The Insider: College Admissions Advice from the Experts

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.

Today, we continue with the third post in our College Essay Prompts series.

Part Three of a Three Part Series

Over the last few weeks I’ve shared a few tips on mastering the UC Application (be sure to read Part 1 and Part 2). To close out this series, today I’m sharing two of the most common essay mistakes I see UC applicants make.

Part Two of a Three Part Series

Last week I shared six of the most common questions I receive about developing credentials for the University of California application process. Today, I continue this series with six more FAQs.

Part One of a Three Part Series

I never hear from juniors in May – they’re way too busy with finals and tests. But after they settle into summer, many of these rising seniors start thinking about their college applications. And since most of my students here in California will be applying to at least a handful of UC campuses, I get a lot of the same questions from all of them. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the University of California application process, from seniors and underclassmen alike.

Every Thursday this summer, we are introducing students and families to a different member of the College Coach admissions team. Drop in to see what we’re reading, where we went to school, and our strategies for beginning the college essay. As you work with us to find an educational consultant who best fits your needs or the needs of your child, we will help you consider the personality and working styles that will bring out the best in you or your student. Today we introduce Becky Leichtling, who works with students both in our Palo Alto office and remotely.

Summer is just around the corner and, especially for those juniors powering through the sea of standardized tests formally known as “junior spring,” I bet y’all can’t wait! But before you head off to camp, work or the beach, I suggest you spend some time thinking about recommendation letters for college.

Choosing a college: The pros and cons of being far from home

It’s Ski Week here in California, and many of my juniors are taking advantage of their vacation to visit colleges. A lot of students prioritize distance from home when making their college list; either they want to stay within a close drive, or they are chomping at the bit to get as far away as possible! Especially with students who have a strong opinion about location, I ask them to back up for a bit before I suggest colleges to visit. What’s really behind that desire to stay close, or to go far?

My fellow College Coach admissions consultants and I get asked quite a few questions every year about high school course selection and college applications.  Colleges want to see you challenge yourself as much as possible in the context of your high school, and will not compare curriculum options across high schools.  The majority of colleges do not have a preference between AP and IB classes, so you should instead focus on challenging yourself as much as possible with the classes available to you at your school.

Beginning with the 2014 application cycle, the Common Application now formally accommodates non-academic recommendation letters through the online portal, in addition to those from teachers and counselors. So, how do you make the best use of this option?