Question of the Month

What is the best interview advice for students?

Posted on Mon, 12/16/2013 - 17:02
Informational, evaluative, alumni, admission office, scholarship— there are several different types of interviews. Students may be talking with an admission officer on the college campus, an alumnus at the local Starbucks, or with a scholarship committee over Skype. So this month, we've rounded up a group of high school and independent counselors to offer their best advice for students, whether you're a junior thinking about a practice interview next spring or a senior finishing up college and scholarship interviews. Read on...
 
"The Question of the Month" for December is:

What is the best interview advice for students? 

Rafael S. Figueroa
Dean of College Guidance
Albuquerque Academy
Albuquerque, New Mexico

What is the best advice for juniors on researching colleges?

Posted on Wed, 11/20/2013 - 10:30

In our latest feature, we're asking high school college counselors, independent counselors, deans of admission and other experts, such as financial aid officers and psychologists, to respond to our questions about all things college admission. Then we're bringing you their advice on the subject of the moment -- from essays and scholarships to interviews and extracurriculars -- including words of wisdom, mistakes to avoid, resources such as websites and books and advice on how to handle it all on a day-to-day basis. 

So… "The Question of the Month" for November is:

What is your best advice for juniors on researching colleges?

Alice Kleeman
College Advisor
Menlo-Atherton High School
Atherton, California

My best advice for juniors beginning their college research is not to come to a screeching halt the minute they see the college's posted Cost of Attendance (COA), or “sticker price.” Students might be merrily clicking through a college website, intrigued by engaging course offerings, fun clubs and organizations, and tempting housing options. Suddenly, at the sight of the sticker price, juniors throw up their hands: "Guess I didn't really want to go to that college after all."

How Many Colleges Should Students Apply To?

Posted on Mon, 10/21/2013 - 14:39

Today we kick off a new feature here on the blog: "The Question of the Month." We'll be asking high school college counselors, independent counselors, deans of admission and other experts, such as financial aid officers and psychologists, to respond to our questions about all things college admission. Then we'll bring you their advice on the subject of the moment -- from essays and scholarships to interviews and extracurriculars -- including any words of wisdom on how to handle it all on a day to day basis. 

For October, we asked a group of counselors:

 

"How many colleges should students apply to?"

 

Mai Lien Nguyen
College and Career Center Coordinator
Mountain View High School
Mountain View, California

 

People sometimes approach the question of how many colleges they should apply to as if they are preparing for an emergency (e.g. how many extra batteries, water bottles, and matches might I need in case an earthquake hits?!).  The ideal number of colleges on a list really depends on each student’s situation, and each person’s balance of “safety/likely, target/match, and reach” will vary. However, here are some general guidelines to keep in mind: