-Sep 6, 20222 min readFor StudentsCollege Application Mistakes: Too Many SchoolsEarlier this week a student came in with a list of 40 schools he wanted to apply to. That’s a good way to start! But the Common App will...
-Aug 24, 20222 min readFor StudentsCollege Application Mistakes: Not ProofreadingOh, man. Talk about an easy one to fix. Bless the students who come to me and say, “my essay is done! I’m ready to turn it in!” I read it...
-Aug 17, 20222 min readCollege AdmissionsCollege Application Mistakes: Gambler’s FallacyParents and students make this error all the time. But with a little understanding (and a brief psych lesson!) it can be avoided. — The...
-Jun 1, 20223 min readCollege AdmissionsWhat Do You Know About Rejection?by Nathaniel Dolquist When I was a sophomore at Yale, my acting professor Toni Dorfman looked at the class over the top of her...
-May 6, 20221 min readStandardized TestingThe Points-Captured SystemOne of the most effective ways to measure performance on the ACT or SAT is with the points-captured system. It works like this. Say a...
-May 4, 20222 min readCollege AdmissionsTips for Tapingby Nathaniel Dolquist Some high schools and colleges now require or encourage a video submission with your application. Anyone can film a...
-Mar 31, 20222 min readFor StudentsThe Ivy League Sparkleby Nathaniel Dolquist I recently helped a high school sophomore with his application to Cornell’s Precollege Studies program. As he wrote...
-Mar 31, 20222 min readCollege AdmissionsHow to Choose CollegesWe recommend students apply to around 15 schools, divided into the following categories: Five Safety or “High Odds” Schools These are...
-Mar 31, 20223 min readCollege AdmissionsA Yale Admissions StoryWhen I was in the fifth grade, I asked my cousin what colleges were the most difficult to get into. “Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and...
-Mar 31, 20221 min readStandardized TestingShould I Take the SAT/ACT?by Nathaniel Dolquist No. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools reevaluated the utility of including standardized testing in their...