Tip #3 Be authentic! This might sound cliched, but it’s useful advice for students writing their college essays. It’s much easier to write about yourself when you’re not trying to be someone else. I’ve been especially reminded of this wisdom over the past few months as I work with twins from Essex, CT on their […]
Read MoreTip #2 “I don’t know what to write about!” This is the number one source of frustration for students starting their college essays. A typical scenario occurred last week with one of my students from Madison, CT. She struggled to choose between two different essays. One, she really liked, but feared it wasn’t “traditional” enough. […]
Read MoreStart ASAP. This could be the most useful advice for students hoping to write an attention-grabbing essay. Waiting until the nth hour to start writing is usually a bad idea, especially for students who dread the thought, or have no idea what to write about or how to begin. Even if they finish their essay […]
Read MoreHarry Sedgwick spent his last years in Old Lyme. A successful businessman but perhaps better known as the father of Kyra Sedgwick or for those who are keep tabs on “old money” families part of the Sedgwich clan that has been here since the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Through a friend, I got to know Harry […]
Read MoreCollege admissions officials, at least those from competitive colleges, are having great difficulty choosing whom to admit among the vast number of qualified candidates. While getting top grades is always critical for college admissions, school officials have told me that they have a difficult time deciphering whether a student with a A- average from […]
Read MoreOne of the biggest mistakes high school seniors in the college application process is waiting too long to begin their essays. Many students come to us having procrastinated until the nth hour. Despite parental cajoling and advice, they “wait” until the looming deadlines rear their ugly heads! This is clearly not the best approach! It’s […]
Read MoreDon’t get me wrong, I love sports. But the increasing focus for high schoolers on them is starting to precede the importance of academics in college admissions. I understand that as a parent you love to see your child succeed in the sport they compete in. However, I see more and more parents every year […]
Read MoreI glanced out my window before my first SAT class session of the fall season. It was to my surprise that I saw one of the new students, Greg, pick up our company sign that had fallen and put it back into place. He was not aware of my observance. He did it because he thought that […]
Read MoreAs we work feverishly with our seniors who are applying to college, one theme continually emerges: we should have started earlier. We can still help seniors finalize their college selection, particularly with early action/early decision choices and college essays. But many did not spend enough time during junior year sorting out what mattered to them. […]
Read MoreEssay writing on the SAT may be optional, but good writing skills aren’t! All students with college or career aspirations should develop their writing skills. Beyond the obvious advantages, knowing how to write well also helps us think better. This is why Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos insists that employees write out their ideas in narrative […]
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