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Like your college essay, letters of recommendation allow admissions counselors to gain a better sense of who you are. While your SAT scores and grades give an idea of your academic capabilities, your recommenders can speak to your personality, your work ethic, and what you might bring to the campus culture.
Read MoreGoing into the admissions cycle with a plan will help you stay on track and prevent being overwhelmed. Rest assured, as daunting as it seems, the college admissions process is manageable and doable. We’re here to take the mystery out of the process and help you feel prepared for senior year.
Read MoreVisiting a college is the best way to find out if it’s the right fit for you. If you’ve always imagined yourself going to a large school in an urban setting, or a small school in a rural setting, taking the time to visit will solidify your decision. Here’s what you need to know about college visits.
Starting the college search from scratch is intimidating. There are hundreds of schools across the country and they all vary in size, location, program offerings, internship opportunities, and more. How do you know where to start? If you’re early in the college search stage, this list is for you.
These days, resumes are needed for more than just job applications. In fact, a growing number of colleges are requiring prospective freshmen to submit resumes as a part of their undergraduate applications. While grades, test scores, and extracurricular involvement form the basis for most admissions decisions, a stellar resume can be the deciding factor for an admissions officer when it comes to choosing between a group of similar candidates.
Read MoreIn the lazy days of summer, applying to college will often be the last thing on your mind. You’ll want to take advantage of the free time and spend time doing what you want (as you should!). But, even setting aside just an hour or two a week towards preparing for college admissions will help you have a much smoother fall.
Read MoreTaking a gap year has all sorts of connotations. Some might assume you’re going to spend a year gallivanting through Europe. Some might think you aren’t driven, you’re scared of committing to college, you’re not dreaming big enough. Whatever the negative connotations surrounding the gap year, for many students, taking a break has professional, personal, and financial benefits that you’ll reap for years to come.
Read MoreToday, the FBI revealed they’ve been investigating one of the largest college admissions cheating schemes in the history of the United States through which $25 million changed hands and multiple CEOs and celebrities have been charged. Here’s what folks across Twitter are saying about the cheating scandal
Read MoreWhile most student’s pay less than the full price for tuition, fees, and room and board, some U.S. city officials and school leaders are going a step further to increase access to college by offering programs that guarantee free money for college to residents that meet certain requirements.
Read MoreSummer internships and jobs are important parts of your high school and college experience. Whether directly related to your desired field of study or not, every internship and job will help you narrow down what you want to do with your career while building up your transferable skills.
Read MoreWhen applying for college, you’ll most likely need to include one to two letters of recommendation from a high school teacher with your application. Colleges use these letters of recommendation to understand the whole student as a part of the holistic review process. Letters of recommendation allow admissions officers to learn more about your personal background, values, and interests by getting a unique perspective from someone who knows you well.
Read MoreScholarships are a great source of free funding for college to help pay for tuition, room and board, and other enrollment fees. There are thousands of scholarships, from all kinds of organizations, and you can find details for each online relatively easily and you should start applying for them as soon as you’re done with college applications.
Read MoreFor many folks, the college admissions interview is the first big interview you go through on your way to adulthood and the idea of selling yourself to the interviewer can be nervewracking. Still, for some top colleges, the admissions interview is an important part of the application process and you can’t avoid it if you’re hoping to land a spot in the incoming class.
Read MoreWell, you’ve submitted your college applications and now you’re sitting around wondering what to do while waiting for decisions to come out. Truth to be told, there’s a lot you can do after submitting your applications ranging from starting a financial aid application to sending thank you notes to your letters of recommendation writers.
Read MoreAs you apply for college programs at various point in your life, you’re personal statement should differ as a result. Admissions committees expect a personal statement for a transfer student to be much different than a college admissions essay from a incoming freshman student. With that in mind, here are some unique considerations to keep in mind when writing personal statements as an undergrad, transfer, veteran, graduate school applicant, or job seeker.
Read MoreThere are a number of ways you can show colleges you’re interested in attending their school ranging from email admissions reps to taking an overnight trip to visit campus. Here are five practical ways you can demonstrate interest in the college you’re applying to:
Read MoreI’m a Junior right now and trying to figure out what classes I want to have next year. I’m thinking about taking an extra elective next year, instead of Physics because I hate science and would rather do something, I enjoy my Senior year. How important is it for me to take Physics if I want to get into T20 schools like Cornell, Stanford, and Columbia?
Read MoreAlmost all colleges and universities consider course rigor, or course difficulty, as part of the process for assessing candidates who apply for undergraduate admissions. So, when you choose courses in high school, keep in mind that a high level of course rigor will both prepare you to succeed in college as well as position you as a competitive applicant when applying to college. Overall, applicants for admissions at top colleges should strive to complete a somewhat rigorous high school curriculum as it demonstrates to admissions staff that you are willing to put in the effort. Here’s a brief guide for what colleges consider exceptional, strong, good, marginal, and weak college prep curriculum.
Read MoreWe all know that to get into top colleges, students need to start preparing early in high school to stay competitive. That means, participating in extracurriculars and taking a rigorous course load as early as sophomore year. Starting a club or building houses in your free time is more common than you think, so to truly stand out among hundreds of undergraduate applications, you really have to go the extra step in pursuing and participating in opportunities that aren’t run of the mill. Here’s what I suggest for freshman and sophomores to get a leg up in the race:
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