can guide you through the college application process and give you the information you need.  Unfortunately, the average student-to-counselor ratio is 500 to 1.  Clearly, sometimes you can’t get all the individual help that you need.
Click here to see my previous post about college counseling.
At the beginning of November, I [...]

The College Interview…and the Next One…and the Next One…

Over the course of my application frenzy, I did three separate admissions interviews. All were in-person, two with alumni and one was with an admissions rep. They were all in different locations, all had different tones, all asked different questions. But there was one uniting factor between all of them:
They terrified me.
The weight of an [...]

SAT Preparation Advice and Calendar Planning

The SAT is a nagging, tricky beast.  This one test that you took on just one day of your entire life can determine quite a bit when applying to college.  No wonder there’s so much hype and worry!
Having just taken my SAT for the first and last time this October, I recently have polled my [...]

My Common Application Supplements

Whoever said applying to college was easy never applied to college.
Let me tell you, I’ve been preparing and researching for this moment where I’d have to finally apply and 1) I’m still completely terrified and 2) I’m still deciding (on practically everything)! I keep asking myself, “Does this REALLY showcase my personality, my ambitions, and all [...]

My College Getaway – Trip to Springfield, MA!

Greetings from MA! As you may or may not know, I’m from Stamford, CT. Right now I’m staying over night at a Hampton Inn to visit some colleges including American International College and Springfield College, both of which are indeed in Springfield!

College Week Live, Fall 2008 (How was it??)

If you guys don’t already know, College Week Live is a stellar, FREE two-day virtual college fair that includes over 200 colleges and 30+ presentations from college admission experts.

This past 12th and 13th of November was, you guessed it, CWL! Boy, it sure does keep getting better each and every time!

College Counselors

The college application process can be very draining. Juggling applications, extracurriculars, AP/IB, SATs and SAT IIs and of course your social life is no easy task, especially in your junior and senior years.
The solution? Most students go it alone and somehow push through the last two years of high school. A small [...]