Students who applied early to some colleges may find themselves in the uncomfortable position of having to wait longer than they had expected. Some colleges defer early applicants to the regular pool. “This can’t be good,” you might think, should that e-mail or letter arrive telling you to hold on just a little longer. Not … Read more
“Will my kid get into a good college?” The question we are most frequently asked by parents is, “Will Johnny get into a good school?” Our answer is YES. But today’s college admissions landscape has changed. It’s an entirely different world than it was when you and I applied to college, and knowing the landscape … Read more
We know you don’t believe us. You’ve come to our presentations, and we’ve met privately at your home. You’ve heard us say it multiple times: that Harvard rejects 80% of the valedictorians who apply each year; that Stanford rejects 70% of the applicants with perfect SAT and ACT scores. That Yale could fill its class … Read more
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
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
Parents always share their students’ weighted GPA with us first. “He has a 4.7,” moms always say. “She has straight As, except for a B in AP Calc and a B in AP Chem,” dads will tell us (that’s not “straight” As, FYI…). The problem is this: everyone else has strong grades too. It’s a … Read more
In this short video, we tell you the two things your rising high school senior should focus on completing by the end of summer, as well as some things your 10th and 11th grade students can be doing: Other resources for you to use as you work with your child on his/her college search: For … Read more
One of the greatest sources of stress in the college admissions process is this: WHERE DO WE START?! We recorded a short webinar that can help you start thinking about a few big questions. This is great information for parents of students just entering high school. What do colleges consider in the application process? What … Read more
Last week I posted this article on Magellan’s Facebook page (hey – have you “liked” that page yet? We post lots of great tidbits there!). Someone commented that it always seems that the people who write pieces like this, advising (sometimes admonishing) parents to dial back the pressure on high school students with regard to … Read more