Posts in College Admissions
Elite Universities Respond to the College Admissions Cheating Scandal: Here’s What They Had to Say

A new cheating scandal recently revealed by the FBI has named over half a dozen elite universities and colleges as victims in a scheme funded by parents seeking to guarantee their children admission into top schools.

Read More
The College Admissions Cheating Scandal: What the Latest Revelations Tell Us about the Scheme

As we learn more about Operation Varsity Blues and the wide-reaching schemes executed in the college admissions scandal, the FBI has revealed that it “is largest [crime] of its kind ever prosecuted and features 50 defendants across six states, millions of dollars in illegally funneled funds and a handful of the country's most selective universities.”

Read More
Here's What Everyone on Twitter is Saying about the Latest College Admissions Scam

Today, 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 More
Everything You Need to Know about Legacy Admissions

Like many pieces of the admissions puzzle, legacy admissions and the weight that they carry in an application will vary by school. Ivy leagues in particular are known for including college legacy as a part of the admissions process. Curious about legacy admissions? Read on for more information.

Read More
5 Big Cities Where Residents Can Go to College for Free

While 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 More
4 Things All College Transfer Students Should Know

Students transfer for a number of reasons. Perhaps you’re going from a two year college to a four year. Or your current college doesn’t offer the major you’ve decided to pursue. Maybe something in your gut is telling you this school isn’t the right fit, and you have to make a decision. No matter what your motivation might be, it is essential you do your research beforehand.


Read More
5 Tips for Writing a Stellar Transfer Personal Statement

Whether you’re transferring from a community college or a four-year university, your transfer personal statement should be quite different than one written by a high school senior as a prospective freshman.

Read More
International Graduate School Applications Drop for 2nd Year in a Row

A recent report based on a survey, conducted by the Council of Graduate Schools, found that the number of international graduate application received by institutions participating in the survey declined by 4% between Fall 2017 and Fall 2018. During the same time period, first-time graduate enrollment decreased by 1%.  

Read More
Should I Go to Grad School? Here’s a List of Reasons the Answer Might Be Yes

Going to graduate school is an important decision that takes a lot of consideration and thought. It’s essential that you have a compelling reason before you ultimately make the decision to go back to school to get an advanced degree.

Read More
Decline in MBA Applications Continues for 2018

A new study by Kaplan Test Prep which surveyed admissions officers at more than 150 business schools across the United States noted that applications at the nation’s top business significantly declined in 2018.

Read More
10 Tips to Help You Nail Your College Admissions Interview

For 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 More
Done With Your College Applications? Here are 6 Things to Do After You Hit Submit

Well, 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 More
2019-2020 Common App Essay Prompts

CommonApp has announced that the essay prompts for 2019-20 will remain the same as last year’s.

Common App cites feedback from counselors determined that “the existing essay prompts provide great flexibility for applicants to tell their unique stories in their own voice.”

Read More
You Too Can Write a Good Diversity Statement for Your College Applications. Here's How.

As an admissions professional, I sometimes get asked the question, “For someone who is white and middle class, how can I write about how I will bring diversity to my school?” Well, let me tell you. It’s possible to do and it’s possible to do it without treating the diversity statement as a throwaway part of your application.

Read More
What are Colleges Looking For? 6 Tips to Perfect Your College Application

As a professional admissions coach and on-again, off-again application reader for a large university, I often get asked the question:  what are colleges looking for? Meaning, what kind of traits do colleges look for in the students they admit? Well, the answer is long, but not really that complicated.


Read More
How to Use Tone Effectively in Your Personal Statements and Other Admissions Essays

Tone is more than how you write, it’s how you write it, and the tone of your personal statement can significantly impact your college application. Your choice of words, level of formality, and the writing style you choose to use comprises your writing tone and can reveal a significant amount about how you view yourself, your academic/career path, and your community.

Read More
4 Steps to Writing a Top Tier Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose, or what I like to call the cover letter essay because of its similar structure, is generally used for graduate school applications and focuses much more on describing the skills, experiences and education that has prepared you for the program you’re applying to than a personal statement would. Its main purpose concentrates less on telling your story and more on communicating the qualities that make you a perfect candidate. Ideally, the statement of purpose should convey your genuine interest in and enthusiasm for the program of study you’re pursuing, and what you have done in the past to nurture that passion.

Here are 4 steps for writing a statement of purpose:  

Read More
Writing a Personal Statement for Transfers, Veterans, Grad Students, and Job Seekers

As 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 More