College Application

Apply yourself

The Top 10 Questions You Should Ask the Financial Aid Office

Each college has its own financial aid policies. Be sure to ask the financial aid office these questions...

6 College Essay Topics to Avoid and What Not to Write About

Early, Rolling, Regular: When Should You Apply?

But what if I choose the wrong college?

How to build an impressive college application resume (and love doing it)

At first, making a college resume sounded dull and difficult. But once I realized it was really about doing what I loved, it came easy. Here’s how to impress colleges and enjoy doing it.

What I wish I had known before entering the college application process

Advice from a college freshman to high school seniors beginning the college application process.

7 things high school juniors can do now to gear up for college applications

College applications can quickly become overwhelming, but if you prepare and begin the process early, they’ll be ready to submit in no time.

6 simple tips for writing a killer college application essay

If the thought of writing college application essays makes you nervous, don't worry. With these simple tips, you'll learn what college admissions are looking for and how to show off your best side.

Apply yourself: winning the college application game without losing your mind

Advice from three students who lost their minds so that now you don't have to.

Summer for rising seniors: an important time in the college application process

You'll thank yourself later for being ahead of the game.

Plan your summer with these programs

This summer, expand your college worthiness by getting a job, taking classes or traveling the world as a high school student.

The gap year: when it makes sense to take a year off

Instead of making the direct leap from high school to college, some choose the road less traveled: the gap year.

What I wish I'd known about applying to college

Don’t wait ‘til after you get in—here’s what college students wish they’d known before applying.

Choosing an independent college counselor

Applying to college—not to mention figuring out which schools best suit you—is a daunting task. Now that you’ve decided not to shoulder the burden alone, you have another choice to make: whom should you hire?

The college consultant

Every year, amid fierce competition, a talented crop of high school seniors vie for coveted spots at prestigious colleges. Some of these students have an additional advantage over their high-achieving peers: private college consultants to help the [...]

7 steps to achieving higher education goals

The college application process might seem daunting to the busy junior. In addition to the challenging academic workload most teens are faced with, many are simultaneously working and engaged in extracurricular activities. Not to mention, they wan [...]

Learning disabilities require extra preparation for college admission

"Adam (or Ellen) doesn’t test well. Do you think he could get extra time on the SAT?” I frequently hear this question in February or March, as the main SAT, ACT test season approaches. The issue often pops up too late for successful action. [...]

Advice for working with your guidance counselor

If you do not already have a strong relationship with your guidance counselor, now is the time to make them your newest best friend. How can they write you an effective letter of recommendation, if they know nothing about you? Stop by their offi [...]

Guide to being a successful college applicant

This article is provided by College Planning Services, Inc. When thinking about which colleges to apply to you need to realize that fitting the profile of a given school is necessary but not sufficient for being admitted. The fact that you “des [...]

Memories from graduation: Look before you leap

When I graduated from high school the speaker exposited on the concept of balance by using two conflicting statements which have guided me throughout my life and I share them with you. Look Before You Leap. Hesitate and You Are Lost.

Stand out on your college applications: eight crucial steps

Did you know we just had the most competitive cycle in college admissions history? In order to limit your rejection and waitlist letters, it is imperative you are knowledgeable about the admissions process to maximize your opportunities.

Why use a college consultant?

The college admission process has become so challenging, confusing and competitive that most parents don’t even recognize it! It is certainly not the experience we had fifteen or twenty years ago.

CSS PROFILE or FAFSA: Which Should You Use?

By tamara Now that most high school seniors have completed their college applications (or should be getting close to finishing them), it’s time for them to turn their focus on another important aspect of the college admissions process — financia [...]

5 College Application Mistakes to Avoid

By tamaraAs September draws to a close, you can almost feel the tension rising among high school seniors. You can see it in their tweets and not so subtle posts on Tumblr; the realization that college is around the corner has hit them smack in the fa [...]

7 Colleges That Are Tuition Free!

By tamara According to a recent article in USA Today, nearly fifty percent of parents are limiting their child’s college choices because of tuition costs and other college-related expenses. Students are also taking a closer look at sticker price [...]

Avoid these common FAFSA mistakes!

By Tamara In January, more than 20 million students will file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and many will submit applications with mistakes. Simple errors can delay or even derail your chances of receiving financial aid, not on [...]

Neither Hear nor Their: The Importance of Editing Essays

“Their is nothing worse then using bad grammer and forgetting to spell check you’re college essays.” If you are just as frustrated as I am reading that poorly written sentence, imagine how college admission folks feel whilst reading hundreds of ap [...]

College Admissions Essay Guide

Unigo College Essay Guide

Universities and the Trendy Video Essay

Why are many universities offering the video essay as part of the application process?

The College Admissions Essay: Dos and don’ts

Here are tips for writing an excellent college admissions essay.

The Importance of the Essay in Gaining Admission to a Highly Selective College

Considering that admissions counselors have only a few minutes to read through each application, students need to view their essays as an opportunity to showcase their talents and interests, and to tell their story.

College Interview Checklist

College Interview Question Checklist

Tell Me About Yourself

Your response to that initial question directs the flow of the conversation. Being prepared shows respect for the interviewer and gives you the ability to influence the outcome of the interview.

Interview Tips: stand up and be counted

When you are waiting for an interview whether it is in an office, Starbucks, or restaurant, keep standing.

Be It and You'll Become It

"Fake it till you make it." An old phrase, revisited and revised."Be it and you'll become it " "Fake it till you make it" and its corollary "acting as if" encourage people to pretend to be confident. The phrases advise

How do I talk about myself without sounding boastful?

Peggy Wallace, founder of Making Conversation gives you tips on acing any interview.

How Do I Thank the College Interviewer?

The world is fast paced. Take the time to stand out from the crowd and maximize your chances for admission with a written "Thank You."

Yes, The College Interviewer Can be a Student

When you think of the college interview on campus, you might think that you will be meeting with some imposing admissions officer who is there to judge you and scrutinize your every word while you are on the Hot Seat. Indeed, that is a very remote [...]

How Do I Get an Address For That Thank You Note?

When you interview with an alum, you may be responding to a phone call setting up the time and place. You may only have their phone number. How do you get their contact information (e-mail or snail mail address) for your thank you note?

Interview Skills: Some things are better left unsaid

People may forget what you said, what you did, what you wore, what the report looked like, who you worked for before, but they almost always seem to remember how you made them feel. Make them feel good. When you wonder "should I? Shouldn’t I?" Jus [...]

Don’t Let Verbal Fillers Discount Your Message

Abusing verbal fillers in a college/scholarship/job interview impacts their impression of you. Remember, if you go there/get the award/are hired, you will now represent them to the outside world, to fellow alumni/grantors of the funding/their cust [...]

Find Yourself a Theme Song and Ace That Interview

Music enables us to remember information—think of “Now I Know My ABCs.” Music can calm the wild beast or encourage us to purchase in shopping environments. For the college/scholarship/job interview, it can be an energizing and positive attitude bo [...]

Tips for the College Interview

Susan Reznick offers advice on landing and acing that college interview.

College, Job and Scholarship Interview Tips

By doing the interview, at a minimum you show just how enthusiastic you are and in the best case, you make a phenomenal impression on someone at the school, job or scholarship. If you connect with the right person, they can really become your advo [...]

Does the College Interview Really Count?

For some schools, the college interviews have been renamed, “informational meetings”. Those schools are recognizing the reality that in any interview, especially the college one, is a compatibility session. Does each of you have all the informatio [...]

The Infamous T-Recs: How to get the best high school teacher recommendations

The process for getting those letters is relatively straightforward, but there are certain things that will speed up the procedure and guarantee that you receive the best recommendations possible.

Plan For Your Teacher Recommendations

Choose teachers who know you well and like you! Pick teachers who have taught you either junior or senior years. English teachers tend to write well, so they are usually a good bet. An academic teacher who has also known you outside the classroom [...]

College Application

Apply yourself

Scholarships