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 search for your right college, there is no better single piece of data to collect than how you feel with your feet on a campus. Here’s how to maximize your visits:1.     Research beforehand. Visit school websites to get information about their scheduled visitor activities and plan ahead. If you have to pre-register for a tour, an information session or an interview, do that well in a... Read More About Top 10 Tips For College Campus Visits

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.   Regular Decision admissions deadlines have passed and you may now want to interview with alumni. What are the advantages? Why do schools do this? How can you prepare? When your application becomes “complete,” a school may automatically contact someone near you to invite you to meet (alumni are given your contact information and high school – nothing more). Some schools only reach out if you... Read More About How to Prepare for Alumni Interviews

Interviews are stressful enough, but having to make your first impression over the phone can make things even more difficult. There are so many things to think about when approaching an interview. Your facial expressions, your handshake, your hand gestures, your suit of choice, etc. So much of that goes into what these people think of you, so it would seem like the phone interview makes it impossible for you to get these great things you have to offer across. But fear not; just because you cannot physically be in front of the person does not mean you cannot still send a positive energy over to them. Let’s look at one clear benefit you g... Read More About How to Approach an Admissions Phone Interview

“So, do you have any questions for me?” This is probably the one admissions interview question you forgot to prepare for. You remembered to go over your reasons for applying to this school, leadership stories from past clubs and organizations, and your academic aspirations, but you did not come up with any inquiries of your own. Ironically, this is one of the most important and telling parts of an interview. It may not feel like it, since this question is snuck in at the last minute just when you are wrapping up your conversation with happy relief, but be warned: it is not as much of a conversational throw-away as the admissions o... Read More About How to Approach Questions After an Admissions Interview

There is one little mistake many students make that can sometimes hurt the final impression they make after an admissions interview.  What is that tiny mistake?  Not sending a thank-you note. It is extremely ironic how often this happens.  The task of writing a thank-you note is so simple, so quick to do – and so overlooked.  You may feel like this idea is pointless.  You had a lengthy interview with this admissions officer and genuinely thanked them in person with a firm handshake and bright smile.  Wouldn’t it be a little repetitive to thank them again?  No.  The answer is no. Remember, t... Read More About Writing a Thank You Note After an Interview

How colleges make admissions decisions In about 30 seconds. Hours of tedium and toil into your application, schoolwork, extra-curriculars and SAT/ACT all comes down to a quick 30-second yes or no. The sad truth is, that’s usually how colleges make admissions decisions. In 2012, Rachel Rubin, a doctoral student at Harvard, surveyed 75 of the most competitive colleges regarding admissions processes. Her research revealed that there really is a black-and-white approach to some admissions, despite the constant claim “we look at students holistically.” College admissions have multiple steps to go through; however, most don&rsqu... Read More About How Colleges Make Admissions Decisions

Spring is here and high school seniors across the nation are eagerly awaiting admission decisions to arrive in their inboxes or mailboxes.  After your initial celebration of being accepted into your dream school(s), take the time to do careful research to find your “best fit” college.  Being admitted was just the beginning.  Below are some tips to further help your decision. Talk to alumni: beyond the amenities and fine dining you’re expecting in college, the academics that you’ll have to succeed in to obtain a degree will be a key factor in shaping your next four years.  For colleges in which you h... Read More About How To Pick Your College

First of all: congratulations because you have passed nearly every round of the application process, and your prospective school is ready to admit you. Now, you just have to ace your interview. Our tutors who have been through the process before can help you.  Basics: You may interview with an admissions committee group (comprised of faculty members, admissions counselors or even students), or individually with any of those. Most interviews will be in-person, but some may be over-the-phone. Typically, interviews are 30-60 minutes, but some schools will invite students for weekend-long events, full with multiple interviews and meet-a... Read More About How To Interview For Graduate School Admissions

Imagine being a college admissions officer, and your job is to say no to 75 percent of the applications you see. You’re supposed to decline students, and when you accept students or give your approval, you must have a very good reason. When you decline a student, there are no questions asked. So, admissions officers’ jobs are easier when they decline students, and some are just looking for reasons to decline you. If you claim to volunteer for 100 hours of community service every week or your application is full of typos, you’re probably not going to make it to the next round. Avoid these following pitfalls to improve your ap... Read More About How To Avoid College Admissions Red Flags

The college application process is becoming increasingly more sophisticated. For years, it was all about numbers. Colleges only looked at students’ SAT/ACT scores and high school grades. Then, colleges started taking more interest in who their students are. So, they started considering application essays, extra-curricular activities, and community service involvement. But, some elite colleges took their admissions even further by interviewing potential students. The interview has now become an integral part of the admissions process. Every college has a different interview structure, but most interviews will last between 30 and 60 min... Read More About How To Ace Your College Interview

  It's the season for college visits, and high school seniors are gearing up to get a first peak at what may be their future for the next four years or more.  Seeing the campus buildings, talking to enthusiastic alumni, and being pampered by admissions officials may be fun, but students should go prepared with detailed questions. A recent article from CollegeView offers some great questions to ask during your next college visit.  Here is a sampling of the questions: 1. What are your most well-known programs? This is a better question than asking, "Is such and such program good at this college?"  The vast majority of c... Read More About What To Ask During A College Visit

Many students who are on the bubble of being accepted into a college will be placed on a waiting list. Students will have to sweat it out for months while that college makes its final decisions.             Students can opt to stay on waiting lists; however, less than 30% of wait-listed students will eventually be accepted, according to The US News & World Report. Also, students’ chances are significantly lower for Ivy League Schools and other elite colleges. Recently, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has accepted anywhere from 0-40 students from its waiting list that... Read More About College Waiting Lists

Choosing a college based on strong academics is very important; however, there is a lot more to college than its national, academic rankings. Every college has its own unique culture, consisting of its academics, its geographic location and its student body. It’s the vibe one gets from that college. There is nothing you can read or hear to fully understand a college’s culture. No one can tell you truly what it’s truly like, and how you will feel about it. You need to visit as often as you can. Some colleges are in isolated towns, and others are in the heart of big cities. Students at certain colleges tailgate for football g... Read More About Go On College Visits!