We know you don’t believe us. You’ve come to our presentations, and we’ve met privately with your family. You’ve heard us say it on webinars, 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 … Read more
This article in the industry publication Inside Higher Education really struck a chord with me. People ask us all the time, “When do we start working with an independent college counselor?” The answer – as with everything related to your child’s college search and application experience – is, “It depends.” It depends on whether you’re … Read more
We’ve published many, many posts about college essays – aside from building your college list, it’s probably the topic that challenges and confounds students the most. If you’re looking for college essay advice – there’s lots of it out there! Just last week, Georgia Tech Admissions Director Rick Clark, whom we quote and link to … Read more
When we tell people what we do as independent college counselors, they usually have one of three reactions: Wow, I wish someone had done that for me when I was in high school. Wow, I wish I met you two years ago when my son was going through that. Wow, you must have the most … Read more
Many people think that only superstar, top-scoring students can benefit from working with an independent educational consultant (IEC). Not true! In reality, IECs help students at all academic performance levels find the best education for the best value. Independent educational consultants often have more flexibility and more time to spend with each student, as they … Read more
At Magellan, counselors work with students to help them find a college that is the right “fit” – a place that they can call home for the next four years and thrive. As a class dean at Wellesley College, I worked with the members of my class, helping each student to achieve her academic and … 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
I was on a panel last week at a counselors’ conference, and an admissions representative from MIT said something that really resonated with me. "It's what you've done, not what you've won." – Sarah G, @MITAdmissions #IECA — Magellan College Counseling (@EvelynMagellan) May 4, 2016 Here’s what that means: Colleges are looking for the real … 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
Being a member of several professional organizations dedicated to helping high school students prepare for, search for and apply to college gives us access to resources that we can share with our clients. NACAC, the National Association for College Admission Counseling, offers a number of informational flyers and other materials, and I recently saw their … Read more