The college application process is complicated, and it’s understandable that families would want to seek as much information as they possibly can. But, we have learned over many years of doing this work that too much advice can actually work against you. Here are a few examples when it makes sense to cut down the outside advice and maybe even trust your own gut.
We get this question a lot, and perhaps it’s one that you have thought to ask: “What is a good college?” or “What is a good SAT score?” We are often asked what is good, so it’s time to address it.
It’s true that, as colleges are focusing less on standardized tests (ACT and SAT) to influence admission decisions, they are focusing more on subjective things like the activity resume, recommendations and essays. You can find more information about the resume here, and more information about recommendations here.
However, the importance of the college essay can lead some students to become nearly paralyzed when trying to write it. They often feel like they have to get in front of a computer and, in one sitting, write the best essay they have ever written. Talk about pressure! That would be nearly impossible for anyone to do.
You may be thinking that a college counselor would tell students to buckle down over the summer months… take extra summer classes, study non-stop for admission tests, work days and nights at an internship, or spend the entire summer doing community service. But, that’s not what you’re likely to hear from us here at Campus Bound!
By Campus Bound Founder, President and Financial Aid Lead, Gregg Cohen
I’ve heard people use the expression that being a parent can bring some long days but short years. The time can fly and there is no way to slow it down. Having helped thousands of people with the financial side of college, I know that many feel the same way about the prospect of paying for college. Generally speaking, this isn’t a deadline you can move. Unlike your retirement, where you may decide to delay a couple of years or get a second job, the first college bill will come quickly, in the summer after high school graduation.
Campus Bound counselors have decades of admissions experience. From time to time, we like to tap into that experience to provide you with the inside scoop. This week we asked them to finish the following sentence…
“The best teacher recommendation is one that…”
Leadership is the action of leading others. When underclass high school students ask me the ways in which they can make their college application stronger, one consistent piece of advice I offer is to display leadership.
Once upon a time, students with learning and other disabilities, rarely, if ever, pursued post-secondary education. But, thankfully, times have changed and there are many different options available for students who need extra support. In this blog, we outline several options, each with their own advantages, disadvantages, and specific populations they serve.
We are hearing from colleges that their admissions decisions have been sent, or are coming out soon. In previous blogs, we’ve discussed how to deal with bad or uncertain news (here) but this is also the time of year of good news and students will have to decide among the college acceptances where they will ultimately attend.
You may have heard that you should create an activity resume for colleges, but why? What should be on it? And how can you make it stand out?