top of page
Search
Alison Merzel
Dec 33 min read
Preparing for Early Admissions Decisions
High school seniors and parents, this is undoubtedly a stressful time. The holiday season has arrived, midterms are around the corner,...
Alison Merzel
Jul 113 min read
Get Common App Ready - August 1st is Coming!
Tips to prepare for the Common Application
Alison Merzel
Jan 103 min read
It Is Lowkey Time for a LOCI
"I lowkey want to get into that school even though I said I didn't care that much about it before." If that sounds familiar, you may be a...
Alison Merzel
Mar 16, 20233 min read
The Importance of a Balanced List
Sometimes I feel like a broken record when I harp on the importance of creating a balanced college list in my meetings with families....
Alison Merzel
Mar 6, 20232 min read
Digital SAT: Coming soon to a testing site near you
As if the conversation around standardized testing isn't confusing enough, we can soon add another layer of complication as the Digital...
Alison Merzel
Jan 6, 20232 min read
You've been deferred - now what?
You got a letter from your ED or EA school that indicates their decision to defer your decision until a later round. What should you do?...
Alison Merzel
Nov 16, 20223 min read
Don't Let "Average GPA" Scare You Away
If you look at published GPA ranges for many well-known colleges and universities, you may start to scratch your head in bewilderment....
Alison Merzel
Sep 16, 20221 min read
Look out for the SSAR and the SRAR
While many colleges/universities request official high school transcripts as a part of the application process, some prefer to see a...
Alison Merzel
Mar 28, 20222 min read
To stay or not to stay on the waitlist. That is the question.
You may have noticed that this year, in particular, colleges are handing out waitlist decisions like candy. It almost feels like "YOU get...
Alison Merzel
Feb 1, 20223 min read
Unpredictability is the Reality
As admissions decisions continue to get released, there is always chatter about why one student got into a school and another didn't. "He...
Alison Merzel
Jul 16, 20212 min read
Early High School Course Planning Helps
I am often asked what 9th and 10th graders should be doing to prepare for the college application process. I am a strong believer that...
Alison Merzel
May 20, 20212 min read
Teacher, pretty please?
If you are a high school junior, don't let the school year end without politely requesting a letter of recommendation from an adored...
Alison Merzel
Apr 30, 20212 min read
Spotlight on Ohio Guaranteed Transfer Pathways
In case you missed it, President Biden announced the American Families Plan earlier this week, which will invest in American children and...
Alison Merzel
Apr 20, 20213 min read
FWIW go with the email or I'll be SMH.
DMs are the new texts. Texts are the new emails. Emails are the new letters. While sometimes it feels like the days of email are going in...
Alison Merzel
Mar 22, 20214 min read
We are not Rick Singer
If you had forgotten about the huge college admissions scandal that happened in 2019, you have likely been reminded again with the...
Alison Merzel
Feb 9, 20212 min read
High School Scheduling Advice
Especially as a freshmen, it may seem premature to consider how your current course scheduling may impact college admissions. However, it...
Alison Merzel
Dec 16, 20202 min read
Surprised to be deferred? This may explain why.
In a previous post, I explained the difference in terminology between "defer"and "waitlist" - some schools use them interchangeably but...
Alison Merzel
Dec 2, 20203 min read
It's About Who You Are, Not What You Did
I recently attended a conference session during which admissions officers at three selective institutions shared case studies of...
Alison Merzel
Nov 18, 20202 min read
Demonstrated Interest Decoded
You know how you google something and then all of a sudden you start seeing ads for the item showing up everywhere you go? Or even...
Alison Merzel
Oct 27, 20202 min read
Tips for navigating college websites
College and university websites should be a primary source of information as you research schools and try to evaluate whether you are...
bottom of page