I 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 […]
Read MoreSummer is the perfect time for college-bound seniors to begin working on their application essays. For many, though, getting started is a major hurdle. Parents so often try to help, but even the best parental nudging can create added tension, as we hear regularly from our CT and NY families. The Learning Consultants has the […]
Read MoreIt’s too bad that there are so few alive from the Greatest Generation. Those folks endured The Great Depression and World War II. They embodied Nassim Taleb’s notion of anti-fragility. Some things are fragile, breaking when hit with a force. Some things are robust, staying intact when hit with the same force. And, some things […]
Read MoreWhile I am a perpetual optimist, experience has taught me to adapt my optimism to forces beyond my control. I will no longer drive during a snow storm. I will take precautions if forecasters suggest that hurricanes may hit and I will take seriously notions like the pandemic will stop colleges from opening in the […]
Read MoreThe Coronavirus College-Gap Year Decision Uncertainty has dampened the excitement of heading to college for most high school seniors. The Learning Consultants has developed a process for leading our clients through the difficult decisions they will face. Specifically, we have a framework for guiding our clients to crafting compelling gap year possibilities and/or sorting out […]
Read MoreBegin Early When it comes to writing college essays, starting early is key. The best college essays–the ones that really stand out–take time to write. Unfortunately, many high school seniors realize this too late. They procrastinate and end up with a rushed essay that doesn’t reflect their best efforts or selves. The typical CT student […]
Read More“Never use a long word when a short one will do.” Good advice from George Orwell (“Politics and the English Language,” 1946) that students might want to keep in mind when writing college application essays. Orwell wasn’t suggesting that writers use simple vocabulary to “dumb down” their prose. He was arguing against what he saw […]
Read MoreMany parents find the college application process incredibly stressful–“nervewracking,” as one parent put it. Her son, a senior at Lyme-Old Lyme HS, had been laboring over his college essays for several weeks but had resisted her help. Although she had tried giving tactful feedback, this seemed to shut him down further and add tension to […]
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