Admission Tips 2/2

Alison Merzel

Sep 25, 20202 min read

Focus on the WHY and WHAT before the HOW

For many high school students, the mechanics of the college admissions process take shape before they have even given thought to why it...

Alison Merzel

Sep 16, 20202 min read

5 tips about the University of California application process

If you are interested in applying to any of the nine schools within the University of California system, you will use one application,...

Alison Merzel

Sep 15, 20201 min read

You know about AP and IB credit, but do you know about CLEP?

While most high school families are familiar with either AP and/or IB courses as pathways to college credit with passing exam/assessment...

Alison Merzel

Aug 26, 20202 min read

A Gap Year with College Credit

You have likely heard of a Gap Year by now if you hadn't before - with so many colleges and universities offering only remote...

Alison Merzel

Aug 3, 20202 min read

When does "Optional" mean "Preferred"?

Earlier this spring, I wrote a post explaining that Test Optional is not Test Blind. As a result of continuous test center closures,...

Alison Merzel

May 21, 20202 min read

COVID-19 Doesn't Define You

As high school juniors are preparing to write college essays, of course the novel coronavirus is top of mind. Every single one of us has...

Alison Merzel

Apr 20, 20201 min read

Waitlist Status and COVID-19

Are you wondering about your waitlist status in light of COVID-19? Geography may play a larger role in your chances of getting a coveted...

Admissions with or without the SAT or ACT: What does this mean for you?

Alison Merzel

Apr 16, 20203 min read

Admissions with or without the SAT or ACT: What does this mean for you?

It seems like every day we hear a new announcement about the SAT and ACT - cancelled test dates have prompted many schools to announce a...

College Admissions & COVID: What schools are saying

Alison Merzel

Apr 7, 20203 min read

College Admissions & COVID: What schools are saying

By participating in multiple Zoom calls, I have heard from several Admissions Directors over the past couple of weeks and wanted to share...

Tips for researching colleges from home - Part 3

Alison Merzel

Mar 30, 20202 min read

Tips for researching colleges from home - Part 3

Last week I gave you some suggestions for researching colleges for academic and social fit. Building an appropriate college list requires...

Tips for researching colleges from home - Part 2

Alison Merzel

Mar 25, 20202 min read

Tips for researching colleges from home - Part 2

Earlier this week I provided some insight into how schools look at your academic aptitude and I provided a resource for researching...

Tips for researching colleges from home - Part 1: Academic Fit

Alison Merzel

Mar 23, 20203 min read

Tips for researching colleges from home - Part 1: Academic Fit

While visiting a campus in person is certainly going to give you the best idea as to whether you can see yourself enrolling as a student...

To Test or Not to Test: What to consider before opting out of the test at a test-optional school

Alison Merzel

Feb 25, 20203 min read

To Test or Not to Test: What to consider before opting out of the test at a test-optional school

It seems like every week, a new school has announced the decision to go test-optional (see Forbes article). This is encouraging for many...

What really matters in your college application

Alison Merzel

Feb 11, 20201 min read

What really matters in your college application

Every year, the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) surveys its member college admissions experts to get insight into...

Alison Merzel

Jan 22, 20203 min read

The Dreaded "D" and the Wicked "W"

Defer. Waitlist. Students and parents often use this language interchangeably, but they don't actually mean the same thing. Technically,...

Summer programs with benefits: Learn what they are and are not before you shell out the big bucks

Alison Merzel

Jan 15, 20202 min read

Summer programs with benefits: Learn what they are and are not before you shell out the big bucks

Earlier this week, CBS posted an article explaining why expensive summer programs at elite institutions will do nothing to improve your...

Take the time to document your college visits

Alison Merzel

Nov 18, 20193 min read

Take the time to document your college visits

Throughout the college application process, you are going to be considering many factors -selectivity/potential for admission,...