Just a few weeks ago, we published an article highlighting a few ethical issues related to college admissions. Little did we know that in a matter of days, we would all witness an incredible display of how some people crossed huge ethical boundaries, getting their kids into top schools outside of the typical admission process. … Read more
Magellan founder Evelyn Alexander has been quoted in several media stories related to the recent college admission scandal, which uncovered wrongdoing by someone who claimed to be a college advisor, but who was not a member of any of the many professional organizations available to those who do advise students on their college journey. Evelyn … Read more
We’ve had just 24 hours to absorb the major scandal that involved lying, cheating and bribery in the college admission world. It’s bad on so many levels, but underneath the rubble, the immorality, the illegality, is the sad fact that the scandal rests upon people’s desperate and completely unfounded fear that if their kids don’t … Read more
People think engineers are nerdy math and science geeks – but really, they’re creative problem-solvers! This post is for you if you’re considering studying engineering in college. First of all, “engineering” isn’t just one thing! There are so many ways to approach a problem using engineering skills, which is why there are many, many different … Read more
As adults, every now and then, we find ourselves presented with situations that require us to consider the ethical implications of our actions. Teenagers, looking to us to help them define right and wrong, take cues from the choices we make. The college admission process is fraught with examples of ethical issues, as well as … Read more
There are nine undergraduate campuses in the University of California system: Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara. There are 23 campuses in the California State University system (map to the right). California public schools graduate about half a million high school seniors every year – that’s just from … Read more
LA/Westside students – here are a few options for practice SAT and ACT exams, and some bootcamps to help you prepare for the upcoming exams! All practice tests and boot camps are at Palisades High. SAT Practice Exam Saturday February, 9th 9am-1pm Location: J109 Enrollment fee (All proceeds go to the Pali High PTSA!): $20 Enrollment: SAT Practice … Read more
Did you know that almost half of all graduating high school seniors in 2016 had an “A” average GPA? Almost half. We posted this article on grade inflation last year, but it’s worth returning to this topic as it’s important for you, as a parent, to know what college admissions officers are talking about. Last … Read more
I. Thou shalt not allow your parents (or anyone else!) to write your essays, in whole or in part, for you. College admission counselors know the difference between a 17-year old’s writing, and an adult’s. It is not in your best interest to have anyone else write your essays for you – only YOU can … Read more
College financial aid is a complicated issue, and it seems like there’s almost too much information out there, making it difficult to figure out what applies to your family’s situation. We’ve curated some resources here to try to simplify the issues, and so you can have a number of resources related to college financial aid … Read more