July Reset Week 2: The School Profile
Many schools still don’t have a school profile — but this quiet document plays a big role in how colleges read your students’ applications. Here’s what it is, why it matters, and free tools to help you create one that supports equity and context.
College Essay Brainstorming… Tips on Guiding Students
College Essay Brainstorming – College Counselor Guidance and Resources This is a bit of a deep-dive on a previous post I wrote about college application materials. However, here I will focus specifically on college essay brainstorming for the “main essay,” “CommonApp” essay, or “personal statement” – although much of this could apply to other essays. […]
Building a College List That Works
There’s the occasional moment in a junior meeting where I can see the pressure mounting — students staring at a blank college list, parents eager to suggest the alma mater or the “top” school they read about in U.S. News, and me trying to bring the focus back to fit. Because the truth is: A […]
When the Decisions Come In: Helping Students Understand the Four Types of College Admissions Outcomes (and Themselves)
One of the most important parts of my job—especially this time of year—is helping students make sense of the decisions they’re getting from colleges. But I’ve found that the real work often starts long before those emails hit their inboxes. Over the years, I’ve realized how crucial it is to guide students toward healthy expectations. […]
“Prestige” is an Illusion… Literally: Helping Students Understand College Fit
Fun fact: The word prestige actually comes from the Latin praestigium, meaning illusion. So when students say they’re only interested in “prestigious” schools, it’s worth remembering that what they’re often chasing is the appearance of excellence—not necessarily what’s best for them or where they’ll be successful and happy. Over the past few years in college […]