A lot of students and families fundamentally misunderstand college admissions. Which, considering how nebulous the process can seem, is itself understandable—colleges certainly haven’t made this a straightforward process. But I want to help you understand, based on many years of experience on both sides of the admissions process, how the applicant evaluation process really works.   TABLE OF CONTENTS(click to skip ahead) College admissions as identification of future potential? On the fundamental importance of reflective thinking Cultivate your capacity to reflect Demonstrating futu ..read more

7,921 hopeful high school students applied early action to Harvard in 2023. 8.74% were admitted. 7.7% were rejected. 0.5% withdrew their applications. 83.06% were deferred. What does getting “deferred” mean in college admissions? Well, you probably can guess it’s not as bad as being rejected. Also, look at those percentages again: Getting deferred is quite common.   What should you do if you’ve been deferred? Scream? Send a distraught email to the college’s admissions office? Prepare to attend the last school on your college list?  No. There’s no reason to panic. Why? That’s wh ..read more

If you’re considering STEM majors, we’d guess it’s one (Or maybe all? And more?) of the following reasons: You have a passion for science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. You're intrigued by the prospect of contributing to groundbreaking discoveries and innovations that shape the future. You're attracted to the numerous career opportunities and high earning potential for college graduates in STEM fields. Still, choosing your college major requires careful consideration.  According to a 2023 report, 30% of graduating college seniors expressed regret about their college ma ..read more

7,921 hopeful high school students applied early action to Harvard in 2023. 8.74% were admitted. 7.7% were rejected. 0.5% withdrew their applications. 83.06% were deferred. What does getting “deferred” mean in college admissions? Well, you probably can guess it’s not as bad as being rejected. Also, look at those percentages again: Getting deferred is quite common.   What should you do if you’ve been deferred? Scream? Send a distraught email to the college’s admissions office? Prepare to attend the last school on your college list?  No. There’s no reason to panic. Why? That’s wh ..read more

Answering the question, “What is graduate school?” isn’t actually as simple as you might think.  Why? Well, one person might think going to grad school means pursuing an advanced degree, such as a PhD in Chemical Engineering or an MA in Political Science. Someone else might include programs that lead to an MBA, JD, or MFA in Photography. All of which makes the question “Should I go to grad school?” an even trickier one! On the one hand, going to graduate school can help you to reach professional and personal goals. But… going to grad school can also be a waste of time and money if you do ..read more

What is STEM? That’s easy. Science. Technology. Engineering. Math. Of course, you probably already knew that.  And what you really want to know is:  How is STEM different from science?  Why are STEM fields so important these days?  Should you choose a STEM major in college?  How do you know if STEM is right for you?  What can you do with a STEM degree?  Great questions! We answer all of them in this blog post. Read through to the end, and you’ll know how to make informed decisions about whether or not to pursue a STEM major in college.  Let ..read more

Want to minimize student loan debt while attending college or graduate school? A work-study job can help.  The federal work-study program ensures part-time jobs are available to undergraduate and graduate students with financial need.  How do you apply for the program?  How much money can you make?  What types of jobs can you get?  Are work-study jobs better than traditional part-time jobs?  Great questions! We’ll answer all of them (and more) in this guide so you know exactly what to do when you see your work-study award amount in your financial aid pa ..read more

It doesn’t matter what time of year you read this blog post. There are grad school application deadlines coming up SOON. So we’re glad you’re here. To clarify what we mean, here are some graduate school application deadlines at several universities: MD at Stanford University—October 2 MBA at Harvard University—January 3 or September 6 JD at University of California, Irvine—March 31 or November 15 Master of Engineering at Texas A&M University—March 1 or April 1 or July 1 or August 1 or September 1 or November 1 or December 1 or December 15 PhD in Computer Science at the Universit ..read more

Get paid more. Pursue your dream job. Apply for higher-level positions at work. Publish in-depth research that changes the world. Challenge yourself intellectually. Become a full-time nerd.  Yes. Those are all excellent reasons for you to go to graduate school. But Master’s vs PhD program? Which one is better? Which one do you need to achieve your specific goals? If you don’t know the answers to those three questions, this blog post will help. We’re going to break down the core differences between master’s and PhD programs by looking at: The differences in focus, coursework, time, and ..read more

No matter what you study or where you go to college, entering the job market as a fresh college graduate is tough.  Good news: Having an externship or internship experience on your resume can help. How?  Externships and internships show employers that you already have experience with professional working environments and responsibilities. And that experience can make you a more attractive job candidate than some of your peers.  But externship vs internship? Which one is better? Or how are they different? Will potential employers view them equally when considering you for a job ..read more