Category: "Tip of the Month"

Last night the Common Application went live! How many of you have received advice from teachers, counselors, parents, or friends telling you to start your application early? You might even have drafts of your Common Application personal statement saved somewhere on your computer… It’s definitely nice to do some of the work before senior year […]

With so many choices – over 4,000 if you’re counting – coming up with a list of colleges to apply to can be overwhelming. Add to that the sheer volume of information and advice flooding your brains and inboxes, and well, let’s just stop. The point is, where do you begin? How many schools should […]

I am often asked to identify the best time to visit a college. There are two answers to this question. The first answer is to see the campus when everything is in its usual flow because this allows the guest to visit classes, to see people interacting, to stop someone in the dining hall, dorm, […]

The truth is that I when I started this process myself, I went about it in all the wrong ways. I focused only on looking at colleges that I had heard of, the ones with the big reputations. While it all worked out in the end (HMC Class of 2010!), I wasted my family’s resources […]

As you prepare to submit your admission applications, don’t forget to apply for financial aid! Need-Based Aid Forms to Complete The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used by U. S. colleges and universities to determine your eligibility for federal student financial aid. The FAFSA became available this year on October 1st. You […]

Applying to college is a lot of work. At times you may completely forget to ask a question or question what you remember. Below are some FAQs and a few words of advice. If you have a question, the answer is probably below. Please keep in mind that our office will close for winter break at […]

I admit that November has snuck up on me, as it always does.  In the rush of conferences, college fairs, visiting high schools, trustee meetings, and speaking engagements, I find myself almost at our Early Decision I deadline.  I would imagine that many of you are either putting the finishing touches on your applications (if […]

Perfect fit at first sight! It happens to college-bound students each year. You peruse a website, watch some videos, take a campus tour, talk to admission folks, and decide then and there College X is where you belong. But hold on a second, shouldn’t you dig a little deeper? Maybe take College X for a […]

Interviews can seem daunting but they don’t have to be. At the end of the day, it’s just another conversation. You may already know that the best conversations are often the product of a person’s willingness to share and to ask questions. So if you want to share and ask questions, an interview is a […]

Last night the Common Application went live! Now, I am hesitant to suggest that just because you CAN access the Common Application on August 1st that you should.  I completely understand that students want to do what they can on their application before the craziness of senior year begins. I agree with that sentiment because […]