By Lee Shulman Bierer Letters of recommendation carry varying weight, depending on the perspective of the college or university and who writes them. The more selective colleges may ask for two or three recommendation letters. Questions abound: Who should you ask? What are they used for?...
By Lee Shulman Bierer I always believed that Hallmark was responsible for creating June’s catchy marketing moniker “Dads and Grads.” Just as Father’s Day gifts have thankfully moved beyond standard-issue ties, so too, can graduates expect something more creative than a Cross Pen or an over-sized...
By Lee Shulman Bierer Question: What’s the one thing no high school senior expects at the end of their college application process? Answer: To have no college options, no place to go. While some students are rejected everywhere, the more common scenario is for a student to...
It was nail-biting season for the three million high school seniors applying to college — and for their equally anxious parents. May 1 was official Decision Day when families needed to make a deposit at one school where they were accepted, even if they were...
By Lee Shulman Bierer Students must make a deposit at one school by May 1. The biggest question I get at this time of year is “how do we decide?”Being faced with multiple good choices is often as challenging as it is tantalizing. Here are some thoughts...
By Lee Shulman Bierer “Don’t just wait!!!” That’s my best piece of advice for any student that finds themselves on the wait-list of a college that really interests them. Colleges rightfully assume that you’ve likely made other plans if you don’t communicate with them to let them...
By Lee Shulman Bierer Families are about to load up their mini-vans and head for the airports and highways this week and next for the annual spring break campus visit blitz. Here are some last minute tips to help you make the most of your travels. Allow...
By Lee Shulman Bierer If this spring break is going to be your first stroll on a college campus since your own graduation day, here are four tips to avoid some rookie-parent campus visit mistakes. Remember, this is about your kids, not you. Your priorities for safety,...
By Lee Shulman Bierer My campus visit mantra is: “It is worth more than two hours of your time if you might spend four years of your life there.” I am a strong advocate for visiting colleges early and often. Nothing validates a student’s research more...
By Lee Shulman Bierer What are the advantages of taking a gap year? For the student with a defined career interest, a gap year offers a terrific opportunity to delve into more depth. Many gap year students are able to perform research, volunteer domestically and/or abroad, job-shadow,...
