Ask an Admissions Expert: Dr. Oliver McGee

Ask an Admissions Expert: Dr. Oliver McGee

Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. Dr. Oliver McGee served 5 years on the Faculty Admissions Committee of The Ohio State University. Working in admissions for the largest public university in the U.S. provided him with incredible experience to become an expert on the college application process, as well as a widely known STEM education mentor. He is currently an American Council on Education Fellow at UCLA, where he has gained further insights into all areas of admissions. Dr. McGee has additionally mentored several students who have went on to receive extremely prestigious ... Read More About Ask an Admissions Expert: Dr. Oliver McGee

How to Choose Summer Activities for Your College Applications

How to Choose Summer Activities for Your College Applications

The following piece was written by Rachel Korn. Rachel has been featured in our Admissions Expert series and is a former University of Pennsylvania admissions officer, as well as the founder of her own admissions consulting firm.  In your applications to college, you will be asked what you did during your high school summers. Why? Your choices of summer activities actually say a lot about your personality, what you love, and your skills. Admissions offices care about your summer activities because they want you to be productive. They do not expect you to work all the time and never play – in fact, admissions officer ... Read More About How to Choose Summer Activities for Your College Applications

Should I Go To University of California, San Diego?

Should I Go To University of California, San Diego?

The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach – they’re sharing their college experiences as well. William is a San Diego tutor specializing in Biostatistics, Calculus, Grammar and Mechanics, and much more. He graduated from University of California, San Diego in 2012 with a Bachelor’s degree in Bioengineering. See what he had to say about UCSD:   VT:  Describe the campus setting and transportation options. How urban or safe is the campus? Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? William: The transportation is currently great, with shuttles and bus passes included in tuition. The school ... Read More About Should I Go To University of California, San Diego?

Ask a Private School Admissions Expert: Emily Glickman

Ask a Private School Admissions Expert: Emily Glickman

Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. Emily Glickman is the founder and president of Abacus Guide Educational Consulting, a leading private school consulting service in New York. She currently serves as an alumni admissions interviewer for Columbia University and is a vastly well-known expert on private school admissions. Emily has also been featured in several prestigious publications such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. VT: What is the typical timeline for private school admissions? Emily: Families should start to think about private school admissio ... Read More About Ask a Private School Admissions Expert: Emily Glickman

What Your Medical School Essay Reader is Thinking

What Your Medical School Essay Reader is Thinking

The following piece was written by Dr. Michelle Finkel. Michelle has been featured in our Admissions Expert series and is a former Harvard Medical School faculty member. She is the founder of Insider Medical Admissions.  If you haven’t yet had a chance, please take a look at my last piece on writing a medical school personal statement. As I mentioned then, I wrote my personal statements for medical school and emergency medicine residency without much of a clue as to what went on behind the closed doors of medical admissions committees. But I quickly gained a lot of insight when - years later - I found myself reading ... Read More About What Your Medical School Essay Reader is Thinking