Read the latest from our expert team!
Volunteering: How to Make it Count
It’s no secret that colleges value community service, and no surprise that most competitive college applicants have done plenty of volunteering during high school…
ChatGPT: Some advice for college-bound students
Unless you have been buried under a rock, you have likely heard about ChatGPT, which stands for Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer…
Who's Reading Your Essay?
Here’s a visualization exercise I use with students before they start their college admissions essays:Imagine a college admissions representative…
How Parents Can Help with Application Essays
For parents helping students through the college application process, the admissions essay can be a challenge…
Advice from the Other Side
I asked students and parents to share their advice for students and parents about to begin the college admissions process. Who better to provide guidance than those who have just completed the journey…
What to do if you're Boring
I have worked with a range of students from very diverse backgrounds. Some have overcome poverty, illness, abuse or the death of a parent. Others have had fortunate lives without major challenges…
Your Essay Doesn't Have to Be Perfect
In my first year as a college advisor at a small high school, I remember that all of my seniors eagerly shared their essays with any adult who was willing to help, to benefit from as much feedback as possible…