Application Strategy
Managing Letters of Recommendation
Letters of Recommendation (LOR’s) shouldn’t be treated as mere boxes to be checked off on a to-do list because they play an important role in the admissions process. Colleges rely…
ReadmoreCollege Lists Should Have Financial Safety Schools
A high school student’s College List is the set of institutions to which he or she will apply in senior year. They are the colleges that that the student determines…
ReadmoreWhat College Rankings Do and Do Not Measure
Ever hear of a Cargo Cult? It’s a term that describes the Pacific Islanders who faithfully awaited the never-to-return U.S. Navy of 1945 and their cargoes that made their lives…
ReadmoreStress Management for High School Students
Picture the famous painting by Edvard Munch known as “The Scream”. No student should have to go through high school feeling like that person. Although there’s serious work to be…
ReadmoreCommunity Service Boosts an Applicant’s Appeal
Colleges want to populate their next freshman class with students who are aware of and sensitive to the world and people around them. They tend to be less impressed by…
ReadmoreGifts, Endowments, and Financial Aid
Attending a college that receives major gifts from deep-pocketed benefactors and has a multi-billion dollar endowment has advantages for students. Among these is the possibility that some of that money…
ReadmoreStudents Can Prepare for Digital Testing
The PSAT and SAT soon will be taken by college-bound students only by computer. The transition from paper-based to digital testing affirms the continuing relevance and usefulness of standardized tests…
ReadmoreNeed-Blind vs. Need-Aware Admissions Policies
Students in wealthy families enjoy many advantages if they aspire to attend an elite institution. One advantage is that the family can simply pay full tuition plus all other costs…
ReadmoreAn Open-Minded Approach to College List Building
News flash! Not everybody gets to go to Princeton! In fact, very few people get to go to Princeton. Likewise the other Ivies, MIT, Cal Tech, Duke, Chicago, Georgetown, Johns…
ReadmoreCollege Financial Aid Originates with the FAFSA
Kelly Barnhardt – College Admissions Strategies October 2022 High school seniors preparing to apply to college should complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) — an indispensable…
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