The Insider: College Admissions Advice from the Experts

New Rules for College Admissions | College Coach Blog

Elyse Krantz — Fri, 08 Apr 2016 00:29:00 GMT

What We Learned From the 2016 Admissions Cycle

Now that colleges have released the bulk of their admissions decisions, and students are reconciling their application triumphs and defeats, it’s time to take a step back and assess the trends and surprises from this year’s admissions decisions. While not all of these findings are unique to the 2016 admissions cycle, they are noteworthy enough that all college bound students – especially those wrapping up their junior year – should pay careful attention. And if you count yourselves among the thousands of hapless seniors who didn’t earn a spot at your dream college, perhaps the rationales below will help explain why you were the recipient of a “thin envelope,” while your neighbor/best friend/classmate was not.

Turning the Dial to Turning the Tide | Part 2 | College Coach Blog

Julia Jones — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 19:57:00 GMT

Turning the Tide: An In-Depth Look At The Harvard Admissions Report

One thing is clear about the recent Turning the Tide report on the state of college admissions, released recently by the Harvard Graduate School of Education: a single conversation simply isn’t enough to cover all the issues raised by the report. Regular listeners will recall that, in the March 17 episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, host Ian Fisher and guest experts Elyse Krantz and Beth Heaton introduced the report’s basic findings. But in order to provide a more comprehensive analysis, this week they continued their robust conversation, digging more deeply into the effect and impact the results will have on college admissions, and what it means for students. Ian, Elyse, and Beth addressed ways that students can engage with diversity and community, as the report recommends, while still allowing students to ‘find their authentic self’ in the application. They also addressed the concern raised by the report for ‘overcoaching’ in the college admissions process, and the role that strong college advising and counseling can play in the process.

Maximizing Middle School Success | College Coach Blog

Mary Sue Youn — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 20:25:00 GMT

Middle school is an important transition time for students between childhood and the teen years, and yet it fills so many parents with dread. Many questions arise, like: What do I concentrate on now that my kids are older? What do they need to do now to get into a “good” college later? What’s the balance between hovering over them and letting them try and possibly fail?

Survey Discovers Key Commonalities in Ivy League Admissions Success | College Coach Blog

Elizabeth Heaton — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 19:17:00 GMT

College Coach Survey Discovers Key Commonalities in Ivy League Admissions Success

April 1, 2016—College Coach’s annual survey of high school students turned up some surprising common themes in students accepted to Ivy League institutions. Perhaps the most surprising was that students living next door to Harvard and Princeton graduates were the most likely to have success at all eight of the Ivy institutions, with their applications accepted at more than six times the average rate.

How to Show Demonstrated Interest | College Coach Blog

Steve Brennan — Thu, 31 Mar 2016 15:11:00 GMT

Demonstrating Interest without Spending a Lot

You’ve identified your dream school(s) and you have a strong list of other colleges to apply to. Your numbers (GPA, standardized test scores) are where they need to be. You’re working on an essay that’s going to show your admission officer (AO) who you are and how you’ll fit into her school.

College Finance: The Parent Perspective, Asking for More Money, & More | College Coach Blog

Kathy Ruby — Thu, 31 Mar 2016 00:39:00 GMT

‘Tis the season for college finance, and last week’s episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, was chock full of great information about paying for college.

Does Your SAT or ACT Writing Score Matter? | College Coach Blog

Ian Brook Fisher — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 20:11:00 GMT

Over the last half year, there have been major changes in the world of college admissions testing. The SAT returned to the old 1600-point scale, did away with the mandatory writing section, and made it optional instead. The ACT changed the scoring scale for its own optional writing exam and the resulting scores caused an uproar among test-takers that has yet to die down. As an admissions counselor here at College Coach, I’ve had countless students ask me about the importance of the writing score, and I’ve seen a lot of stress over lower-than-anticipated scores on the writing section of these tests. Below is the advice I’ve been giving over these last few months.

Can We Really Turn the Tide in College Admissions? | Part 2 | College Coach Blog

Ian Brook Fisher — Sat, 26 Mar 2016 15:35:00 GMT

In today’s entry, we continue the conversation between Ian Fisher and Elyse Krantz on the Turning the Tide report from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. You can re-read part one on our blog here, and if you’re interested in further conversation, you can explore the archives of our Getting In radio show to hear more from Ian, Elyse, and Elizabeth Heaton, on the impact of the report.

Turning the Dial to Turning the Tide | College Coach Blog

abigail.anderson@getintocollege.com (Abigail Anderson) — Fri, 25 Mar 2016 01:02:00 GMT

Last week’s episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation covered the recently published “Turning the Tide” report, continued our students’ perspectives series, and perhaps most importantly, offered timely advice for appealing financial aid awards!

How Many AP Classes Should I Take? | College Coach Blog

Becky Leichtling — Thu, 24 Mar 2016 20:12:00 GMT

Your brain is like a muscle that grows and gets stronger when you stretch it. You wouldn’t run a marathon tomorrow without any training, right? If you’re serious about completing the marathon, you’ll start training and increase your distance incrementally.