College Admission

Things We Like

Posted on Sat, 11/12/2011 - 19:47

This Goodreads quote of the day from Shel Silverstein: "Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” In the midst of all the do's and don'ts of the application process, remember to get excited about this next step in your life. Because the possibilities -- academically, socially, intellectually -- are endless.

Happy Veterans Day!

Posted on Fri, 11/11/2011 - 19:43

Happy Veterans Day! "How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!" -Maya Angelou. Hat tip: Matchbook Magazine. And coming soon to our website: An update to our book on Applying to the Military Academies.

"Work Your Butts Off": College Advice from Michelle Obama

Posted on Wed, 11/09/2011 - 22:52

You won't find any politics in First Lady Michelle Obama's visit to a "college immersion day" at Washington, D.C.'s Georgetown University, where she shared this terrific advice on the college application process. We couldn't have said it better ourselves. Thanks to Jenna Johnson's Campus Overload.

Things We Like

Posted on Mon, 11/07/2011 - 23:31

Speak Up—Project Tomorrow’s annual survey of educators, parents, and kids—asked K-12 students to create their ideal mobile apps for learning. Here are 5 of the 15 winners -- chosen from more than 200,000 entries. Our favorites? The Real Thing and Just Learn It. We'd buy those apps! Hat tip: Menlo-Atherton High School Parent Education Series

Examiner.com

Posted on Sat, 11/05/2011 - 01:59

Rhonda Cratty at Examiner.com reviews College Admission! "I have found the book I wished I had when my sons were in High School. College Admission From Application To Acceptance, Step By Step..." See the full review on our Media page, as well.

Weekend Reading

Posted on Sat, 11/05/2011 - 01:16

Don't miss this terrific guest post on the Washington Post's College Inc. blog from David E. Drew, chair of the School of Educational Studies at the Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, CA. Yeah, yeah, it's yet another discourse on the value of a college education -- but this take on the subject goes long and wide, looking at the lionizing of dropouts, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) majors, and student debt. And while we're on the subject of STEM majors, in this article from the NY Times Economix blog, Anthony Carnevale, Director of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, posits that what you study is as important as whether you go to college.

Join us for our Essay Lab

Posted on Fri, 11/04/2011 - 02:53

Don't forget to join us on Monday for the first in our series of posts on writing the college essay. First up, prompts to inspire you and get the words flowing -- and we've lined up those prompts from some best-selling authors, essayists, and writing teachers.

Twitter as Prep for the College Essay?

Posted on Thu, 11/03/2011 - 19:31

It has character limits, discourages wordiness, and makes you aware of your audience -- all virtues in crafting a good college essay. Check out How Twitter Can Make You A Better Writer by Amanda Cosco at Social Times. If you're looking for inspiration, visit the Twitter feeds of your favorite writers and the colleges on your list -- but probably not Ashton Kutcher's. And don't miss our Essay Lab, beginning next Monday. First up, prompts to get the words flowing from some novelists, essay writers, and writing teachers!

A Degree From Abroad

Posted on Thu, 11/03/2011 - 19:21

More American students are choosing to study abroad -- not for simply a semester, but for all four years. Check out American Students Gaze Across the Atlantic and See College from Rebecca Ruiz at New York Times' The Choice blog.

Jim Conroy, New Trier Township High School

Posted on Wed, 11/02/2011 - 21:17

This month we welcome James Conroy, Chair of the Post-High School Counseling Department at New Trier Township High School in Winnetka, Illinois. A graduate of Michigan State University, where he received a B.S. in political science, Conroy also holds a Masters in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Born just outside Boston, Conroy later moved with his family to Grosse Pointe, Michigan, but a trace of the Bay State remains in his speech. Conroy and his staff counsel about 2,000 juniors and seniors each year at New Trier, where he has been a tireless -- and bracingly honest, we suspect -- advocate for college applicants for the last twenty-six years. See his interview in True Admissions! here.