Weekly Update: July 21

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

UW WILL ACCEPT THE COMMON APP

So new we don’t even have a link - but the Washington State flagship UW-Seattle, one of the last Common App holdouts, will now accept the Common Application for the upcoming admissions cycle. Yay! Come on, Rutgers - time to get on the bandwagon!

STUDENTS WANT COLLEGES TO PROVIDE THE ABORTION PILL

While college health centers have long provided a variety of reproductive care for students, including birth control and STD screenings, they do not typically provide abortion care. Some colleges are responding to student demands to provide the abortion pill - UMass Amherst will begin to provide it in the fall, and California law requires all UC schools to provide medication abortion by January 2023 (some, like Berkeley, already do). 

But many public and private universities, especially those with strict or changing abortion laws, may not be able to legally provide this to students. Colleges also cite security and privacy concerns around providing these services on campus. 

COLLEGE TAKEOVERS INCREASE

The pandemic has seen a number of colleges go out of business, and several of these struggling schools have merged with larger universities. Northeastern, which put together a special M&A team to handle acquisitions, has absorbed Mills College, a Silicon Valley women’s college that went under during COVID-19. Northeastern hopes the opportunity to study in Silicon Valley will better prepare its students for future careers in the tech industry. This is just the latest of 95 college mergers in the last four years - more than in the previous 18 years combined. 

STUDENTS WORK TOWARD HERBICIDE-FREE CAMPUSES

In response to growing climate anxiety and powerlessness on college campuses, some students have turned to areas where they can make a difference - like stopping the use of toxic pesticides on school grounds. Toxic chemicals are often used at universities to keep up the picturesque green quad and vibrant landscaping, but the organization Herbicide-Free Campus is working to end that practice. 

The organization now has chapters at Brandeis, Emory, Indiana, and Berkeley, among others. Students who belong to HFC spend time working on their campus grounds, pulling weeds alongside the campus grounds team. 

Some schools, like Harvard, have already transitioned to fully organic lawn care - a practice that HFC says has reduced irrigation needs by 30%. HFC hopes to see every campus go organic by 2030.

WANT TO STUDY HARRY STYLES?

Starting in Spring 2023, Honors College students at Texas State will be able to do just that, in a course titled “Harry Styles and the Cult of Celebrity.” Students will study both Styles’ solo albums and the albums of One Direction in a contemporary history class that explores gender, sexuality, fandom, the internet, and consumerism, among other themes. 

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

If you watch movies or read the newspaper, it may seem like an athletic scholarship is the key to a full ride to college. Pop culture is rife with examples of students beating the odds and heading happily off to their dream school, which their parents could never afford without the coveted football scholarship. But only one in 100 top high school athletes actually receive a full ride, and the process of competing for one can often be nearly as expensive as in-state tuition! If you’re considering spending money on camps, equipment, or recruiting services, check out this article first - you may be tempted to put the money into a 529 account instead. 

In expectation that the current Supreme Court is likely to end affirmative action in college admissions, check out this opinion piece to learn why this might actually be a good thing. The writer argues that instead of focusing our efforts on admitting students to colleges when they may not be academically prepared, we should instead help students at younger ages receive the support they need to be successful at elite universities later on. 

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

We have so many swim coaches working with us this year and the NVSL season is coming to an end this weekend - good luck, everybody!

A few cool things to share this week:

• If you’re a class of 2022 student gearing up for your freshman year, check out this free webinar - illustrating how to build the habits that will help you transition into college life. The event - Tiny Habits for College Success - takes place next Wednesday 7/27 at 2:00 pm ET. The event is also open to parents with current or future college students in their lives :) 

• If you’re younger and/or will be in DC next year, have you heard of the Kennedy Center’s MyTix program? I just learned about it this year. Students from kindergarten through I believe graduate school are able to purchase two deeply discounted tickets to lots of performances- one for the student and one for a companion of their choice (parent, etc). They sent out an email this morning about the “MyTix Mix” subscription package for next year- it’s such a great deal if you enjoy the arts, and some of the seats are surprisingly decent! Tickets range from $15-$35 per show. If you don’t want to commit, sign up for MyTix emails anyway and you’ll get new offers every Monday morning for individual shows.

Have a great weekend! I’m out of the office next week, but Shannon will be back and holding down the fort.

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Weekly Update: May 20

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

AP PRECALCULUS!

Yes, you read that right. College Board announced this week that it will be offering an AP Precalculus option in the 2023-2024 school year. The announcement comes in the wake of numerous articles (including some we shared on this blog) that cover the lack of math preparation for high school students during the pandemic. College Board asserts that the new course offering will better prepare students for college math, particularly STEM-related majors. 

PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT FALLS

I’ve shared on the blog before about my decision to pull my daughter out of her public school and it turns out I’m not alone! Since 2020, public school enrollment is down by over a million students. Many of these students moved to private or parochial schools, or were even homeschooled, while others dropped out of school due to job loss, homelessness, lack of Wi-Fi access, or other financial issues during the pandemic. The enrollment drop has particularly affected schools that had long periods of remote instruction. And since school budgets are tied to enrollment, public schools will likely be dealing with a drop in funding as well. This may be a contributor to some school districts’ reluctance to reinstate mask mandates or vaccination requirements for fear of losing even more students. 

MENTAL HEALTH DAY OF ACCEPTANCE

Here in our office we were excited to join in on today’s Virginia-wide American Academy of Pediatrics “Wear Green Day of Action” for Mental Health acceptance! (Can you tell that none of us really have green in our wardrobes?! We tried…)

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

We love summer reading in our office, and not just because we’re book lovers! “What is a great book you’ve read recently?” or “What are you reading right now?” or “What is your favorite book?” are very common interview questions for students, and summer is a great time to learn something new AND prepare your answers at the same time. Not sure where to start? Check out our nonfiction summer reading recommendations from the blog this week, or take a look at this Atlantic article for reviews of books based on college campuses or other educational settings.  

When it comes to paying for college, looking at a private vs. a public school is often one of families’ first considerations. But despite the popular wisdom, there are cases where a scholarship to a private school makes it more affordable than a public option - and many cases where an out-of-state public school can be as expensive or even more expensive than a private one! This Forbes article provides a run-down of the tuition costs for the most expensive public colleges by state, and might be a good place to start if public college is on your student’s list (and yes, UVA is #1 on this list).

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

The hot weather lately definitely reminds us that summer is coming! We are still adding to our Summer Opportunities Database every week. Most recently, we featured an opportunity for juniors and seniors in high school to join Mount Vernon’s Student Advisory Board. This is an awesome leadership opportunity for students interested in art, history, museum curation, education, or just networking and gaining experience!

And one more thing on the summer to-do list for juniors - essays! We are so excited to welcome McClain back to the office this summer - she will be available starting in mid-June for students to work with on their essays. Our calendar has been updated and students can now book appointments for June and July with McClain or Staci. If you have a busy summer ahead, we recommend booking those meetings now to make sure that you get the time slots that work best for you! 

McClain has been busy since last summer - check out her adorable new baby Theo, born in January!

Have a great weekend, and stay cool!

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Weekly Update: May 13

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ARIZONA THIRD-GRADERS

In 2012, the Rosztoczy Foundation selected a lucky Arizona third-grade class and made them a promise: their college tuition, including room and board, would be covered. With that class graduating from high school, the foundation has decided to continue the good deed, selecting two more third-grade classes from underserved Arizona schools for full scholarships. Students and parents report that the program has allowed them the freedom to focus on high school performance without worrying about how they will pay for college. 

LINCOLN COLLEGE SHUTS DOWN

Lincoln College, a predominantly Black college in Illinois, shuts its doors today after 150 years in operation. The college cites the pandemic as part of the reason for the closure, but it is also a result of a December 2021 cyberattack on the admissions data for the school, resulting in unclear 2022 enrollment projections. This type of attack is becoming more and more common for schools, with 26 colleges and universities experiencing cyberattacks in 2021. 

STUDENT WITH NON-VERBAL AUTISM DELIVERS COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS

Elizabeth Bonker, valedictorian at Rollins College, was selected as commencement speaker - despite the fact that she has non-verbal autism and hasn’t said a word since her diagnosis at 15 months old. She delivered the speech using a text-to-speech computer program, and she had some words of encouragement for other students: “Use your voice.”

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

This opinion essay in the New York Times illuminates some of the long-term effects of the pandemic on new college students. While of course the evidence here is anecdotal, it reflects a lot of what we have been seeing in terms of the lack of motivation and the difficulty establishing study habits that came along with online school. If you or your student are also struggling with this, check out academic coaching, which can help students learn the time management, note-taking, and study skills that they may have missed while learning remotely. 

My (former) favorite blog reader used to send me lots of interesting links and has moved on to bigger and better things now that his child is in college! 🙂 But he came through this past week with a good one from The Atlantic on data-driven parenting, and the one decision that really appears to make a difference. Can you guess what it is? Location.

Definitely read the article, and then you can have fun inputting zip codes into The Opportunity Atlas like I did. Absolutely fascinating. I was really struck by the difference between 22101 vs. 22102, and if you're from Vienna, you know that there's a friendly rivalry between those who live in town vs out... well, 22182 held its own! The author just came out with a new book called Don't Trust Your Gut: Using Data to Get What You Really Want in Life, so add that to your summer reading list - I'm definitely adding it to mine!

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

We are so excited to announce that our team is growing, and introduce you to Courtney! Courtney will be coming on as an administrator to share some of the workload with Donna, so current clients, keep an eye out for emails that you may see coming from her with reminders (both Donna and Courtney will continue to reach out using our admin email address). 

Courtney is currently a master’s student working towards a degree in social work. During the last academic year, she interned as a school social worker with FCPS and has experience working with students for academic and therapeutic counseling. We are thrilled to welcome her to the team!

Another exciting development for me this week was that DC College Counseling was selected as a finalist for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program. I’m so honored to be considered and looking forward to the interview process this month - I’ll keep you posted!

Have a fantastic weekend!

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Weekly Update: May 6

It’s a rainy weekend ahead, so we’ve got some good reads to keep you busy!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

ABA COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THAT LAW SCHOOLS STOP REQUIRING LSAT

A committee from the American Bar Association has advised the organization to put out an official recommendation for law schools to stop requiring the LSAT (or other standardized tests) as a factor in admissions decisions. They are not endorsing test-blind admissions, in which the organizations cannot factor in test scores, but believe that the schools should instead have the option.

Of course, the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC - the organization behind the LSAT) continues to stand by the importance of the test. It’s a tough decision, because higher LSAT scores are directly correlated with bar passage rates, so it’s easy to make the argument that they are important. At the same time, there are equity issues involved - test prep is very expensive, and under-represented groups traditionally score lower on the LSAT. Stay tuned on the final ABA decision!

FIRST WEEK OF AP EXAMS ARE OVER!

We have gotten a lot of panicked emails from families this week about the importance AP exams - I know they are stressful! I do think that these have become more important for students applying to highly selective schools now that the SAT Subject Tests are no longer. Unfortunately, students will not have scores for quite a while, but sometimes they feel less anxious after reviewing the free-response questions after the exams take place in order to get a sense of how their answers might stack up.

COLLEGE STUDENT SALARY EXPECTATIONS ARE WAY OFF FROM REALITY

The Class of 2022 is rather optimistic about the job market, believing that their average starting salaries will be approximately $104,000. Every single group of majors overestimated what they’d earn, with journalism majors overestimating by 139% and computer science majors overestimating by “just” 27%. It’s all about the power of positive thinking, right? :)

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

If you are a data geek like me and want to read more about how everything stacked up in the bloodbath that was the 2021-2022 college admissions cycle, don’t miss this CTAS Higher Ed Business report - it’s probably the most comprehensive piece I’ve read so far. They share that UCLA received more applications than any school in the country - just under 150,000. CRAZY!! Some of the other UC schools were next up in terms of volume, before NYU at 105,000 applications and Northeastern with 91,000. This represents increases of 30-40% for each of those schools since 2020.

But what I found most interesting were some of the schools that were specifically identified as having the most growth on a percentage basis rather than straight volume. Colgate is apparently the new hot school, along with other smaller schools like Macalester, Tufts, Dickinson, and Williams. As for the schools bucking the trends: Bowdoin, Tulane, and Pitzer. They had a particularly interesting theory about Tulane, so read the report!

That said, if you weren’t happy with your student’s 2021-2022 outcome - all is not lost! Check out this Washington Post piece about transfer admissions, which gives readers an inside look about the transfer process as well as the most recent statistics. It’s fascinating that some schools (like UVA, which this article covers heavily) are so much easier to get into via the transfer pathway and yet others are even harder than they were during the first-year admissions process.

Not quite an article, but I’ve been listening to a series on Freakonomics Radio that has been going viral in the college admissions world. First, What Exactly is College For?; then The University of Impossible-to-Get-Into; and yesterday, I Don’t Think the Country Is Turning Away From College. They are definitely worth a listen. Also, if you are a student looking for some summer reading, I HIGHLY recommend reading Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything - by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner. If I had a top ten list of books everyone should read, this would be on it - really makes you think about things differently!

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

It was a relatively quiet week this week because of AP exams, although we had a lot of new client consultations! If you are considering services for your Class of 2023 student, we are very close to reaching capacity and will soon move to our Late Start Waitlist. Our services will be valuable up until the very last minute, but there’s no question that the entire process is more stressful for students who start later.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! One of my own mom’s favorite sayings is “Little kids, little problems; big kids, big problems.” The older my own kids become, the more I realize how true that is and how incredibly stressful and challenging it can be for moms of teenagers today. We hope that all of you are able to relax and let somebody else handle all the problems (and reminders!) on Sunday :)

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Weak Spots, Water, and Walks: Quick Tips for AP and IB Exam Prep

Across the country, thousands of teenagers are busy studying for AP exams, which begin on Monday, May 2, and IB exams, which begin on Friday, April 29. While we hope that AP and IB students have been diligently preparing for months already, we understand that the days leading up to exams can be stressful and chaotic. So today we’re sharing tips to help these students maximize study time over the next two weeks and walk into their exams feeling confident!

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TAKE INVENTORY

One of the most important things you can do in the weeks leading up to your AP or IB exam is assess your strengths, weaknesses, and gaps. If you haven’t completed a practice test recently, now is the time to take one. Not only will it be a great dress rehearsal for the actual exam, it will also give you the opportunity to reflect. Do you need to refresh your memory on old material you learned back in October? Are there skills or content that you didn’t quite cover in class? Which areas are slowing you down or confusing you? These are just a few of the questions to ask yourself as you look over the practice test. Also, look back at old assignments and instructor feedback to identify areas you'll want to focus upon. 

Of course, it’s not enough to simply take inventory mentally.  Make an actual checklist, so you have a quick reference sheet to help guide and organize your study sessions.

SCHEDULE YOURSELF

Whether you’re preparing for one exam or five, it’s crucial to make a schedule and manage your time wisely. Yes, we know teachers and parents have been dishing out advice on time management and study skills for years, but we have a quick (and painless) hack to make the next few weeks efficient. 

Are you ready for our secret? Use your phone calendar! Schedule in study sessions as you would any other appointment or event. If you think about it, you wouldn’t just skip a doctor appointment or your regularly scheduled sports practices. Apply that same mentality to your studying. You’ll be much more likely to prioritize your study sessions if you’ve factored them into your day. Bonus: your phone will send you plenty of reminders and alerts, too! 

Ideally, schedule yourself for thirty minute or one hour study blocks. However, even dedicating a fifteen minute window of time during your day to reviewing notes or looking over flashcards can make a difference. 

Are you convinced that you don’t have any extra time in your schedule to study? Well, think again. A few small changes to your usual routine can usually free up some extra minutes. For example, if you’re a morning person, consider waking up 30 minutes earlier and gaining some before-school study time. (Note: this is only a good idea if you’re actually getting a healthy full night of sleep to begin with). You can also maximize your time during study halls or a long lunch period to review. If you’ve got a long car ride home, study–as long as you’re the passenger, not the driver. 

We also encourage you to create a dedicated work space for yourself, whether that’s taking over your favorite corner of the library, finding a local coffee shop where you can study, or even carving out a quiet spot at home.

GATHER PREP MATERIALS

By this point in the year, you probably have a large collection of AP or IB prep materials. Gather those that will be most useful for review based on the inventory checklist you made earlier.  Start by looking through your own notes and files. Some students find it helpful to physically print out documents or convert notes into digital flashcards. We love Quizlet, especially because you can download the app on your phone and access all of your study materials with a quick tap of your screen. 

Also, don’t forget to log into your AP Classroom if you’re preparing for an AP exam. There are plenty of review materials under the “Exam” and “Exam Preparation” tabs. You’ll find everything from scoring guidelines to practice sets to daily video tips. If you’re not familiar with the AP Classroom and the digital resources offered by College Board, talk to your teacher. 

There are fewer options for IB students, but we really like the guides and past papers posted by PrepScholar.

For students who crave an actual prep book, order one on Amazon or visit your school or local library.

BE SOCIAL

In the weeks leading up to the exams, you might start to feel isolated with all of your solo prep sessions. But you don’t have to do it alone! Organizing a study group is a fantastic way to offer classmates support and get some extra help in areas where you have gaps. Plus, studying is always much more fun when you’re with your friends. Just be sure to stay on task! Make an agenda for your study sessions, so you have clear goals for what you want to cover and accomplish. 

We also recommend reaching out to your teacher if you need extra help, whether it’s stopping by during their office hours or requesting a study session.

STAY HEALTHY

Most importantly, don’t let AP exam stress get in the way of prioritizing your health. Especially when it comes to sleep, don’t trade in a night of zzz’s for more study time. Studies show that if you’re sleep deprived, these late nights won’t help you. Also, drink plenty of water (as opposed to coffee or energy drinks) and eat real food that will actually nourish you.

In between your study sessions, take a break from the screen, stretch, and take walks. Exercise is important for memory and retention. And of course, reward your hard work with things that make you happy, whether it’s listening to music or calling a friend.

GOOD LUCK ON AP AND IB EXAMS!

Weekly Update: April 8

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

MY DREAM CAME TRUE!!!!!!

UT Austin will be on the 2022-2023 Common App!!!! Yay!!!!!

If you have ever dealt with the nightmare that is ApplyTexas, you will understand why I am celebrating!!!🎊🤠👏🌮

UCLA JOB POSTING FOR $0 SALARY

Yes, you read that right - UCLA posted an adjunct position for a Ph.D.-holding biochemist and offered no compensation. While UCLA removed the posting after backlash, the unfortunate fact is that arrangements like these are not uncommon in academia, which often expects Ph.D. students and adjunct professors to work for little or no pay. And right now, 70% of college faculty are untenured, part-time, or adjunct faculty with little job security. This is a concern not only for those working in academia, but for undergraduate students taught by overworked and underpaid professors who usually cannot give them the mentorship and relationships that they need.

THE TEEN DC COUNCIL CANDIDATE

Henry Cohen, an 18-year-old student at Jackson-Reed high school, is running for representative on D.C’s council. Cohen argues that young people do not have enough representation in local government, and is actively campaigning in Ward 3. Kind of cool to see young people getting involved in local politics at this level!

VARSITY BLUES CONTINUES WITH MARK RIDDELL SENTENCING

Mark Riddell, the “proctor” in the Varsity Blues scandal who was accused of taking SAT and ACT exams in the place of students, will be sentenced in federal court today in Boston. He is expected to serve a lighter sentence, as he has been cooperating with authorities since pleading guilty in 2019. 

MASK MANDATES ARE BACK

Following the latest spike in coronavirus cases, Georgetown and Johns Hopkins both reinstated their indoor mask mandates this week. Students returning to Georgetown after Easter break later this month will also be required to test negative before returning to campus. Having struggled with this ourselves as we’ve contemplated returning to in-person work with students this summer, we hope that the mask mandates are no longer necessary very soon!

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

MIT made the argument last week, when it reinstated standardized testing, that the tests actually made the process more equitable, rather than less, for students that have not had as many academic resources. In an Atlantic article this week, the author explores this argument, concluding that MIT is correct to say that rather than causing inequity in the admissions process, the SAT merely reveals educational disparities that are already there. 

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again - a top tier university is not the right fit for every kid! While we love helping our academic high-flyers pursue their Ivy League dreams, we also know that the ultra-competitive process isn’t for everyone. This article explores how parents can help their students revise their expectations and focus on the college that is right for them - not just the one with the biggest reputation. This is so important for kids to hear, especially now after receiving their decisions!

Finally, we are starting to see how the students who spent much of their high school careers learning remotely have been performing in college. The answer is - not great. Especially in classes like math and science, where material is directly built off of what students have learned in high school, college students are struggling. In addition to the challenges of online learning, pass-fail grades at many schools meant that students were able to “pass” challenging courses without actually mastering the material. We expect that we will continue to see these types of issues as students make the transition from high school to college over the next few years. 

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Know a teen of “outstanding character” in McLean? Nominate them for the McLean Citizens Associations’ Teen Character Awards. This award is meant to recognize teenagers who have made an impact on their community, whether by leading a service project or caring for a younger sibling or elderly relative at home. A nomination application is available here - Application - Outstanding Character Award for Teenagers. Make sure to get those nominations in by the Friday, April 22 deadline!

Have a great weekend and enjoy the sun!

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Weekly Update: April 1

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

BRUTAL REGULAR DECISION NUMBERS

A number of highly selective (or as many of our colleagues are calling them, “highly rejective”) schools released the last of the regular decision admission decisions last night. It was absolutely insane. Check out the latest results from College Kickstart, but don’t forget to keep in mind that these statistics are somewhat misleading as they represent the combination of results from multiple admission plans. In other words, many of these schools are admitting 50%+ of their classes through binding early decision plans with a higher acceptance rate.

Let’s look at Vanderbilt - they had approximately 2,700 ED I applicants; 2,400 ED II applicants; and 41,600 RD applicants for a total of 46,717. As College Kickstart reports, 2,864 students were admitted to the freshman class for an overall acceptance rate of 6%. Totally insane, right? But it gets worse. Of the 2,700 ED I applicants, 24.1% of students were accepted. Of the 2,400 ED II applicants, 10.3% of students were accepted. And for the approximately 41,600 RD applicants? Approximately 1,964 acceptance letters went out. This means that despite the published acceptance rate of 6%, the RD acceptance rate was actually 4.7%. For Vanderbilt - an amazing school, of course, but it’s not Harvard or Yale.

Perhaps even more depressing, Northeastern had an overall acceptance rate of 7% (Northeastern!!!!), Tulane 10%, Boston University 14%, NYU 12%… what is wrong with the world?!

MIT REINSTATES TESTING REQUIREMENT

MIT is the latest school to announce that it will be reinstating its testing requirement for the next admissions cycle. Yet rather than the decision itself, it is the reasoning behind the decision that has been making a lot of waves in the educational consulting community this week. MIT argues that reinstating a testing requirement will allow the admissions process to be more equitable, by giving students who may not have access to advanced coursework or extracurricular programs to demonstrate their readiness for MIT. This is a controversial decision because conventional wisdom has long held that standardized tests perpetuate inequality in the admissions process, as students with access to paid test prep opportunities and advanced curricula typically score better on these exams.

I tend to agree with MIT on this one - after all, you can’t fake a test score (well, as long as you aren’t Rick Singer’s client!!). Even with pricey tutoring, the student has to actually earn the score. On the other hand, when a school is test-optional, the “softer” sides of the admissions process (essays, interview prep, extracurricular depth, recommendation letters, ED strategy) become much more important. Because those are a whole lot easier to manipulate with expert guidance than a test score, students with means can end up with a big advantage in test-optional situations. We will have to see if other schools follow MIT’s lead in bringing back testing requirements for the next admissions cycle. 

ANOTHER NEW SET OF RANKINGS

We’ve written before on the blog about the rankings from Academic Influence, and the latest metric that the organization is using to rank colleges is something called Academic Stewardship. Basically, this number calculates how an institution uses its resources - a ratio of how much impact it has to available resources. The result is an interesting list of schools that often do not appear on any well-known rankings: the #1 school for Academic Stewardship is Fisk College, a private HBCU in Nashville. 

NBA PROSPECTS BYPASS COLLEGE DESPITE NIL DEALS

A growing number of high school basketball players are choosing to bypass college and the NCAA altogether in pursuit of an NBA career, despite the fact that NCAA athletes can now earn money through the NCAA’s newly approved “name, image, and likeness” deals. These allow players to profit from advertisements, video games, and more, even as they remain amateur players. For many students, these incentives are just too new and untested to justify entering college when they could make salaries as full-time players straight from high school. We will have to see how lucrative these NIL deals become to know whether they will attract top-level players to the NCAA - although we also believe that a college education should be worth something in the calculus, too!

TEENS FACED EMOTIONAL ABUSE DURING PANDEMIC

In a sobering study this week, the CDC announced that the majority of teenagers endured emotional abuse while at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional stressors from home and family life were just one of the potential traumatic triggers for teenagers in the last two years, and potentially a symptom of overstressed caregivers, including parents.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

As we talk with students about their summer plans, the idea of doing independent research comes up more and more. This can be a really great way for students to pursue their passions (especially those with a unique interest), gain hands-on experience, and create a final product that looks great on college applications. For more about why it is important to pursue research as a high school student, as well as some ways to get started, we recommend diving into this short article and then checking out our Summer Opportunities Database!

We maintain that the number one way to get a true sense of a school is to take an in-person tour. But the truth is, sometimes even that is not enough! During the pandemic, in-person tours were not an option for many students. Other tours were available, but students couldn’t see inside academic buildings or dorms. Or maybe the tour is great, but you visit campus during a break and don’t get to see any students walking around - it can feel like a ghost town! This article explores some ways to improve campus tours, both in-person and virtual, to make the selection process easier for all students, even those who are not able to visit. 

By all accounts, this has been a tough admissions year for many students and families. This article dives into some of the reasons for the change. It is worth a read, though we don’t agree with the tongue-in-cheek tone - this has been a legitimate challenge for many families! If your student did not receive the decision they were hoping for, this article from the L.A. Times provides some strategies parents and family members can use to help students weather their feelings of rejection.  

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

We want to share a couple of contest opportunities with you! The Congressional Art Competition, a nationwide art contest sponsored by the House of Representatives, is currently accepting applications. If you are a high schooler in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, you can read more and apply here. 

And for our Class of 2022 students, if your college essay had anything at all to do with money - work, social class, privilege, etc. - consider submitting to the New York Times annual essay contest. The essays will be published in late June, and writers will be paid for their work. We love any opportunity for students to share their amazing essays! 

Enjoy the weekend, and try not to stress too much if you received a decision you weren’t happy with. I know, easier said than done - at this time of year I always think about how absolutely crushed I was when I was rejected from my dream school (you can read the whole saga here). Yet as an adult, I am so incredibly grateful for the path my life took instead. This too shall pass!

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Weekly Update: March 25

We were excited for peak bloom this week - hope you got to spend some time admiring the cherry blossoms before the rain!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

UVA’S ACCEPTANCE RATE HITS RECORD LOW

UVA regular decision results are out, and the university’s acceptance rate dropped to just 19% this year. Offers were extended to approximately 9,000 students out of the 50,000+ who applied (the acceptance rate for in-state students, who make up two-thirds of the university, was 28%). We have seen demographic changes anecdotally, and the results play that out as well - 52% of admitted students were students of color, a record high for UVA. And if you’re wondering whether applying early is really worth it, keep in mind that over 7,000 of those 9,000 acceptances were handed out to early decision or early action applicants. 

USC PULLS OUT OF U.S. NEWS RANKINGS

More ranking controversy this week when USC withdrew its Rossier School of Education from the U.S. News & World Report rankings. The school made this choice after determining that it had provided inaccurate survey data to U.S. News for the last five years. An investigation into the data is now underway. 

CHAIR OF USC’S BOARD RUNS FOR LA MAYOR

In the second piece of USC news, the former chair of the Board of Trustees Rick Caruso is now running for mayor of LA. He is leaning on his record of “cleaning up messes” at USC. Caruso stepped in when USC was reeling from sexual abuse allegations, and has since installed the university’s first female president, new football coach, and several reforms to the Board of Trustees. However, some students and professors took issue with Caruso running the university like a business, saying that he was not transparent enough about the allegations against the school’s gynecologist or later scandals, including Varsity Blues. At the end of the school year, Caruso is expected to step down as he pursues his mayoral bid. 

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

The new digital SAT may be a win for neurodiverse students. The shortened test will require less sustained concentration, and with more time per question, processing speed becomes less important. However, there are still some potential drawbacks, including unfamiliarity with the new testing layout. Once the SAT rolls out, we will be back with more tips to help students get comfortable with this new format (if you are applying now, don’t worry - we won’t see the digital SAT for a few more years!). 

Have you ever wondered, “What’s the difference between a college and a university?” If so, you’re not alone! Traditionally, a college does not offer graduate programs, while a university does. But if you’re thinking about schools like the College of William & Mary, or Boston College, you’re probably realizing that this old rule of thumb doesn’t exactly hold true anymore. This article is an interesting read for those hoping to understand more about the “college” vs. “university” name, and how some schools are choosing to make changes. 

This Wall Street Journal piece by Tarren Bragdon, president and CEO of the Foundation for Government Accountability, explores the in-depth “My Florida Future” database and shares how his own children have benefited from it. Created as a result of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “student right to know” bill, the database empowers families to make data-driven decisions when it comes to college choices. It compares a number of metrics across all 12 state universities, including earnings for each degree program, cost, and loan burdens, and Virginia is the next state slated to offer a similar system.

A number of WSJ readers shared their dissatisfaction with this system, writing that college isn’t just about ROI (I loved the one from the guy who suggested a franchise instead!). I personally think this is a good thing - knowledge is power, and families who want to make their decisions based on ROI will now have the opportunity to do so.

My only caution would be to remember that correlation does not equal causation. For example, Bragdon writes that his son recognized that Florida Gulf Coast University business graduates make approximately 10% less within a year of graduation than their peers at Florida State, and suggested that this may impact his son’s decision-making. But what about the fact that it’s significantly harder to be admitted to FSU than FGCU? We’re comparing students of different achievement levels, and it’s natural that higher-performing students would have higher earnings. I’d still pick Florida State, but at the same time, let’s be realistic.

Finally, Jeff Selingo, one of the top voices on admissions today, wrote an article in the Atlantic this week titled “The College Admissions Process is Completely Broken.” As applications rise, admissions offices are forced to spend less time reading the applications, and to reject more students than ever - to Selingo, a sign of a broken process that gives officers just minutes to scan an application.

His solution includes many interesting reforms to the college application process, including eliminating unnecessary essays at schools that make decisions using primarily the high school transcript and test scores (yes please!). He also recommends eliminating the binding early decision process, arguing that it requires students to choose “just one” college too early. But we disagree!

If used properly, the choice about where to apply ED is one of the most powerful strategic decisions that a student can make, during a process where so many other factors are already decided for them. Plus, as Selingo himself mentions at the start of the article, you can only attend one school when all is said and done - so there’s no real harm in making that decision early! 

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Still looking for summer plans? If you live in Loudoun County, we HIGHLY recommend applying for the Loudoun Young Entrepreneurs Academy. This is an amazing program that gives great experience to students interested in business, entrepreneurship, or social impact. Students must be Loudoun County residents, although they can attend any school. (We used to love the Arlington version of this program that was available to all students, regardless of residency - bring it back, please!)

We have started getting some of our first finished Common ApplicationⓇ essays in from students this week! Even though completed drafts still undergo several rounds of revision from our team (and of course the student and parents), it is still a HUGE relief for those students who have this major task off their plates! More of our students will finish up in the next few weeks - those who stick to our timeline usually have those essays wrapped up by spring break! 

Enjoy the weekend!

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Weekly Update: March 18

We hope everyone had a happy St. Patrick’s Day and a great week (and isn’t too tired from springing ahead)!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

REGULAR DECISION RELEASE DATES

It is that time of year again - many of our students are receiving regular decision news from colleges! American, Notre Dame, Bucknell, Northeastern, and MIT were among the colleges to release decisions this week, and we expect to hear from UVA, Johns Hopkins, UGA, Villanova, and Swarthmore today! 🤞🤞🤞 For more updates on release dates, we recommend following College Kickstart’s list - it is updated almost every day with new information. 

CHANGES IN LAW SCHOOL RANKINGS ON THE HORIZON

U.S. News will be updating its law school rankings on March 29, and this year could be a surprise for the T-14 schools that consistently top that list. The organization has changed its metrics for ranking schools - including putting more weight on bar passage rates and far less weight on things like number of books in the library or ratio of full-time librarians to students. With these changes, we expect to see unprecedented movement on the U.S. News list - and it will be interesting to see the impact.

I’m particularly curious to see if Georgetown will get its coveted T14 slot back - there was a big shake-up last spring when they moved down to #15. As Above the Law joked, “Not since the NCAA tournament has Georgetown been so hyped and so disappointed.” Only time will tell!

UC BERKELEY ENROLLMENT CUTS ON HOLD

We wrote last month about the impending cuts that would require UC Berkeley to shrink its incoming class by 3,000 seats, and this was certainly scary news for many applicants. But on Monday, California legislators passed a bill to halt the cuts and preserve Berkeley’s size and intended growth. Don’t get too excited, though, unless you’re a California resident. Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego are still reducing their out-of-state population by approximately 22% (moving from 23% of the student body to 18%).

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again - by and large, U.S. News rankings are not the best way to determine which school to attend as an undergraduate (it should carry more weight for law and business school applicants).

For students and families still looking for proof that the rankings are somewhat arbitrary, a Columbia University math professor published an extensive critique of Columbia’s new #2 ranking, arguing that the university provided inaccurate or inflated data about class sizes, spending, and other categories. Columbia agrees that the data could be interpreted in different ways, but stands by the data provided to U.S. News. The controversy has reignited the wider debate about whether rankings really offer an accurate way to think about the value of a college education. 

We know that for many students and families, paying for college is the most difficult and confusing part of the admissions process to navigate. For those looking for a free resource, check out The Wall Street Journal’s Guide to navigating college debt.

Upper-middle class families often complain about finding themselves in a college funding “donut hole” - they don’t qualify for financial aid, yet can’t afford to pay full tuition at a private or out-of-state school. What remains? In-state public options. Of course, not every state has top-tier public institutions, so some families actually relocate (!) to places like North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, Michigan or California to give their children a chance.

With so much on the line, you can understand why Californians exhibited such “rising fury” about the Berkeley enrollment cuts - Virginians would probably have done the same! You can learn more about the background here: California NIMBYs learn a lesson: Don’t mess with college admissions. It does a great job of explaining the housing crisis that led to the cuts in the first place.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Calling all budding entrepreneurs, especially students interested in environmental science, food policy, social justice, or business - the Seeds Pitch Competition is a great way to win up to $500 for the best pitch for a solution to a problem in the community. Plus, this will look great on college applications!

This week, we had such a sweet surprise visit from a graduating senior! Like we said last week, it’s crazy that we’ve gone through so much with these students and never met some of them in person, so it was great to have a check-in from her and her family at our office. We are so excited to hear all about her journey at Cornell this coming fall!

I think we can all relate to this!!! ^

We’ve also been thinking a lot about opening up the office again - I feel like it’s just one deja vu moment after the other. As soon as we start to think “okay, it’s really over this time,” another variant pops up out of nowhere. We actually did bring students back in the office last summer for a few days before we had to revert back to remote work as a result of Delta - then we started making plans to reopen again and had to stop because of Omicron - and here we go again with BA2. Enough already!!!

Have a great weekend and enjoy the weather! We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed for all those students waiting to hear from regular decision schools tonight.

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Weekly Update: February 25

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS IN UNIFORM

In some striking images this week, the New York Times covered the use of the National Guard as substitute teachers in New Mexico schools, where the teaching staff has been severely impacted by COVID-19. 

While New Mexico is the only state to use the National Guard as substitutes, National Guard members have also driven school buses in Massachusetts, and police officers in Oklahoma have also served as substitute teachers. 

FLORIDA CONSIDERS FINANCIAL LITERACY REQUIREMENT

Virginia is one of a few states around the country that require students to learn personal finance in the classroom - including balancing a checkbook and completing a loan application. Florida may be the latest state to add a financial literacy requirement for high school graduation. We are big fans of practical coursework like this - and find that students are always more engaged when they know that they will use the material later in life.

VIRGINIA MASK MANDATES LIFT

Most Virginia counties have made mask mandates optional in schools, in response to Governor Youngkin’s recent executive order. In fact, Fairfax County is the last holdout - the only county that has not committed to switching to a mask-optional policy by March 1. 

Update! Earlier today, FCPS announced that masks will be optional starting Tuesday. You can read more about that here.

For an interesting exploration of how politics has played into parenting, both when it comes to mask mandates as well as curricula and vaccinations, check out this Atlantic article.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

Yale professor Laurie Santos, instructor of the famous “Yale Happiness Class” and host of The Happiness Lab podcast, gave an interesting interview this week discussing her own feelings of burnout, as well as the anxiety that her students are experiencing. This is a useful interview for anyone trying to support college students - and anyone just looking to lead a happier life!

Based on a recently released Common ApplicationⓇ report, the number of applications has continued to increase this cycle, now up nearly 14% since before the pandemic. The report identifies nine key findings from applications up until the February 15 deadlines (p.s., these findings are all listed on the first page, so no need to read all 19 pages unless you’re admissions nerds like us :) 

Finally, we’re so excited to share this article, which includes some really important information about affording college. We often hear from students and parents that are cost-conscious that they prefer to look at public universities. But as the editor-in-chief of the Princeton Review says, “Never cross an expensive school off your list… by sticker price alone.” If you consider the possibilities of merit aid, whether schools consider financial need in admissions, and other factors, it is possible that a private education can end up being less expensive than a public one. 

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

February has FLOWN by and we are so excited to start reading student essays as they work through the STAGE Program with Staci. If you are a junior who has not yet booked your essay coaching meetings, make sure you get on the calendar to begin this process! 

Learning students’ personal stories is one of the best parts of this job - in fact, all week I have been thinking about an essay that one of our students wrote about his Ukrainian heritage (during a different application cycle). Such a devastating situation and we have been watching the news nonstop along with the rest of the world.

On a (much) lighter note, we have also been enjoying the end of the college basketball season! As some of you saw on instagram, my kids and I got to see Virginia beat Miami over the long weekend - so fun! Hopefully we will see another win against Florida State this weekend.

Have a great weekend and stay warm!

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Weekly Update: February 18

We hope everyone has a great holiday weekend! A quick note that we will be closed on Monday for Presidents’ Day.

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

UC BERKELEY MAY CUT INCOMING CLASS

An Alameda County judge ruled last August that Berkeley was under an enrollment freeze, in response to complaints by residents in the area about the school’s plan for expansion. Last week, Berkeley lost its appeal in the case. This makes it likely that they will need to cut one-third of the freshman class - over 3,000 seats! This development will likely make an already ultra-selective school even more so - particularly given that it comes on top of Berkeley’s cuts to out-of-state enrollment. Along with UCLA and UC San Diego, they are cutting their out-of-state population by approximately 21% (going from 23% of the overall population to 18%).

UC APPLICATION OPEN PERIOD EXTENDED

In other UC news, the window during which students can submit their application, which has always began on November 1, is set to begin a full month earlier next year - students can submit their applications as soon as October 1. The deadline for submitting the application will remain November 30 (though given the UC website’s history of crashing on that date, we highly recommend getting the application submitted much earlier!) 

US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION COLLEGE SCORECARD UPDATED

New changes to the Department of Education’s database allow students to see at a glance each school’s graduation rate, annual cost, and the median salary of graduates. Students can also see the percentage of graduates from any given college that earn more than a typical high school graduate. 

SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID

We’ve written before about the need- and merit-based aid processes for schools, but there are a variety of scholarships available for students from outside organizations, and it is important to be on the lookout for options like these (Shannon once applied for a college scholarship granted to tall students!). 

This week, we’re highlighting scholarships from the National Center for Learning Disabilities. These scholarships are open to students with a specific learning disability or a diagnosis of ADHD.

And if you’re more focused on the financial aid application process, a great free resource is College Access Fairfax - check out their webinars for step-by-step help through this very complicated process. 

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

In his newsletter this week, Jeff Selingo dives into colleges’ responsibility for graduate outcomes. Specifically, he notes that Black and Latinx students are often enrolled in majors with lower earnings, and this leads to underemployment after graduation. Selingo asks whether colleges are responsible for extending their diversity and equity goals to students’ lives after college as well as while they are at school. 

We just spent a lot of time in strategy sessions and meetings with our classes of 2023 and 2024 students to discuss course selection, and some of the news that gets the biggest groan from students and families is that yes, you have to take calculus. Yes, even you, hopeful English/history/political science major. This report from Inside Higher Ed concludes that a statistics class is often a better choice for high school students, academically. We agree! Unfortunately, until admissions offices start to see the light, students should still plan to take calculus.

Tj is once again in the national news. This New York Times piece covers a federal lawsuit from a group called Coalition for TJ, which alleges that the school’s new admissions processes are discriminatory towards Asian students. A group called the Pacific Legal Foundation is providing support to the TJ group in hopes that the case could potentially set precedent for other highly selective magnet schools. This reminded me of a different article I read last week from New York Magazine, entitled The Left Is Gaslighting Asian Americans About College Admissions. The author supports affirmative action in general but believes that the “dishonest propaganda” regarding the impact of affirmative action on Asians needs to stop. Feelings on affirmative action aside, I can 100% attest that Asian-Americans are discriminated against in high school, college, and graduate school admissions. It’s really awful and the term “gaslighting” sums it up perfectly. Why are we denying that this is happening? Come on - like the author says, it’s not only dishonest but insulting.

When it comes to graduate schools, like law or MBA programs, “brand names” tend to carry more weight than in the undergraduate admissions process. Nearly all students we work with are aiming for the top programs in their field. While attending a top school is extremely beneficial from a networking standpoint, these may not be the only schools that can prepare students for their future. This ABA Journal study lists the law schools whose graduates routinely overperform on the bar exam - and (surprise!) some of them aren’t ranked at all (P.S., shout out to UVA, Washington & Lee, and Liberty as the Virginia schools that made the list!). 

Finally, if you’re wondering how your major choice stacks up against other students in your class, check out this Forbes article for lists of the most popular majors for each class. For current high school seniors, the most popular intended majors include biology, business, nursing, and engineering.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

We’ve been busy this week as Colleen and Shannon continue check-ins with current clients and strategy sessions, and Staci dives right into Common ApplicationⓇ essay work with students. It is so much fun to watch our students generate their essay ideas, and we’re really excited to see how this latest batch of essays turn out!

We also heard back about ED II results! We’ve hit the ED II lottery over the last few years; if I'm not mistaken, every single one of our ED II applicants in recent memory have been admitted. Given the selectivity and unpredictability of this process, I know this streak is bound to end soon... but we made it through another application cycle with our perfect track record intact!!! Yay! Our three ED II applicants were all admitted to their top choice schools - one to Johns Hopkins and two to Wake Forest! They are all amazing kids and we are so happy for them. 

On a related note (no pun intended!), we have noticed lately that we've been working with SO MANY sets of siblings and first cousins, and that ED II group is a perfect example. Of the three I mentioned, one is a younger sibling of a past client and two are older siblings of current clients. And we'll see even more of that in next year's graduating class, because our percentage of "legacy" clients is the highest it's ever been for the Class of 2023 - over HALF of them are either younger siblings or first cousins of former students! 

It's really fun to get to work with the same families over and over again throughout the years - and even more so when the older ones come back to work with us for grad school admissions!

Have a great long weekend - we’ll be back in the office on Tuesday!

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Best of the Blog: Not the Decision You Hoped For? Read This!

ADVICE SO GOOD, IT’S WORTH REPEATING!

While we love to celebrate with our clients who receive positive decision news, we also know that this can be a challenging time for many students when they don’t receive the news they hope for. In this installment of the Best of the Blog, we’re bringing back our post that provides tips for students and families after defer or deny decisions.

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It’s Decision Time!

ORIGINALLY POSTED DECEMBER 2020

The decisions began pouring in shortly after last Friday’s blog post was published, and we have absolutely loved hearing more and more good news from our students! Sending a number of kids to UVA and VT as they hoped, yay!

That said, I’m a total stress case while writing this because it’s Tuesday afternoon and we will learn a whole bunch of ED results over the next few hours: NYU, Columbia, Vanderbilt, Davidson, Swarthmore and Villanova. We have multiple ED applicants at some of those schools, so there’s a lot riding on this evening!

Even with a stellar track record, it’s hard not to feel anxious with this particularly unpredictable cycle in an always-uncertain process. As I mentioned in my last post, applications at top schools have continued to skyrocket and it’s statistically inevitable that some kids will learn disappointing news this week.

If you find yourself in that category, read on for more about deferrals, denials, and where to go from here!

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1. Take a moment to process

If you were denied or deferred from your dream school, you may be feeling a lot of emotions. Whether you are disappointed, sad, angry, or some combination of the three, take a day or two to process those feelings. If it takes some time before you are ready to talk about your decision, that’s okay! Giving yourself the space you need will prepare you to tackle next steps with new energy.

2. Tell the people who need to know

You may not want to shout your denial or deferral from the rooftops - if and how you share the news is your decision. But beyond your parents, there are two people who should absolutely know this decision sooner rather than later: your school counselor and (if you are a client) ME! I will be able to share this news with the rest of our team so that we can immediately help you consider your options and give you some more information on next steps.

3. Strategize

At this point, and this is particularly the case if you are not a client of ours already and put your list together without expert help, you may need to look at your list critically to make sure that the schools you have selected are realistic. Yes, we’re up against the clock, but it’s not too late to consider how you might change your list in light of new information. The longer you wait, though, the more difficult it will be to do this. If you are a current client and want to talk more or rethink your strategy, go ahead and book a session with us immediately. If you are not a current client but want some extra help in the next round, you can book one of our emergency strategy sessions to help get you on the right track.

4. If you were denied, let it go and move forward

It can be tempting to follow up with a school to ask questions or attempt to provide more information, but the hard truth of this process is that a “no” essentially never turns into a “yes” unless a true error was made. While there are certain situations in which asking for feedback can be useful - and we can discuss this individually with students if that is an appropriate course of action - it’s important to know that the chances of reversing a decision are extraordinarily unlikely. It would have to be a “my counselor sent the wrong student’s transcript” type of mistake for something like that to happen - not “you are missing out on the best student ever” kind of mistake! It is a more productive use of your time to let this one go and focus on your other applications. Whatever the decision, it will all work out in the long term, and this one rejection will not define your next four years.

5. If you were deferred, gather more information and make a plan

If you read our blog post from last year about turning a deferral into an acceptance, you know that the first step is to talk to your school counselor. That person will be able to reach out to the school and provide us with more information that we can use to help you come up with a plan. Your plan is going to be specific to your application and the school - some students will need to retest, others will need to work hard on making sure their grades are the best yet, and so on. The only way you will know the best path for success is by understanding the objection you’re trying to overcome.

6. Write your Letter of Continued Interest

Regardless of your strategy, it will likely include a Letter of Continued Interest to let the school know that they are still your top choice. Make sure to talk with us or with your school counselor about writing this letter, and if you don’t know where to begin, you can check out our blog post on LOCIs for a template.

7. Keep going!

Fatigue can definitely set in at this point - you have done the hard work of applying, you aren’t sure whether writing that LOCI will really help or whether applying to another school or two is really worth it. This is not the time to shrug it off or give up, though. You’ve come so far! Focus on your other applications and your deferral strategy, and keep pushing forward. Your hard work will pay off in the end!

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Questions about defer or deny decisions that weren’t answered in this post? Send us a message or let us know in the comments!

Weekly Update: November 26

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and was able to spend time with family and friends!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

VIRGINIA COUNCIL ON WOMEN’S 11TH ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL ESSAY CONTEST

The Virginia Council on Women has opened up the 11th Annual Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, and Healthcare essay contest. Virginia high school seniors who identify as women are eligible for these scholarships and should apply by Monday, January 3 (P.S. Need help with scholarship essays? Book an essay coaching session!). 

2022 RHODES SCHOLARS ANNOUNCED

Check out where this group of Rhodes Scholars are from! A lot of Harvard, Yale, and service academy representation, but some great other schools too - Alabama, Indiana, Clemson and more! This is just proof that ‘best fit’ is really important when it comes to choosing a college - and that students who make the most of their opportunities can end up in the same place after graduation. 

CLEMSON LYCEUM SCHOLARSHIP

Lots of scholarship news today! Clemson’s Lyceum Scholars program was founded by the Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism. Lyceum Scholars receive $10,000 over their four years at Clemson. The application deadline is December 11, so students planning to attend Clemson next year should apply now!

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

Our students are ALWAYS looking for the “secret sauce” when it comes to letters of recommendation. Some subscribe to the “more is better” approach, while others wonder if teacher recommendations really have that much bearing on the admissions process. This article from Forbes gives a nuanced perspective on recommendations, particularly those optional personal recommendations from coaches, counselors, mentors, or other people that know a student well but have not taught them in the classroom.

A good rule of thumb when it comes to optional recommendations is that they should contain NEW information about the applicant. Admissions officers are reading a LOT of applications this time of year, and they don’t want to read the same thing twice! If you are considering asking for a personal recommendation, make sure it comes from someone who can give a new perspective on you that the counselor won’t get from your teacher and counselor recommendations, essays, or activities list. 

Second and most importantly, PREP YOUR RECOMMENDERS. Most recommenders will appreciate information from you that helps them to put together an effective recommendation - they want you to succeed, after all! Current clients can book a meeting for help with this, or check out the resources in the Membership Vault to help your recommender write the best possible personal recommendation. 

More and more colleges are moving to get rid of legacy admissions, and this article takes a critical look at what that really means for the admissions process. I wrote a few weeks ago about the misconceptions that the general public has about legacy admissions. The bottom line is, the student must already be academically qualified for legacy status to make a difference. From the article:

On hard measures such as G.P.A. and SAT scores, those admitted as legacies already fit within the larger pool of qualified applicants...the benefit they receive works within the softer, holistic section of the college application. Having an alumni parent is less like magically winning several hundred SAT points and more like writing an essay that the assistant dean really admired. Accordingly, the legacies will be replaced not by a clearly smarter bunch of applicants but by ones who were better at getting the admissions readers to like them.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Colleen attended a virtual session last Friday with the "Metro 5" - liberal arts schools in city settings. Lewis and Clark, Macalester, Rhodes, Richmond and Trinity are all great options to consider for students who seek a "close connection with peers and faculty, but are looking for something a little bit bigger - [the opportunity] to engage in the community in a larger way." The combination of a close-knit liberal arts community and an urban environment really does offer a best-of-both worlds opportunity that some students absolutely love. Our summer intern (and former client!) Tyler wrote a blog post this summer about his experience at Richmond, which is a great read for any students interested in Richmond or any of the Metro 5 schools. Students can download the recording of the student program here.

We wanted to highlight one piece of advice from one of the college representatives about essays. As a whole, the group agreed that they were seeing more and more pieces of writing that clearly weren't written by students or were heavily over-edited. We see these too, when we ask students to turn in an assignment and it's clear that they didn't write it. But please, parents - don't fall into this trap!

"We are professionals, like, this is what we do on a regular basis! We read thousands of essays, we've been teenagers, many of us have teenage children... we have an idea of what a teenage voice is like, and that's what we're looking for!"

We know the feeling - we’ve seen a lot of essays that have been over-edited by well-meaning parents! That’s why we use the Wow Writing Workshop method with our students, to make sure that all of their essays are “seventeen-year-old perfect” - great essays that clearly retain the voice and perspective of a teenager. 

We have been so excited to see some acceptances this week, including our first ED acceptance - yay! That student is so happy to be done and know where he is headed next year :) We love hearing from our clients once they receive their decisions, so if you are a current client, make sure to keep us updated!

Have a great weekend!

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Weekly Update: November 19

We can’t believe we’re already more than halfway through November - hope everyone stayed warm this week!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

GEORGETOWN LAW RECEIVES APPLICATION INCREASE

As we’ve mentioned before, we expected the COVID-19 pandemic to lead to more students attending graduate school. And right in our backyard is a great metric - Georgetown Law receives more applications than any other law school in the country. And for Fall 2021, applications went WAY up - 41%! As a result, the admit rate dropped from 21% to just 12% last cycle. This is reflective of an increase in law school applications overall, which were up 26% around the country. 

MONTGOMERY COUNTY CHANGES GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Soon, students in Montgomery County Public Schools will have to take 0.5 fewer elective and PE credits - bringing the total number of required credits down to 22.5, just half a credit above the state required 22 credits to graduate. PE teachers are opposing the change, arguing that with the mental health implications of COVID-19, physical activity is more important for students than ever. 

CDC INVESTIGATES FLU SPREAD AT UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

In just over a month, over 500 cases of the flu have been diagnosed at the University of Michigan - an extreme level of spread. Due to the unusual size of the outbreak, the CDC has stepped in to provide support and evaluate vaccine uptake. The university is urging as many students as possible to get their flu vaccines, especially before traveling home for Thanksgiving break and potentially increasing the spread. 

HOWARD PROTESTS COME TO AN END

We’ve been covering the ongoing student protests at Howard University, and now, a month after the student occupation of the Blackburn Center began, the students have reached an agreement with the school administration. The changes promised by the administration include a revision of the school’s sexual assault policy, a review of campus policing, and a food bank for students on campus. 

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

Colleges around the country have been dealing with worsening mental health of students, an issue that the pandemic has brought to the forefront. A Fairfax County student, now a junior at UNC, was an integral part of developing the student response to the two suicides at UNC earlier this year. Ethan Phillips was helping to implement “postvention” strategies, to help avoid “suicide contagion” in the wake of campus suicides. This article covers some of the essential steps of postvention, and how students and schools can support their communities after tragedies. 

We mentioned the creation of the University of Austin last week - a new school spearheaded by conservative founders who hope to change the way that colleges admit students and champion free speech on campus. The Washington Post published an op-ed this week that dives into how the school will function. Notable changes include the idea of an entrance exam graded by professors in lieu of a traditional admissions process, which the university’s founders say will increase the role of merit in college admissions. 

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Now that many of the early deadlines have passed, we are keeping our fingers crossed and our eyes on the list of decision release dates for our class of 2022 students. This time last year, UGA and Tulane decisions were rolling out! While we’re not sure we’ll see such early releases this year, students should expect to start receiving these notifications in early to mid-December - so keep an eye on your email! 

In the meantime, we’ve enjoyed working with our class of 2023 students to start their college lists and plan their research for the holiday breaks (we’ve had some eager class of 2024 students planning visits as well!). This is a great time to spend looking at colleges, so take advantage of it! If you or your student are feeling overwhelmed by putting together a list and completing research, book a Meet & Greet to hear more about how we can help set you up for success over the holiday break. 

Our office will be closed next Thursday - wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving! 

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College Experience Coaching - Applications & Special Programs

Last week, we covered the ins and outs of the course registration process and how college experience coaching can help. While course registration is often one of the most complex and nuanced parts of the first few years of college, it is by no means the ONLY challenge that students will come upon their first year (and beyond!)

College experience coaching can also help when students find themselves needing to complete internal applications within their college or university. Unfortunately, these have become a common part of the college experience!

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What do you mean, more applications?

Yup. As a college student, there are two main types of applications that we help students complete (while ensuring they put their best foot forward!).

The first is an academic application for a special program, school, or course experience that interests them. Many schools offer selective programs within the university that students can potentially enter in their second or third year. These are often pre-professional programs; for example, both the McIntire School of Commerce at UVa and the Robins School of Business at William & Mary will only accept students through a selective internal application process. And this is quite common elsewhere, too. There may also be scholarship opportunities, honors colleges, or even research funding for which students can apply while at school.

The second type is actually an extracurricular application. Believe it or not, many clubs and organizations also require (sometimes extensive!) applications and even interviews from students looking for leadership opportunities or membership in campus organizations. Frankly, this can be a pain, but these experiences are worth the effort; not only do they help students develop practical skills they need for the workforce, they are very useful when it comes to building resumes for job or internship opportunities. We help students stay on track to put together the best possible application packages - all while balancing their academic work.

What type of applications can you help with?

Applications are our expertise! Here are just some of the application types that we’ve successfully provided coaching to help students complete:

• Honors College applications

• Internal applications for selective schools or majors within the institution

• Study abroad applications

• Internship applications

• Research or grant funding applications

• Internal and external scholarship applications

• Leadership positions, including those in greek life

• Campus organizations requiring applications for baseline membership

• Student government, student ambassador, and other institutional applications

Does my student’s school even have these types of opportunities?

Most likely, the answer is yes! But many of them may not be highly publicized, or your student may not know about the deadlines for some more selective programs. It can be really disappointing to realize junior year that research funding would have been possible, if only you’d taken a one-credit research seminar that is only offered to sophomores! We can help students investigate the possibilities on their campus and make sure they are on track to achieving their goals and making the most out of their experiences.

Can’t I just help my student with this stuff?

Yes! For some families, this works well and parents can help and encourage their students to make the most of the college experience. If that is you, college experience coaching may not be the best fit.

However, if any of the following sounds familiar, this may be a good investment for your family: “I don’t think she has any idea what she wants to do.” “I’m worried that he’s not thinking about his future.” “I’m not sure how to support her without imposing my own ideas.” “He says he’ll apply but the deadline is in two weeks and I don’t see how that’s possible.”

We hear issues like these from parents all the time. You want to support your student, but you also want them to have their own college experience. Or you think they need someone to talk to about their future plans, but you just can’t get them to talk to you without feeling like you’re nagging every time you get a phone call! A check-in with a professional can provide a sounding board outside of the family for both you and your student, giving you peace of mind and helping to keep your relationship intact.

Have an upcoming application deadline?

Reach out to Shannon today to learn more about college experience coaching, and check out our Packages and Fees page for more information on costs.

College Experience Coaching - Course Registration Time!

Did you know that in addition to educational consulting, we also offer college experience coaching to help students navigate their first year of college and beyond? Whether students are hoping to prepare for success in graduate school admissions, enter the job market with a strong resume, or simply just maximize the undergraduate experience, working with us can help make it happen!

So while our high school seniors are submitting their applications and waiting to hear from their schools, we’ve been busy helping our Class of 2021, Class of 2020, and Class of 2019 students with their spring course registration!

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Can’t their advisors help with that?

At many schools, course selection and registration are notoriously difficult - especially for underclassmen. Even at ultra-selective private universities, advisors are meant to help facilitate schedules and share information about graduation requirements. So while they can certainly help, it’s not typically the kind of personalized assistance that most of our students (and their parents) expect!

Yes, there are a few exceptions, but most do not sit down with students to examine options and plot out the best possible schedule permutations. They can’t - they just don’t have time to do that for each student. It’s just like the school counselor vs. independent counselor issue we’ve discussed so many times before.

How does it work?

We do the research and leg work to help put together a personalized schedule tailored to your student’s preferences, goals, core requirements, and major/minor requirements - as well as backups (and backups to the backups!) to be covered when registration hits those inevitable snafus. Worried about getting stuck with a hard or boring professor? Not on our watch! Want to make sure no classes start before 10 a.m. and Fridays are free? We make it happen all the time!

Revealing our secrets…

Want to try to put the best possible schedule together on your own? Here’s some tips and tricks right out of our playbook:

1. Map out a four-year plan from the start. Colleges typically provide lists of various requirements (general education, major, minor, etc), but they don’t always put everything together in one place. Sketching out a general four-year plan is a necessary first step that we take with each of our students - we put all of their requirements together in one place and incorporate space for study abroad, co-ops, and any other deviations from a traditional schedule.

   This provides an easy way for students to visualize exactly which types of courses they need to take and when, and how much flexibility they have - for example, how many times they can change their major before they are at risk of graduating late! - or whether they have room to pick up a new minor, etc. It also really helps to have a baseline when it comes to planning out each individual semester. We do modify this four-year plan as things change, but we rely heavily upon it.

2. Create a master list early. As soon as course schedules are released for the upcoming semester (typically about a month in advance of registration), start planning out options. Look at the four year plan, determine which requirements are slated to be met during that particular semester, and start playing with the schedule to determine which available courses will fit the requirements. Come up with a master list of potential options.

3. Identify the top two criteria of choice and start removing courses from consideration. We recommend prioritizing the quality of the instructor more than anything else. Even the most boring material can be interesting with a great professor. We always look for those who aren’t harsh graders, but are engaging and make learning fun. Depending on the material and the student’s needs, we may also look for those who are highly effective in terms of teaching the subject matter. This is less important in some situations (i.e. an English major trying to meet a Natural Science graduation requirement)- but it’s essential in others (I.e. a nursing major who ultimately needs to pass the NCLEX exam, an accounting major who ultimately needs to pass the CPA exam, etc). In addition to instructor quality, we also prioritize aspects including time of day, day of week, difficulty of subject matter when compared to alternatives, etc.)

4. Keep careful notes for future semesters. Maybe it comes out that Prof. Smith is the most amazing in the psychology department, but he’s only teaching 9am classes this semester and that’s a deal-breaker. No problem! Write down a reminder to check out his courses during the following semester’s registration period. After we research various professors, we often put together short descriptions of their characteristics - bad and good - to make for easy reference down the line.

5. Put permutations together! Start with the classes that seem to fit the top two criteria best, and put together a whole bunch of permutations that fit the general preference guidelines. There will be pros and cons to each permutation, and we like to rank them in order of preference. We also make sure that there are options available with a wide range of classes, because we don’t know which ones will fill up immediately on the morning of registration. For example, if every single schedule permutation includes POL315 and that one fills, it would be a problem!

6. Monitor closely and adjust when needed. Freshmen typically register last, and even juniors can find that their top-choice courses have filled by the time their registration window opens. It’s important to be aware of which courses are filling, and which seem likely to fill. This way we can remove those permutations from the list and examine whether we have a sufficient number ready for registration day. Sometimes we need to go back to the drawing board to add more.

7. Be strategic on registration day. After all of this prep work, it’s vital to make sure that students don’t miss their registration windows - and these usually happen very early in the morning. Be at the computer, ready to go, at least fifteen minutes in advance. Make sure to have a list of courses (in order of importance - those with fewer spots or which are most critical to the schedule should be prioritized). Start refreshing about a minute before the window to make sure to gain access immediately, and start registering from the pre-determined list. Make sure that the backup permutations are readily available to make for an easy pivot if courses fill unexpectedly.

Money Well Spent

Does this sound incredibly time-consuming? Well - that’s because it is (now you understand why advisors could never do this!). That’s why many parents ask us to step in - we are experienced and can take care of this much more efficiently than a student or parent could.

Still, our services aren’t free, or inexpensive. But put it into perspective, the cost of college today makes our fees look like chump change in comparison! Planning out course selection this way will greatly maximize the likelihood that a student will be able to graduate on time, and with the best possible grades. Every time something goes wrong (the student misses a requirement by mistake, or signs up for a course with a difficult professor and has to drop mid-semester, or doesn’t leave enough slots to be able to take all of their major/minor coursework on time), the likelihood of graduating in four years decreases.

Just about a week ago, the National Center for Education Statistics released updated data on graduation rates, and it’s pretty bleak. Did you know that only about 40% of students graduate from four-year universities within four years, and perhaps even scarier, only 64% graduate from four-year universities within SIX years! Even at an in-state public university, an extra year can cost around $35,000 - and that’s not including the opportunity cost of the year of lost income (average starting base salary for a B.S. graduate from UVa’s Commerce School: $78,000). Even using conservative estimates, we’re talking about a six-figure loss. So the investment of professional direction can be well worth it, and often ends up saving quite a bit of money down the line.

Need some help with Spring 2022 Registration?

Reach out to Shannon today to learn more about college experience coaching, and check out our Packages and Fees page for more information on costs.

Fall 2021 Virtual College Fairs, Tours and Information Sessions

We always stress with our clients that it is SO important to demonstrate interest for the schools on your list! Especially now that so many schools have virtual offerings, there is really no excuse for not checking out all of the colleges that interest you.

Check out some of the events on this list and make sure to bookmark this page, because we’ll continue to update as we hear about more events!

Discovering U Virtual Group Sessions

Event Description:

Join Columbia University, the University of Chicago, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Michigan, and Yale University for this online info session. This is a great opportunity for students to hear from several highly selective schools at once. 

When:

The next session is being offered on September 30 at 7:00 pm EDT. However, Discovering U is also offering several special sessions that are worth checking out, including a Session with the Deans on October 20. 

Learn more and register for Discovering U here.

UCLA’s Annual Fall Open House

Event Description:

UCLA has made their annual event virtual for the past few years, which is a great opportunity for students on the East Coast who may not have been able to attend an in-person event on campus. There will be sessions on admissions, financial aid, housing, academic programs, and student life, among others. 

When:

Saturday, September 25 through Thursday, September 30. The sessions will be a little late for those of us in the DC area, running from 8:00 to 10:00 pm EDT on weekdays, but the Saturday session will be in the afternoon from 1:00 to 6:00 pm EDT. 

Learn more and register for UCLA’s Fall Open House here.

NACAC Virtual College Fairs

Event Description:

NACAC is offering a variety of virtual fairs this fall, with several that focus on particular regions. Their virtual experience lets you put together a schedule so you can catch the Zoom presentations from the colleges you are most interested in, as well as set up one-on-one meetings with admissions officers. 

When:

The next fair on September 28 focuses on colleges in the Northeast, including Boston University, Drexel University, and Northeastern University. 

Learn more and register for a Virtual College Fair here.

National CCAA Virtual College Fair

Event Description:

The Catholic College Admission Association is offering several virtual fairs this fall. Over 100 Catholic colleges and universities will be in attendance, and the fair will involve one-on-one chats with admissions officers from many of these schools.

When:

Wednesday, October 6, Tuesday October 19, or Thursday October 21 from 6:00 to 8:45 pm EDT

Learn more and register for a Virtual College Fair here.

Greater Atlanta Area Colleges Virtual Exploration

Event Description:

Nine Atlanta-area schools, including Emory, Georgia Tech, and UGA, will host sessions and presentations at this two-day virtual fair, with typical Admissions sessions as well as specific events like “Why Atlanta?” to help students explore schools in the area.

When:

Wednesday, September 29 - Thursday, September 30, with sessions in the afternoons and evenings.

Learn more and register for a Virtual College Fair here.

Six Colleges Events

Event Description:

Amherst, Bowdoin, Carleton, Pomona, Swarthmore, and Williams have joined together to put on these virtual events throughout the fall. Students can register for individual events, but there is also a single form that students can fill out to receive information about each school and all of the upcoming sessions.

When:

There are several sessions scheduled, including an Academic Experience session on Tuesday, September 21 at 8:00 pm EDT and a “Real Talk” session with students on Monday, October 18 at 8:00 pm EDT.

Learn more and register for a Six Colleges event here.

Explore Maryland Day

Event Description:

This full day of live sessions from the University of Maryland provides students with the opportunity to learn about the various colleges within the university, hear from current students, and learn more about resources on campus. Students can choose to attend just one session or the full day.

When:

Saturday, October 16, 10:45 am - 4:00 pm EDT

Learn more and register for Explore Maryland Day here.

Baylor Premiere

Event Description:

This is another full-day open house, with breakout sessions for academic programs, a live Zoom tour, a parent Q&A session, and other options throughout the day.

When:

Saturday, October 2, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm EDT

Learn more and register for the Baylor Premiere here.

Behind the Curtain

Event Description:

Bates, Claremont McKenna, Lehigh, and UChicago are teaming up to offer this information session where they let students see “behind the curtain” of the admissions process and hear from admissions directors.

When:

There are three events - the soonest is on Sunday, September 26 at 4:00 pm ET

Learn more and register for Behind the Curtain here.

Exploring Educational Excellence

Event Description:

Brown, UChicago, Columbia, Cornell, and Rice are offering this joint session that will include a brief overview from each school and the opportunity to ask questions of the admissions officers. A great way to learn about five highly selective schools at once!

When:

There are four remaining sessions - the soonest is on Tuesday, September 28 at 9:00 pm ET

Learn more and register for Exploring Educational Excellence here.

Tips for Building Your College List

As we transition over to the active stage of the application process with all of our Class of 2023 juniors this fall, we’re working hard to help them build their college lists! We’d love to share some tips to consider as you work toward building a balanced list (and if you are visiting colleges now as a senior, don’t forget to check out our tips for choosing your college for more help with those visits!). 

One major source of anxiety that we hear about from students and families all the time is not having options. Students are nervous that come decision time, they will feel “stuck” with a choice that they don’t love. The problem is usually that the student has a list of only super-selective schools. And while every student should absolutely apply to one or more of what we call “dream reaches,” there are often dozens of schools where the student could be equally (or more!) happy and successful. 

The other common mistake that students make is having just one “safety” school - that they would never want to attend! Yes, it is important to have less selective options, usually more than one, but that doesn’t mean that you should throw a school on there just to have one. With just a bit of extra research (or help from a counselor), you can find safety schools that actually meet your criteria, where you’d be excited to attend! The goal is that every school on your list is there for a reason beyond, “Well, I could probably get in.”

So if you are looking to build a list of colleges that makes you feel like you’ve got a TON of great opportunities, follow these tips:

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1. Start early

Now really is the time to start building a list - we’ll start brainstorming with our class of 2023 students in a few weeks! When you start early, the process becomes a lot more fun and a lot less stressful. You can also capitalize on fall and winter breaks at school to visit campuses, and make sure that you don’t miss any important info sessions or college visits to your high school. 

2. Get to know yourself

During our first brainstorming meeting with students, we ask a TON of questions! We want to get to know exactly what our clients are looking for in their schools - from academics, to extracurriculars, to community experience. There are so many different areas of consideration when choosing a college, and it is helpful to have a sense of what you are looking for, and what is an absolute deal-breaker. 

Secondly, make sure you know how important those characteristics are. We put different aspects in four categories: Must Have, No Way, Would Be Nice, and Don’t Love. That way, we know exactly how important each characteristic is to a particular student. One student might prefer a suburban environment, but be willing to attend a rural school if it has a specific program or major. For another student, a city school is a Must Have - if it’s rural, they’re not going! Make sure you know what your priorities are so that you can build your list accordingly.

3. Do your research

Once you have some idea of the type of school that interests you, you can begin research. There are websites and free resources online that can be very helpful (we particularly like the Princeton Review), as well as paid resources like the Fiske Guide that you may also be able to borrow from your school counselor or local library. 

But of course, nothing beats a visit to the school! Some campuses are open now for in-person visits, while others are remaining virtual. Whether you do a tour in person or online, taking the time to really learn about the campus and community is the best way to figure out whether it matches your criteria. Also, in-person visits are the number one place that we see students’ criteria change - you may think you want a mid-size school, but realize after a few visits that a smaller campus is the best fit for you.

4. Check your balance

We recommend at least two likely/safety schools and at least three target schools to make up the base of your list. Once you have this foundation, you can build on some reach or “dream reach” schools. But without that core of likelies and targets, you are putting unnecessary pressure on yourself - if your mindset is “If I don’t get in, I’ll be miserable!” it is a lot harder to enjoy the process.

5. Check your own time!

Careful not to go too far with the list - be mindful of your time and other commitments. Again, the earlier you start, the easier this will be, but keep in mind that some schools can have six or more supplemental essays, and they add up quickly! We try for a list of 8-10 schools with our students, though of course there is always some range depending on the individual student’s needs. Just keep in mind that if you are planning on applying to 20 different schools, you will need to be prepared to complete the work. 

Building your college list should be a fun part of the process, not a stressful one. Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to a list that makes you feel happy and excited about the rest of the process! If you’d like to learn more about how we can help, book a Meet & Greet to discuss our brainstorming process in more depth. 

Weekly Update: September 3

A bit of a chill in the air when we came into the office this morning, kids back at school, and seniors submitting applications almost every day - happy September!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

TULANE EXPERIENCES BACKLASH FOR IDA RESPONSE

Early on Tuesday, Tulane University began evacuating students to Houston in response to Hurricane Ida. Students won’t be permitted to return to campus until October, and classes will continue online, so many are headed home while others will stay with faculty in New Orleans. 

Tulane blamed faulty forecasts for the late evacuation, and people on Twitter became ANGRY! Criticisms of the university’s response went viral, demonstrating that the path of the hurricane had been predicted to hit New Orleans several days in advance of the evacuation. We touched base earlier this week with a current freshman we have at Tulane and were glad to hear that she is safe and doing well, but really sad that she won’t be able to return to campus for six weeks. 

(Side note: Despite the sometimes unpredictable weather, Tulane is growing increasingly popular with students - their acceptance rate dropped from 30% a few years ago to 9.73% this past year! The class of 2025 at Tulane set records for diversity as well as academic excellence.)

BUT THE AMHERST COVID BACKLASH IS WAY WORSE

I have always been on the more conservative side with Covid - just this week I kept one of my kids home from school for days as a precaution because kids in other classes there were testing positive and I didn’t want to risk exposure. So I do understand being cautious and in general applaud that.

But what is Amherst thinking? They are taking their Covid restrictions way too far, in my opinion, and students are furious. This piece from the New York Post made me laugh - “Students, all of whom were already required to be vaccinated, will spend non-class time in their dorm rooms and may leave campus only in a handful of defined emergency situations. One of these is apparently going to the bank, though what a bunch of would-be rowdy undergraduates who can’t hit up the local dive bars or have a coffee will need money for is a mystery.” Sounds fun, right? I really like Amherst, but yikes.

COVID-19 OUTBREAK AT LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

On the other end of the spectrum, Liberty University switched abruptly to remote learning this week following a coronavirus outbreak on campus. Their numbers tripled within the last week and they now have 4x as many students with Covid as UVA, JMU, VCU and Virginia Tech COMBINED!!! To put this into perspective, their student population is about 15,000, and the combined student population at those four schools is about 115,000. Time to start getting vaccinated, guys! With limited ICU space at the only local hospital, the university had to pivot to protect its students. Liberty is just one of several schools, including Rice and Duke, that have made changes in the last few weeks in response to the Delta variant. 

One week ago at Liberty. Seriously???

COLLEGE FOOTBALL KICKOFF

College football started this week, with fans eagerly awaiting yesterday’s top-25 matchup between Ohio State and Minnesota. As universities struggle with the Delta variant, it is up to the colleges to manage COVID-19 during these travel games. Some football teams, including Ole Miss, Arizona, and Boston College, have 100% vaccination rates headed into the season.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

My favorite college rankings were released this week! I look forward to the Princeton Review’s rankings every year, and we often recommend them to our clients. Instead of ranking the colleges from best to worst in a general sense like many other guides, Princeton Review identifies the characteristics that students seek in an undergraduate education and identifies the top 25 schools that best fit each one. They are called "Great Lists" and range from "Great College Dorms" to "Great Career Services" to "Great Professors" and more. 

I also really like the write-ups in the Princeton Review rankings - they give a "School Says" and a "Students Say" section for each aspect of the school. This gives you a more realistic sense of what's happening on campus. For example, the "School Says" part about Wash U's campus life reads: "Washington University offers a nurturing, yet intellectually rigorous, environment where students from all identities and backgrounds thrive." But what do the students say? "WashU is ‘the package deal. Great academics, amazing extracurricular activities, and the best people.’ There’s ‘always funding for student groups, student initiatives, university-run activities, research, and the infrastructure is unmatched’: ’Dorms are five-star hotels, food is delicious with tons of variety, [and] the buildings are gorgeous.’ (I agree!). 

Create a free account on review.com to check out all of the rankings and write-ups, or buy the brand-new "Best 387 Colleges" book, which contains the same information all in one place.

Tulane and Penn State joined together this week for a webinar on “Making the Most of Your Common App.” If you missed the event, you can check out this recap. There are some common sense tips from each school, but our biggest takeaway is the importance of demonstrated interest at Tulane. As we mentioned above, their acceptance rate has dropped into the single digits, and Tulane is a school that takes demonstrated interest seriously! Students who are applying this cycle should make sure to prioritize visits, optional essays, and interview opportunities to maximize their admissions strategy. 

Lastly, the WSJ published a fascinating piece that I know would strike a chord with MANY of our readers here in Northern Virginia. It explores the increasingly problematic issue of public universities rejecting their own state’s students in order to accept more out-of-state applicants. Why is this happening, you ask? Because the out-of-state students pay a whole lot more in tuition. Texas and North Carolina were identified as two schools that are bucking this trend, which is why it’s next to impossible to get into UT Austin or UNC Chapel Hill from out of state. According to the article, the other “48 out of 50 flagship universities increased their share of out-of-state freshmen from 2002 to 2018. The average increase was 55%, although some … increased by more than 150%.” So basically everyone just pays extra to go to their neighboring state’s universities since they can’t get into their own, which brings the states more revenue but also increases student debt.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

As I have mentioned before, we are continuing to transition from working primarily with our original Class of 2022 cohort to kicking off the application process with our juniors and spending more time with our Late Start Seniors and grad students. And we’re hearing from our Class of 2021 students as many of them finish up their first week of classes, which is so fun!

One of our 2021 students sent us this absolutely adorable plant a few weeks ago (the picture doesn’t do it justice). I’m considering kidnapping it for my home office instead because I like the color so much ;)

Remember, if you just started senior year and are feeling overwhelmed - it’s NOT too late for help! Seniors who book a Meet & Greet within the next several weeks will likely be able to finish their applications by November 1. It never fails to amaze me how we can completely dig these families out of a bad situation and put them on a path to success in a matter of days, and it’s really gratifying because they are always so thankful and appreciative. A mom told me the other day that working with us was like taking a magic pill and losing ten pounds overnight. I wasn’t sure where she was going with that (haha) but then she explained that while it’s always better in retrospect to do things the right way (I.e. diet and exercise, or spending a year on the college application process), sometimes you really just need a quick fix and that’s exactly what we gave her! :) I can appreciate that!!

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Weekly Update: August 27

Happy back-to-school week! With a few exceptions, most of our students are back to the grind (and the seniors are really glad they worked so hard over the summer on their applications)!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

VIRGINIA SOL SCORES RELEASED

The Virginia SOL results were released for the 2020-2021 school year and we find them very concerning (although not all that surprising, I suppose). The navy column on the left represents Fairfax County's performance in 2018-2019, and the navy column on the right represents Fairfax County's performance in 2020-2021.

Note that these results only measure students who participated in the SOL exams, and many students opted out. In addition, these were only available for students attending in-person school. I read on one site that the results only reflect about 80% of the FCPS population, although I do not know if that is true or not.

The reason that this is such an issue is because coursework builds on itself, especially in areas like math, science, and foreign language. You can't perform well in AP Calculus until you master concepts from Pre-Calculus. You can’t do well in Spanish 3 if you have gaps from Spanish 2. You get the picture.. and now we have confirmation that many students really did miss key concepts last year.

We recommend that parents stay on top of this and take a very proactive approach, particularly if their students were enrolled in courses like the ones I just mentioned. I am less worried about courses like Geometry, which isn’t all that relevant for the next course in the math sequence, Algebra 2. Or World History, which is good to know in general but won’t impact most students’ performance in U.S. History, the next course in the history sequence. But for the those who are enrolled in courses that build on previous years’ material, it’s never too early to start with a tutor!

EARLY ADMISSION PLAN CHANGES

We love the lists on the College Kickstart blog! This past week they shared a list of schools with changes to their EA, ED, and ED II plans for the upcoming 2021-2022 admissions season, and it’s worth a look. Some standouts: Princeton reinstated SCEA, Carnegie Mellon added ED II, Syracuse removed EDII, and Loyola Marymount added EDII. Remember that we may still see some additional changes in the next month or two, as well!

COVID’S FALL SEMESTER IMPACT MAY VARY WIDELY FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL

It looks like Covid’s impact on undergraduate education during the fall semester will vary greatly from school to school, according to this Washington Post article. The University of Michigan’s chief health officer is optimistic and excited for the semester to begin, believing that we’ve turned a corner, and the president of Wellesley College agrees that this year will be different because of the vaccine. But not at the schools without mandates! At Florida A&M University, one out of every four students living in a residence hall has not been vaccinated. That does not bode well…

GETTING BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

If you’re on the fence about which major to pursue, we liked this research showing the best ROI for three different types of programs: bachelor’s degrees, associate’s degrees, and certificates. This is a smart way to look at it, because the type of degree obviously impacts earnings and there may be certain fields that are better for students to pursue if they know from the get-go that they don’t want a four-year degree. I actually thought there would be more variation than the study showed - nursing for the win!

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

We saw this graphic from Binghamton University that we LOVED! This is hard for a lot of parents, including me. You should have seen the “tell me about your child” worksheet I filled out for my daughter’s teacher the other night! I had a lot to say :)

So I get it - we want to fix their problems, or even better, we want to prevent their problems in the first place. But it’s so important to recognize the message under the “Roll” graphic - we are HELPING our children by letting them problem-solve on their own. Yes, we can be there for support and we should. But they need these skills, even if they are a little painful to learn at times. If you aren’t convinced, pick up a copy of Grit!

…Or just read this WSJ article, “Lessons From the Parents Who Raised the World’s Top Soccer Sisters.” It was published earlier this summer, but we just saw it and thought it was worth spotlighting. Pretty amazing that two sisters made the same Olympic team! Their parents made sure that the girls were the ones driving their soccer training as young children - particularly when it involved missing school for camps and making up a ton of work. “Every single time they went, they were taking responsibility and commitment to say they wanted to do it,” their mom explained.

While most of our students complained about online learning this past year, we have a few for whom it was a very positive experience. They are not the only ones! The New York Times published a piece on the positive impact of remote learning for students with disabilities, and it brings up some very interesting points. I wouldn’t have thought this before reading the article, but it looks like there may be some legitimate legal reasons for colleges to offer virtual or hybrid options to students who need it.

Lastly, check out this Philadelphia Magazine article about the broken nature of the college admissions process. I know, I know, we’ve read about twenty of these so far this year, and I almost skipped right over it because of that. But this was a good article that’s worth a read, particularly for parents of sophomores or juniors who are about to start the process in earnest.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

We still have a few stragglers whose private schools haven’t opened yet, but our whole team enjoyed having a few minutes during the school day to breathe this week since most of our students were back at school. Of course, this just means that afternoons are busier than ever!

Hope everyone had a great first week! My two are very happy to be back at their respective schools and I’m crossing my fingers that ALL of our kids are able to attend in-person school all year long!!

And if you are getting back into the swing of things and already at home Sunday afternoon working on homework, check out the NWHE Virtual Information Session featuring Notre Dame, Johns Hopkins, Wash U and Emory. Don’t forget to sign up in advance!

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