“I have good grades. I am in a bunch of clubs. But I don’t have anything special.” Avery a junior from Essex noted. “What can I do to help with admission?” We went through Avery’s grades – very good – but… and I hate to say this… grade inflation has become so rampant that anyone […]
Read MoreI don’t recall ever having parents regret starting the college process too soon. I certainly know hundreds who have regretted starting too late. By college process, I don’t mean that you should start touring colleges with your 8th grader. Instead, as parents, you should start considering what themes would generally make sense to serve your […]
Read MoreWhat if…. you considered the greatness of the American college experience? Throughout history, the normal transition to adulthood went something like this: Boys become men by becoming soldiers or starting full time farming or manual labor or, if lucky, taking a bigger role in the family business. Girls become women by marrying some older guy. […]
Read MoreThis is not a political post. I’m radically independent. But I know that some parts of this post will touch the third rail of partisan politics. I’m sure no one who is an extremist will be happy with what I write but I also hope it will help those in suburban Connecticut towns gain an […]
Read MoreI am not the parent… so my advice is brilliant 🙂 “He’ll listen to you.” Cindy noted as we laughed – again – about how her son would follow my guidance but not his mom’s, even though we generally agreed about most everything. Recently, a guidance counselor from a local high school along the Connecticut […]
Read More“That must have been a great college essay.” I was running an undergraduate house while I was at Penn Law School. During introductions, of one the students relayed how his family escaped the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, lived as refugees for years in Guam and finally wound up struggling and impoverished in California. It […]
Read MoreMarketing The Student As A College Admissions Product Ugh… just writing those words makes me uncomfortable. I am an idealist, a practical one but nonetheless someone who left the practice of law to follow my calling into educational counseling to help others. Telling students to figure out how to best “market themselves” is not something […]
Read MoreHow many colleges should I apply to? Since I have been providing college counseling for students in Connecticut a couple of decades, I have a distinct answer that will go against some of the terrible advice that is out there: Apply to the number of colleges that makes sense for your unique situation. Occasionally, I’ll […]
Read More“Will it be University of Virginia or Wake Forrest?” I pressed one of my favorite students from a few years ago. “Andy” was a senior at Daniel Hand High School in Madison, Connecticut. Ultimately, he could not make up his mind. So he did not apply Early Decision to either one. He was rejected […]
Read More“Isn’t it strange that both of our families started because of college choice years ago?” We went out with one of our favorite couples. They had met in college and my wife and I had met in college. Connecting the dots backwards seems like our relationships and subsequent families all happened and made some type […]
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