Weekly Update: December 12

What a week! Colleges have begun to release early application decisions, and while it’s still too soon to draw any conclusions, we are watching for trends. More to come on that next week or the week after!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOLDS HEARING ON CAMPUS ANTISEMITISM

The House Education Committee opened an investigation into Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) last week following testimony by their respective presidents regarding increased incidents of antisemitism on their campuses. In the hearing, the presidents faced intense questioning by committee members amid growing reports of antisemitism and Islamophobia on their campuses among others. UPenn president, Liz Magill, faced tough criticism for her answers to the committee’s questions and on Saturday, December 9, tendered her resignation as UPenn’s president (she will remain a tenured faculty member in their law school). In addition, the chairman of the board of trustees, Scott Bok, resigned. Following the hearing, 70 members of Congress signed a letter calling for the resignation of all three university presidents. The New York Times reported Monday that over 500 Harvard faculty members (of approximately 2300) signed a petition in support of Dr. Claudine Gay and urged the Harvard Corporation and the Board of Overseers to “resist political pressures … including calls for the removal of President Claudine Gay.”

CORNELL UNIVERSITY TO LIMIT EARLY DECISION ADMISSIONS

Cornell University’s Faculty Senate has voted to limit the proportion of applicants admitted through early decision. This change is coming after almost one-third of the Class of 2027 was admitted through early decision. What is not included in the article is that nearly one-half of the enrolled class was admitted through early decision. In September, the University’s Presidential Task Force on Undergraduate Admissions issued its recommendations for changes to the admission process. The article is not specific about any new target the college has set, but it is clear that the class of 2028 will have a measurably smaller percentage of ED “yes!” envelopes and emails to send out.

ERROR IN NEW FAFSA CALCULATIONS

Previously, we have written about the changes coming to the FAFSA, the application for financial aid administered by the U.S. Department of Education. There have been multiple delays in implementing the changes, but now there are also errors in the way the FAFSA will calculate the Student Aid Index (SAI), which colleges use to calculate their financial aid packages. To give background, when the FAFSA calculates how much families can afford to spend on education each year, the formula protects a certain amount of annual income on which a family is expected to live before having to contribute to educational costs. That amount needs to be adjusted for inflation, and Congress mandated that the Department of Education increase it significantly for the calculations to be fair, given the recent record-high inflation. Parental income was supposed to be protected by 20% more than it was before. That’s HUGE! But the Department of Education didn’t follow through, so the calculations were never changed. For some families, this will have a significant impact on financial aid awards and eligibility.

GRADE INFLATION … AT YALE?

We have heard about grade inflation for years, especially as a result of the pandemic and how it has impacted college admissions. Last week, The New York Times published an article citing a new report that “nearly 80 percent of all grades given to undergraduates at Yale last academic year were A’s or A minuses.” Faculty and students are asking: “What does excellence mean at Yale … if most students get the equivalent of ‘excellent’ in almost every class?”

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

Despite going 13-0 for just the third time in their history, the Florida State Seminoles will be on the outside looking in during the final year of the NCAA four-team playoff format. In what is already a controversial decision, the 13-member selection committee of coaches, athletic directors, and former players chose the top four teams based on a combination of record and the committee’s judgment about teams’ schedules and win quality. CNN contributor Cari Champion believes that TV ratings are among the unofficial factors the committee evaluates, and Florida State’s ratings suffered after star QB Jordan Travis suffered a season-ending broken leg in mid-November. While not everyone agrees, Florida State University athletic director Michael Alford told CNN, “Today’s decision by the committee has forever damaged the credibility of the institution that is the College Football Playoff,” adding that the committee “failed football.”

Next year will see an expanded 12-team format that limits the committee’s reach to only four teams, with several conference winners earning automatic inclusion. The new format would have left Florida State as the fifth seed and in a good position for a playoff run. But next year is, as they say, a long way off — and the controversy will be a long time ending. Once again, Rick Clark shared his reaction and insight to the football playoffs in the Georgia Tech Admission Blog titled The Committees and Decisions of College Admission… And College Football. This is such a great read!

When Adrian College in southern Michigan faced a significant decline in enrollment, the new president decided to look to athletics to reverse the trend. Since an all-time low enrollment of approximately 800 students in 2005, the college has steadily increased the student body, attracting new students by recruiting for 30 new athletic teams. Since 2005, the college has more than doubled enrollment, but Adrian isn’t the only college to employ this tactic. Small, private colleges are adding athletics as a means to increase both enrollment and income giving new meaning to Field of Dreams’ “if you build it, they will come.” In particular, schools are attracting more male and minority applicants, while at the same time, they are building new facilities to house the teams funded by the increased revenue.  

Unfortunately, not even athletics can save the College of St. Rose in Albany, NY, which announced last week that it will be closing at the end of the academic year. They are working with current students to assist them in transferring to other schools to finish their degrees.

Almost 300 students have registered to take a new course at Harvard this spring: Taylor Swift and Her World. Colleges and universities across the country are joining the craze offering courses in literature, poetry, psychology, and entrepreneurship based on the career and creativity of Taylor Swift.

The New York Times published an opinion piece by Jessica Grose titled “Why Parents Can’t Quit the Elite College Arms Race,” which takes a deep dive into the obsession with highly selective or, as many have shifted to calling them, highly rejective colleges and universities.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Last week, Sally was in Waterville, Maine, visiting Colby College, a small liberal arts college serving approximately 2,300 students. About an hour north of Portland, Maine, Colby was the first college to offer the 4-1-4 plan or “Jan Plan” — an approximately four-week term during which students take a single course, often in a non-traditional discipline. Students can also take advantage of study abroad and internship opportunities during Jan Plan. DavisConnects — Colby’s career counseling program — provides students with opportunities in three areas: hands-on or experiential learning, specialized advising, and global opportunities for education and networking. Not only does DavisConnects’ dedicated staff help match students with these opportunities, it also has awarded more than $6 million in grants to students to access them.

The Colby Commitment to funding students’ education places it in a select group of schools that meet 100% of students’ demonstrated financial need without any loans. In addition, for families with a total income of $150,000 or less and typical assets, Colby calculates a family contribution of not more than $15,000 per year.

Colby sits atop Mayflower Hill and boasts outdoor trails for walking, running, and even cross-country skiing. The college has a three-year-old athletic and recreation facility, four new residence halls (with a fifth in the works), and a brand-new performing arts center that opened in September 2023. A close-knit community, Colby is known for students who love to learn and explore multiple disciplines. It is not unusual to meet students who have a major and multiple minors or a double major.

Enjoy the last week of school before the holiday break (for most of you, anyway)!

Interested in More updates? Check out these recent posts!

Holiday Celebrations Across College Campuses

The winter holiday season is filled with celebrations, special foods, and beautiful decorations. Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, the Winter Solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or other holidays, this time of year is marked by traditions at home and at school. Last year we highlighted some of our favorite college Thanksgiving traditions, so this year we are highlighting some of our favorite winter holiday celebrations on college campuses across the country!

CHRISTMAS ON 5TH, BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

From Christmas carols to the tree lighting, students and members of the Waco, Texas community will fill the center of campus in celebration of Baylor’s traditional Christmas on 5th. They can enjoy food trucks, arts and crafts, pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and other holiday activities supported by many student organizations. The festivities include performances ranging from live Nativity scenes to The Nutcracker to Holiday Carols from Around the World by the Department of Modern Languages & Cultures, and culminate in a Christmas tree lighting and concert.

KWANZAA AND FEAST OF FAITH, NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY

The African American Cultural Center at NC State invites students for an early celebration of Kwanzaa and the Feast of Faith, taking place before final exams as Kwanzaa falls during winter break. NC State teaches the principles of Kwanzaa, which include unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. In this special event, the community finds new ways to focus on Black resilience, innovation, and joy!

CHANUKAH IN THE SQUARE, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON

Students at the College of Charleston gather to recognize the Festival of Lights in Marion Square with the annual Chanukah in the Square, the largest Jewish celebration in South Carolina. Sponsored by the city and the school, everyone is invited to enjoy live music and food ranging from traditional hot latkes to kettle corn. Students can also take part in the 16th annual lighting of the giant menorah!

CHRISTMAS ON CAMPUS, UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON

For 60 years, the University of Dayton community has held Christmas on Campus. Student organizations host activities ranging from a carnival with activities sponsored by fraternities and sororities to performances from campus dance, music, and demonstration group. There’s also ornament making, cookie decorating, pictures with Santa, and more! But UD students don’t just celebrate: they buddy up with over 1,000 local children from the Dayton City Schools to explore and enjoy. 

LATKAPALOOZA, DUKE UNIVERSITY

Duke students celebrate Latkapalooza each year at the start of Hanukkah. This fun event includes a candle lighting with traditional Jewish prayers, latkes, and even a jelly doughnut-eating contest! Co-sponsored by the Jewish Student Union and Jewish Life at Duke, all students are welcome to play the Dreidel game and try latkes, a pancake-like traditional dish made from potatoes.

YULE LOG CELEBRATION, WILLIAM & MARY

At the annual Yule Log Celebration of peace, joy and gratitude, students and alumni gather to enjoy music and singing; a reading of traditional poems; and, for good luck, the tossing of holly sprigs into the fireplace. If you’re in a different city, you can still participate - check out the Yule Log gatherings across the country for alumni, families, and friends of the school. There’s even an option for those who can’t celebrate in person at all: William & Mary provides a live feed of the festivities in Williamsburg, along with videos of the fireplace and recipes for the traditional cakes, cookies, and cinnamon rolls.

Happy Holidays!

Weekly Update: December 5

December’s arrival means students are finishing up any remaining regular decision supplemental essays and applications. Every year our students tell us how happy they are to be done well in advance of the winter break and January deadlines! While we all hope that the early admission decisions will bring good news, it takes some of the pressure off to know that all of the essays are finished, no matter what.

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

UVA RELEASES ED AND EA NUMBERS

The Cavalier Daily reported that the University of Virginia received 42,093 early action and early decision applications—an increase of 3.4 percent over last year’s early application totals and a record number of first-year applications. Early decision applications rose by 4.4 percent for a total of 4,428 applications, while early action applications total 37,665. UVA has also announced that early decision applicants will receive notification of their decision by December 15, and early action applicants will receive decisions by February 15. In a change this year, students who apply under either the early decision or early action plan will receive a decision of admit, deny, or waiting list and will no longer be deferred to regular decision.

FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES COURSE CHANGES

All new courses and changes to GPA weighting or classification of a course (from optional to standard or vice versa) must be approved by the Fairfax County School Board each fall. In their November meeting, the school board approved new options in career pathways—including courses in pilot training (for both manned and unmanned aircraft), healthcare careers, and welding, as well as a new online computer science course in artificial intelligence programming. In addition, they approved making the “Cybersecurity Fundamentals” course available at all FCPS high schools. The complete list of changes is available to the public.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

While you should take some of this with a grain of salt—schools like Vanderbilt, Wash U, and Emory are not exactly "Plan B" for even the most qualified applicants out there—maybe Plan A-Part 2?—this New York Post article brings up an interesting point about a trickle-down effect that might result from students avoiding Ivy League schools because of anti-Semitism. 

If this occurs, I predict one of two scenarios. First, if students choose to apply to other highly selective schools instead of the Ivies, the acceptance rates at the other schools could plummet with the influx of applications.

Alternatively, students could still apply to the Ivies but ultimately choose not to enroll—whether by pulling out of ED agreements, or (in the case of RD applicants) choosing the other schools instead. 

I actually think this second outcome seems more likely and more impactful, as many students had already completed their applications or at least solidified their lists before the events of October 7. A big mid-cycle shift like this has the potential to throw all the admission models into chaos this spring. In that case, we could see significant over-enrollment at the other group of schools with major consequences for students applying in future class years.

This New York Times article is a few weeks old, but we thought it was worth mentioning as juniors begin to think more about their options for teacher letters of recommendation. This may seem obvious, but recent data emphasizes how much better teachers know their students if they have them in class for multiple years. "With more time to get to know each student personally, teachers gain a deeper grasp of the kids’ strengths and challenges [and] ... they’re able to identify growth not only in peaks reached, but also in obstacles overcome. The nuanced knowledge they acquire about each student isn’t lost in the handoff to the next year’s teacher.”

As more state legislatures set limits on out-of-state enrollment, an article from Inside Higher Ed highlights the cost of going over those limits. The University of North Carolina at Wilmington has exceeded the 18 percent limit the state legislature set each of the past two years. The policies of the UNC System sanction any university that overenrolls out-of-state students two or more years in a row and requires that those students’ tuition be removed from that university’s budget—a potential cost to UNC Wilmington of 4 million dollars.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

As we approach the release of early application decisions for many schools, students should check College Kickstart’s Class of 2028 Blog for updates on the specific dates and times colleges will notify applicants.

This week Sally attended a webinar for high school counselors and independent educational consultants by Compass Prep, a national test prep company that tracks developments in standardized testing. Based on data released by the College Board, the performance this fall of 11th graders with PSAT scores between 1400-1520 increased by around 7,000 students, or about 16 percent. In 2022, 3 percent of test takers scored in this range. In 2023, it was 3.4 percent.

Compass Prep is predicting that this increase will equate to a higher cutoff for National Merit Commended Scholars and Semifinalists. Even so, Compass Prep predicts the selection index for National Merit Semifinalists will remain 221 for students in Virginia and 223 for students in the District of Columbia. Students in Maryland, however, might face a predicted increase from 221 to 222.

Have a great week!

‘Tis the season…for early application decisions!

Over the next few weeks, many schools will release their early application decisions - especially those with binding early decision plans (some non-binding early action decisions will not come in until January or even February). If you aren’t sure when to expect decisions from the schools on your list, check out this website for expected dates and times.

Make sure to consider where you want to be when you receive your decisions. We recommend you log into your portal or open your email or letter in the privacy of your room or home, not in your high school cafeteria ​​or while with a group of friends. You need to be able to have an honest, emotional response. We have seen a trend developing in which students record themselves opening their admission decisions and then post the video on TikTok. We definitely do NOT recommend this approach!

You should also take some time to decide how you want to share this information, whether positive or negative. Tell your parents. Tell your counselor at school. And of course, tell us! Beyond that, remember that YOU get to decide if and when you choose to share your news with anyone else.

Read on for some helpful tips, broken down by decision!

• If Accepted:

• First of all, congratulations!

• Be gracious. Congratulate yourself. It is ok to celebrate—but be appropriate. Remember there are many of your peers and friends who have not heard anything, are still applying to schools, or have been deferred, waitlisted or denied ​​(sometimes by the same school that just accepted you!).

• Be grateful. Thank your parents. Thank your recommenders. A hand-written thank you note goes a long way for an educator who cares about your success and puts the effort in to meet your school’s deadlines. 

• Be engaged. Your acceptance is not the signal to check out or give in to “senior slide.”

• Be proactive. If you have been accepted early decision, be sure to withdraw your applications from the remainder of your schools. You agreed to do this when you signed the early decision form.

• IF Deferred:

• Continue to work hard in your classes. Many schools will ask you to submit midyear grades in the portal, on the SRAR, or from your counselor.

• Check with us or your school counselor before sending additional submissions. More is not necessarily better. Follow the school’s directions for submitting materials.

• Compose your letters of continued interest (LOCI). Write brief (seriously: brief!) letters that state why you want to attend the schools and why you would be a great fit. Check out our prior blog post: Writing an Effective Letter of Continued Interest: Instructions and Samples, and again, only do this if the schools at which you were deferred will accept them (most will!).

• If Waitlisted:

• Respond. Be sure to follow the school’s instructions to accept your place on the waitlist. 

• Redouble your efforts and study, study, study. These schools will see your 3rd and 4th quarter or winter and spring term grades, which, if strong, can help you.

• Refocus. Be sure to deposit at another school by May 1 to ensure you are going to college somewhere, even if you remain on other waitlists.

• If Denied:

• Process the news. It’s ok to allow yourself time to be disappointed (for a day or two). What you feel is real and needs to be expressed, but cannot take over your life. This sounds impossible, but don’t take it personally. Read our previous post:  5 Steps to Take After Being Deferred or Denied Early Admission.

• Maintain perspective. Remember you have a balanced list for a reason.

• Pull yourself together and submit your remaining applications. Do not allow a denial to paralyze you. You need to continue to work hard in your classes and make sure all of your remaining applications are submitted.

• Prioritize self-care. Got a shredder? Print out your letter and shred it! Have a fire pit? Invite friends over and make s’mores out of your denial letters! Be creative and find a way to move forward!

If you ARE A CURRENT CLIENT:

• If you need help adding new schools to your list or reviewing application materials over winter break, make an appointment with Colleen or Sally to review it and discuss whether or not you need to make any changes

• If you need more essay coaching meetings, book them as soon as possible (but don’t add new schools without running that by us first)!

If you need help now but didn’t work with us earlier in the process on an ongoing basis, it’s not too late.

• If you need help adding new schools to your list or reviewing application materials over winter break, you can book one of our Class of 2024 Strategy Sessions.

• If you already know where you want to apply and just need help finishing up all those essays, you can book pay-as-you-go essay coaching sessions here. 

NOTE: We may be able to add additional essay coaching availability depending on demand, so the earlier you let us know you need help, the better! Please send our admin team an email to discuss options if you can’t find a session that works for you using the links above.

REMEMBER: We are rooting for you just as much as you are (maybe even more!). Stay smart, stay positive, and enjoy the rest of senior year! 

Weekly Update: November 21

It’s Thanksgiving week - almost time for turkey, football, friends, and family! Yet for seniors, this time of year can be especially challenging. They are trying to keep their grades up while teachers try to squeeze in assessments between Thanksgiving and winter breaks, and they are also juggling hundreds of emails and requests to set up portals, add optional admissions videos, and apply to additional “special programs.” Not to mention the stress and anxiety that comes with waiting on decisions!

So every year as we head into this holiday, I am reminded of the need to help seniors prepare for the onslaught of unsolicited questions and advice that comes with well-meaning visiting relatives, annual family gatherings, and uncertain notification dates. You know how it goes: Auntie Anne asks if Susie has heard from X college or Uncle Oscar asks Jimmy why he doesn’t add Oscar’s alma mater to his list “just to see what happens.” The “helpful” inquiries just pile stress on the already stressed senior.

Our advice to parents: help your son or daughter prepare a couple of polite responses, acknowledge that the comments come from a place of love and affection, and still politely end the conversation.

For example: “Thank you for asking, Auntie Anne. I’m excited to hear back from schools, too, but right now I am focusing on my classes and finishing my regular decision applications.” Responses that redirect the conversation can help the senior focus on the near future and control what she can control.

Or: “Thank you for your thoughts, Uncle Oscar. I will certainly take a look at your alma mater’s website when I get back to my applications after the Thanksgiving break.” Jimmy doesn’t commit to anything more than a quick look at the school’s website, while making it clear that he is on vacation too.

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS

PSAT SCORES (AND NATIONAL MERIT CUTOFF ESTIMATES) RELEASED

PSAT scores were released on November 6 or 16, depending on the date students took the test (if your student hasn’t received their score reports, have them go see their school counselor!). Check out Compass Prep’s analysis of this year's scores as well as their estimates for Commended Students and Semifinalists. It sounds like Commended Students can expect a 2 point cutoff increase, and while the Semifinalist increases vary by state, most will be in the 1-2 point range.

RISE IN NUMBERS OF EARLY APPLICATIONS

Now that the deadlines for most early applications have passed, the Common App has released preliminary data about early decision and early action numbers. According to them, early applications to member schools are up 41% over pre-pandemic numbers from 2019-2020. We will have to wait until the final application numbers are available before fully understanding the trends, but this increase may reflect a more permanent shift in students and colleges relying on early admission plans. We know from our work with students on the applications and essays that most students have quite a few early deadlines, some of which have moved to early October (and even early September for schools with rolling admissions or those that release admissions decisions in waves).

MICHIGAN SIGN-STEALING SCANDAL LEAVES HARBAUGH SUSPENDED

The Big Ten has made the decision to suspend coach Jim Harbaugh for three games as a result of the ongoing controversy relating to low-level employee Connor Stalions. Stalions is accused of attending opponents’ games in person, often disguised in the respective teams’ gear, to record their signs and signals as part of an extensive scheme to give Michigan an unfair advantage.

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA IN FINANCIAL TROUBLE

Students applying to the University of Arizona will want to pay close attention to the recent reports of financial mismanagement - after financial predictions turned out to be wildly inaccurate, the school now admits to having only 97 days of cash on hand. President Robert Robbins has warned that “draconian cuts” may impact academic and athletic programs, salaries, and jobs.

PC: JMU Marketing and Branding Department

BEST ARTICLES OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS

Georgia Tech’s Rick Clark offers advice to juniors about test-optional admissions in his recent post: Middle 50%, Test Optional (… and Country Music?) He explains that middle 50% test score ranges are not as straightforward as they used to be (neither is test-optional admissions in general!), so students need to carefully analyze the information provided. After all, what does that range even represent? Accepted students or matriculated students? He recommends students ask questions when they look at colleges and universities' middle 50% of test scores to understand whose scores are included in that figure. As you develop your standardized testing plan, make sure you understand if the schools on your list require test scores, are test-optional, are test-blind, or if they are test-optional but prefer test scores. Some schools also have different policies based on majors, so be thorough. We help all of our current clients make these decisions, so if you’re a non-client who could use some assistance, feel free to book an introductory meeting.

Are you confused about the controversy between JMU and the NCAA? This feel-good piece is definitely worth a read (Unfortunately, the NCAA denied the latest waiver request this past week, and then things took another turn over the weekend when JMU lost to Appalachian State despite breaking attendance records for ESPN’s College GameDay). Whether they get to play in a bowl or not, the cynic in me is a little bit concerned about the inevitable admissions impact after so much athletic success. And we don’t have much wiggle room - last year, applications were up over 68% from just two years prior. 68%! That’s huge.

Speaking of football, this New York Times piece on young football players with C.T.E. was incredibly moving and tragic. It’s awful to think of these poor kids suffering this way, and the recommendation to delay tackle football until high school is compelling, given the latest research.

Lastly, don’t miss Vanity Fair’s excerpt from Among the Bros: A Fraternity Crime Story by Max Marshall. Named by Amazon as a “Best Book of the Year 2023,” it covers a disturbingly extensive, multimillion-dollar underground fraternity drug ring at the College of Charleston and has been the talk of the higher education world for the past few weeks. It reads a little bit like Bama Rush meets the Murdaugh’s, and I’ve already downloaded the book to read over the holidays.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

We’ve been busy finishing up those last-minute additions with seniors (so. many. videos. this. year!) and of course, getting ready for Thanksgiving! At Sally’s house, that looks a little different from mine, so she’s sharing a few thoughts below on the challenges of having a student home from college!

College students arrive home, often for the first time since starting the semester, and have different expectations than parents do. My priorities are about family time, hearing about her life at college, making sure she spends time with her siblings, and having fun/making memories together. On the other hand, her priorities may be relaxing, catching up on sleep, seeing her friends, more sleep, eating her favorite meals, and more sleep. She has been completely independent since Labor Day, making all the decisions about her time, her car, and her responsibilities. Suddenly, she is home and doesn’t necessarily have the same freedoms. Even to go shopping, she will have to work with our schedules to borrow a car because her own will still be at school. 

Of course we have different expectations: I am excited to have my kid home, and she is excited to be at home with her family. But even those expectations can be a mismatch. When she left for college, her younger sister had finished middle school, but now she is one-third of the way through 9th grade and has begun to exert her independence and navigate a social life of her own. College students can find it jarring that their family hasn’t frozen in time while they were away. In the same way, parents forget that their “kid” has been making adult decisions for months. The kid expects to be on vacation during break, while we parents are expecting them to jump back into family life including chores like loading the dishwasher, picking up siblings at practice, and coming home at a “reasonable time.” (This last one is definitely fraught with differing expectations!)

What have I learned from our son’s four years and our daughter’s previous two years returning for break? There is no one right way to navigate the shift, not even with the same kid in subsequent years. My advice is to acknowledge the differences beforehand (as in, during the car ride home from the airport) and to be patient with each other. As much as I want to spend time with her, I also have to remember to respect our daughter’s independence. Similarly, she has to remember to balance her need to take a real break before returning to school for final exams and to respect that she is part of a family with work, schedules, and time commitments. 

And when she thinks I am demanding too much or I think she is coming home too late, I hope we remember to give each other a little leeway as we sail these uncharted waters together.

Enjoy the Thanksgiving break!

Weekly Update: NOVEMBER 2! We made it!

We made it past 11/1! It is hard for me to even wrap my head around the fact that 6/29, the day of the Supreme Court decision, was a smidge over four months ago. These have been the longest four months of my life! So. Many. Essays! Predictably, the Common App (R) glitched a ton last week and early this week. If you’re reading this and you haven’t submitted all of your 11/15 apps yet - do it NOW! Don’t wait.

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS

HORRIFIC ANTISEMITISM ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

Some of the recent antisemitic incidents on college campuses are so awful that I am honestly having a hard time wrapping my head around how they are possible in today’s world. Even if people are horrible enough to want to do these things (which I struggle with understanding, in and of itself) - how could they be so stupid to think that they can behave this way and get away with it? I really do not get it. When I first started drafting this post, the FBI was investigating the incidents at Cornell, and I’m so glad they were able to identify the person allegedly responsible, Patrick Dai. I hope this sends a strong message to students nationwide - no one will get away with this behavior.

VIRGINIA PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES ROLL OUT GUARANTEED ADMISSION PROGRAMS

No, not those Virginia public universities 😀 But these are great options for students, nonetheless! George Mason recently announced guaranteed admissions agreements for seniors at Alexandria City High School (formerly T.C. Williams) as well as Osbourn High School in Manassas. Students with grade point averages of 3.25 are automatically admitted - no applications, fees, essays, recommendations or test scores. VCU announced a similar initiative, except that any qualifying student in the state is eligible - regardless of high school. Students need GPAs of 3.5+, or must rank in the top ten percent of their high school class.

LIBERTY AND HILLSDALE FACE EXTREME BACKLASH

Liberty University is in hot water (to put it mildly) for their alleged violations of the Clery Act. According to the Washington Post, “Liberty failed to warn the campus community about gas leaks, bomb threats and people credibly accused of repeated acts of sexual violence — including a senior administrator and an athlete.” Several days later, Hillsdale College alumnae filed a federal suit alleging that the school violated state law and Title IX by by failing to address sexual assaults on campus. These allegations are very serious, and a good reminder to do your due diligence on any litigation involving schools on your student’s college list.

LOTS OF CHANGES AT UVA

UVA has now changed their approach to early decision and early action applications. Starting with this 2023-2024 application cycle, students will no longer be deferred to regular decision - just admitted, wait-listed, or denied. I think this is a great thing, by the way. The chances of admission post-deferral are so low - particularly with early decision - and it’s so much easier for students to be able to move on with their lives and make the best decisions possible without holding out for something that will likely never happen. Another change - UVA’s commerce (business) major will now be a three-year program instead of a two-year program. This is great for students who are hoping to have a more comprehensive, longer-term approach to business. And lastly, SCHEV approved UVA’s data science major last month, opening the door for undergraduates to move beyond the data science minor and pursue the much-desired major option.

SRAR PROBLEMS

More and more schools are requiring the SRAR, or Self-Reported Academic Record. In fact, Sally has spent quite a bit of time over the last few weeks helping our seniors complete and submit these after they submitted their actual applications. However, a number of problems have emerged over the past few days. Rutgers applicants had trouble accessing their applicant portals due to technical issues, and couldn’t link their SRARs to their Rutgers applications. Fortunately, Rutgers extended their materials deadline (and for SRAR completion) to 11/10 for students who submitted their application on time. Applicants to other schools have reported logging into their SRAR to find that it is pre-populated with inaccurate information. Make sure to check everything over with a fine-tooth comb!

BEST ARTICLES OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS

While it’s nice to see that top law firms are putting pressure on colleges and universities to make sure the anti-semitic behavior referenced earlier in this post is addressed appropriately, I am with Bill Ackman - it’s really unfortunate that the pressure has to happen in the first place. BTW, I really like the way the law firms included Islamophobia in their letter, too. This kind of hatred is just totally unacceptable across the board and makes me sick.

The last place I would have expected a mass shooting is Lewiston, Maine, home of top liberal arts school Bates College - but Bates students had a really rough time last week. Students at Bowdoin College and Colby College were also impacted, as well as local campuses of the Universities of Maine and New England. One of Sally’s children is a student at one of these schools (keeping it vague for privacy!) and it just sounds like it was a terrifying situation all around for them.

On a more positive note, researchers from UVA’s School of Education and Human development recently developed what they call the Portrait of a Thriving Youth. This is a great read for parents, teachers, and anyone else working with or supporting an adolescent or young adult - it helps us identify needs and challenges as well as milestones and competencies. As a parent, I find this kind of thing so helpful, because I constantly remind myself that adolescent behavior is developmentally normal, despite the fact that it makes me want to pull my hair out. I have to literally repeat it to myself over and over in my head: “This is developmentally normal, this is actually a good thing, it would be bad if this behavior was not happening.” Whatever works, right?!

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Fortunately, all of our 11/1 applications were submitted well in advance of the deadlines and almost of our students have submitted all of their regular decision applications as well. Things have started to settle down for a minute and we are giving our full attention to the juniors, transfers, and grad school applicants. And all of our former clients registering for their Spring 2024 classes over the next few weeks - we’re helping with course selection!

Hope everyone had a great Halloween! Several hours in advance, my son bailed on HIS plan 😀 for our Travis/Taylor costumes in favor of wearing last year’s Pokemon costume again - so I just went with it!

Have a great weekend and enjoy the slightly warmer weather after this week’s cold front!

Weekly Update: September 20

It’s been a WHILE! We’ve been absolutely slammed these first few weeks of school as we try to finish up with our seniors during this unusual application cycle in the wake of the Supreme Court decision. No kidding, I have started this post about ten times. I think it’s safe to say that blogging might be a little bit more sporadic until mid-October, but we’ll get back to our normal posting schedule soon enough :)

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS

US NEWS MAKES SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO METHODOLOGY

U.S. News & World Report changed 17 of the 19 metrics they use in their annual college rankings, and boy did this year’s rankings look different than ever before! While the usual suspects are still right at the very top, so many other schools saw a major impact. Highly-selective private schools seemed to see the most negative impact and large public schools had the most positive impact. This is not surprising when you consider that class sizes, professors with terminal degrees, and alumni giving rates have now been removed from consideration. Added in their places were a number of factors that relate to first-generation and disadvantaged students. Important considerations, for sure, but so are the ones that were removed, in my opinion. As we always say, think about the factors that are important to YOU and look for rankings that emphasize those.

1 IN 3 COLLEGE STUDENTS HAVE SEEN OR EXPERIENCED ANTISEMITISM

How terrible - the “Jewish on Campus” watchdog group recently reported that a third of U.S. college students have been exposed to antisemitism. About half of that group experienced it directly, while the other half witnessed it. If you’re interested in more on the history of antisemitism in higher education, don’t miss the podcast Gatecrashers, which I posted about last fall. I was surprised by how much I personally learned from it, and would highly recommend it.

BOULDER IS THE NEW VILLANOVA

I kid you not, last winter I was on a call with a colleague as we commiserated about how insane that admission cycle’s results were, and he said something to the lines of “we’re okay as long as nothing changes with Boulder.” He went on to explain his belief that Boulder was one of the last schools out there with relatively relaxed admissions standards alongside a recognizable name. It was an excellent point… while it lasted. Word on the street is that their applications are up 40% year over year, and that statistic was from last week - before Saturday night happened. Sigh! And while I know that Villanova has always been more selective than Boulder, I’m still getting major 2016 and 2018 flashbacks.

FLORIDA APPROVES THE CLT

In the latest development on the ongoing battle between Florida and the College Board, the state just approved the CLT, or Classic Learning Test, as an alternative to the SAT and ACT. Because the CLT emphasizes Christian thought, it’s mostly been accepted by private Christian schools so far - definitely a strange move for public schools. It should be noted that the faculty representative on the state university system’s board of governors voted against this decision, citing a lack of data.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS

While Wash U may be mourning their recent drop in the rankings (who cares about undergraduate class size, right?!) - they did end up winners in a different category. Yes, my alma mater is no longer the least economically diverse elite school in the country - Tulane is the unfortunate recipient of that honor now. Wash U, according to the New York Times, is actually now the institution with the greatest increase in economic diversity over the last decade. You can read more about the New York Times’ College Access Index and where various schools place on this scale.

Speaking of Tulane, they were featured in a different New York Times article, as well, for coming in at 2/3 female! (Poor Tulane. Plus a 29 point ranking drop. Rough month). We posted about the college gender gap a month or two ago, and I think it’s going to become more significant as schools fine-tune their policies in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling. This is tricky, because I can understand the rationale for having a balanced class. It’s hard all around.

Not quite an article, but I really enjoyed Wake Forest’s response to the recent rankings. Their 18-spot fall seemed particularly unfair to me, given that so much of the shifts had to do with social mobility. For those not in the know, Wake just introduced AN ENTIRELY NEW APPLICATION PLAN several months ago that’s JUST for first-generation students. That school is incredibly committed to social mobility, whether it is reflected in an arbitrary ranking or not.

And even further away from a traditional article, I wanted to share this TikTok video. Warning, some of the language is colorful, but I really like this guy and the messages he shares are typically spot-on. This one is about how to get a 4.0 in college, but it’s completely applicable to high school too. It’s so simple I feel like this is obvious! But then again, how many people are actually taking the time to do it, obvious or not?

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

As many of you know, Shannon had her last day at DC College Counseling. We definitely miss her and wish her all the best. She started working with us in the middle of Covid, so it’s been an interesting three years and it was wonderful to have her support!

We were incredibly excited to welcome Sally to our team, and you’ll “meet” her on the blog soon - but in the meantime, you can see her bio on our website here! She brings an incredible amount of experience to our organization and we are very lucky to have her.

I got to step out of the office a little early last week to go to the annual Madison vs. Marshall football game to watch my daughter cheer for VYI!

I am always so impressed with how kind the Marshall and Madison cheerleaders are to the little ones each year. This is such a big deal to them and the girls make them feel so special. Thank you for that :)

I was in U.S. News & World Report this week providing recommendation advice, and I have to say I’m pretty honored that they chose to share our materials with the world as examples! That Hermione letter makes me smile. We give it to our students to share with their recommenders so the recommenders can see an example of what a strong letter should look like. Our essay coach Alan wrote it, and he’s the best creative writer I know. Not surprisingly, he’s also the coach that does the final edit of all of our Common App essays!

In other news, we have come across SO many opportunities lately for students interested in taking on leadership roles at school or in the community. Check out the following provided by either Elaine Tholen or Karen Keys-Gamarra:

• The Fairfax County Teen Advocates Program is for youth ages 12-19 who want to be community leaders against dating violence. Teen Advocates participate in campaigns to raise awareness about dating and sexual violence and other issues that impact youth. They also work with their peers and Fairfax County agencies to design fun events, such as the annual Art Contest and Talent Showcase, which engage community members in conversations about tough topics like abuse. Click here to apply by September 29 and to learn more about the program.

• Are you a young person between the ages of 10 and 29 with an idea of how digital tools can be used to help improve other young people’s well-being? Do you have ideas about how we could creatively use technology to increase young people’s knowledge around issues that impact them? The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is looking for creative innovators with solutions to pressing issues around well-being. Is this you? If so, apply today for the Youth Well-Being Prize Competition! Applications are open now and close on September 29, 2023. To apply, please fill out the application form and submit here.

• Calling all student artists! The Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District is seeking students to design posters to submit to the 2023 Youth Poster Contest. The theme for this year is ‘One Water.’ This contest is open to all K-12 students in Fairfax County, and scouts are eligible to earn a poster contest patch. Additionally, this year will feature a new digital poster contest open to students in grades 7-12. Learn more about both poster contests and download your entry form on the Conservation Poster Contest website. Entries are due by September 30, 2023.

• The Youth Conservation Leadership Institute (YCLI) is a program for 9th-12th grade students offered by Virginia’s Soil & Water Conservation Districts. YCLI focuses on volunteer service, environmental stewardship, leadership, and connecting students with environmental issues in their local communities. YCLI students complete a 20-hour project of their choosing throughout the school year, meet with their cohort, and receive the guidance of mentors. Learn more about YCLI and apply by Monday, October 2.

• The Fairfax County Police Department is accepting applications for Public Safety Cadets. Young people between the ages of 14-20 who are interested in learning more about law enforcement and are ready to provide community service are encouraged to apply. Public Safety Cadets is a national organization that partners with law enforcement agencies to provide leadership, ethics, and career preparation training. Fairfax County operates three units in three different locations within the county with police officers serving as mentors. Find more information and the Public Safety Cadet application on the Fairfax County Police Department website. Applications are due by Monday, October 2, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.

Have a great rest of your week!

Tips For Creating Your College List

Because deciding where to apply to college is a critical step in the college admissions process, it’s important to be thoughtful and thorough.

Creating a college list can also be really fun and exciting, as you explore all of your options and imagine where you’ll be for the next four years. However, with so many schools to choose from, it can be overwhelming! Here are some tips to help you get started and make a strong college list.

Start early

Junior year is the ideal time to start putting together your college list. After all, the earlier you begin this process, the more time you will have to consider your options. Plus, you’ll save yourself a lot of stress later on! During the spring of your junior year, set aside some time to talk with your college counselor (if you haven’t already) and attend any college fairs or information sessions in your area. This is also a great time to tour colleges and see what campuses look like while school is in session!

A note to eager ninth and tenth graders: While it’s never too early to start thinking about college and doing some preliminary research, don’t pressure yourself to make a definitive college list right now. Your interests and goals may change over the next few years, and you’ll want to keep your options open. What you can do, however, is start thinking about preferences in a big-picture sense. Keep reading..

Determine what you want

Before you start sifting through thousands of colleges and universities, you’ll need to figure out what you actually want in a school. For example, do you think a small, liberal arts college is the environment for you, or do you like the idea of a big university? Do you want to stay close to home or maybe venture to a different part of the country? Is it really important that you go somewhere with small class sizes or a particular academic program? Here are some important factors to consider, which can help direct your college search and list: 

• Size of school

• Location

• Student demographics

• Academic programs

• Extracurricular opportunities

• Campus culture 

As you determine what you want, also take note of any priorities, as well as must-haves. It’s really helpful to understand the MOST important factors driving your search and areas where you are willing to be more flexible and open. 

Research, research, research! 

When it comes to researching schools, a quick Google search won’t cut it. You’ll need to dig a bit deeper. Take advantage of college search websites and databases to help you find schools that match your criteria and learn more about specific colleges and universities. The Princeton Review, Niche, and Cappex are just a few resources that make collecting data and comparing schools easy.  You’ll also want to look at individual school websites and social media accounts. Why? Well, because third-party websites can tell you a lot about the numbers, but the school itself will be able to give you insights into its campus culture and student body.

But don’t just rely on your laptop to conduct research. There are plenty of ways to collect information IRL (in real life), too! Attend college fairs in your areas and information sessions at your school. You can also reach out to current students and alumni, as well as admissions representatives. Check a school's admissions web site to learn how to contact representatives. Bonus: You might also find opportunities to attend live webinars or information sessions, too!

Visit campuses

One of the best ways to get to know a school is to visit the campus. Ideally, it would be great if you could visit all of the campuses on your college list. But in most cases, that’s just not realistic. So if you can’t visit a school on your college list, consider touring a comparable college or university in your area. That way you can still get a feel for factors such as size and setting. 

We also recommend taking a virtual campus tour, which most schools now offer. Check out Campus Tours or a specific school’s admission page to start your virtual walk! 

Stay organized

Conducting research is great, but it’s not going to help you make a college list unless you stay organized. Create a system for keeping track of the information you gather for each school. We HIGHLY encourage students to set up a spreadsheet to easily compare multiple schools. 

Revise and refine

Making a college list is NOT something you can create in just a weekend and then check off your ‘to-do’ list. It’s a living, breathing document that will continue to change as you “do your homework.” Be sure to update your list regularly as you narrow down your priorities, visit schools, and learn more about what you like and don’t like. 

Strike a balance

When it comes to a college list, balance is key. You want to make sure you have a healthy mix of safety schools, target schools, and reach schools. In the past few years, the admissions world has changed a LOT, and schools that were once considered safeties are now much more selective. Be sure to research admissions data to get a better sense of how likely you are to be admitted to a particular school. 

As part of creating a balanced list, don’t overdo it on the number of colleges! You may think that applying to 25 schools is increasing your odds and keeping your options open, but more isn’t always better. You’ll be bombarded with a lot of essay writing and a lot of confusion. Of course, the number of schools on a college list will vary depending upon a student and their particular situation; however, a good rule of thumb is that if you’re starting to get past 15, you might want to take a step back.

Be open-minded

Finally, it’s important to be open-minded as you make your college list. The dream school you’ve been thinking about for years might not actually be such a dream once you visit. Or maybe a big university is a little too overwhelming for you after all, even if you don’t want to admit it. Explore your options, knowing that you might just find a great fit in an unexpected place. 

Do you need help creating your college list?

That’s what we’re here for! Whether you’ve just finished sophomore year and want to start getting serious about your college list now, or you’re a soon-to-be-senior in need of some motivation and strategy, we can help. Book a session today!

Weekly Update x2: August 14/21

Happy first day of school to FCPS students starting this week! We have been SWAMPED and are combining two weeks of updates for you!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

WEST VIRGINIA CUTS FOREIGN LANGUAGES

West Virginia University made the controversial decision last week to cut all foreign language instruction and let go of professors in response to budget constraints. The proposed cuts include other programs as well, for a total of 32 majors and 7% of the university’s faculty. With declining enrollment, WVU has determined that the drastic cuts are necessary to maintain more popular programs like forensics, engineering, and neuroscience. Professors and students are objecting to the cuts.

While many other public universities have faced budget constraints, WVU is the first state flagship to make such extreme cuts to its programs in response. The proposed cuts, if approved, will take effect in May.

ATTACK AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY

Howard University ramped up security last week after three Howard students were attacked by a mob of teenagers outside of a residence hall and one student was stabbed. In response to this act of violence, as well as rising rates of violence in DC as a whole, Howard has worked to increase security on campus in advance of the arrival of the newest freshman class. The changes for this orientation include “safety paths” on campus with officers stationed every 100-200 feet, and some events being moved indoors where student IDs can be checked on entry.

CHANGES TO FCPS TRANSCRIPTS

I almost had a heart attack last week as I was scanning through a general FCPS email to parents one night and noticed that major changes had been made to high school transcripts effective immediately. They are good changes, actually, but we had already finalized so many self-reported transcripts and senior year schedules and I knew a lot of that work would need to be redone. You can read about the changes here: basically, all courses that receive honors/advanced weighting will now have the designations to match on the transcripts. To be honest, this was a long time coming as the former policy just made no sense - why wouldn’t all courses with honors weighting be called honors? I’m glad they fixed it, but wish they would have done it sooner. I scrambled to put a plan in place and emailed all of our families at 11:00 that night! We’ve been able to get everything fixed for most of the impacted students already, so I’m glad for that!

NEW FAFSA IS COMING

A new version of the FAFSA, said to be more user-friendly than previous versions of the form, is expected to be unveiled for the 2024-2025 school year. In addition to eliminating the “discount” for families with multiple students in college at once, the new form will also replace “expected family contribution” with the “student aid index,” a guideline for the amount of aid for which a student qualifies. The number of questions on the form has also been reduced, which we certainly hope will make this challenging process a bit easier for families!

Unfortunately, the changes do mean that the FAFSA will be released significantly later this year - the form often comes out in October, but this year, it is not expected to be released until December. Colleges and universities are updating their due dates for the FAFSA accordingly, with some pushing March dates to April or rethinking winter priority deadlines.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

We definitely empathized with Clara, the mother in this Town & Country article, who is allowing her son to take a laid-back approach to college admissions in favor of a more balanced experience in high school. There can be something very freeing about intentionally choosing to bypass the rat race. Two words of caution, though: first, if your family is going to go in this direction, you have to truly understand the landscape and what the outcome will be. Some parents say things like: “We have very realistic expectations - he doesn’t need to go to an Ivy! We would be thrilled witha place like Tufts!.” Well, Tufts has a 9.7% acceptance rate - that’s more selective than Harvard was, when today’s parents applied. Tufts isn’t a safety for anyone anymore! Even the University of South Carolina - a fine place, of course, but not the most selective school, historically - is adamant that they are looking for As on transcripts in math, science, and English classes specifically.

Next, after you’re made peace with the outcome, you have to firmly commit to this approach - you can’t change your mind junior or senior year. That would be the absolute worst thing to do. Your family would undergo an enormous amount of stress trying to “catch up” and would likely not be able to catch up anyway, because admissions committees assess students on their performance from grades 9-11.

If you are an international student applying from abroad to US schools, check out this article for a clear breakdown of what might be an unfamiliar education system. Learn about the different types of schools in the US and how the grading system, majors and minors, and exam schedule may differ from your home country. This is also a great primer for US students and families who feel confused by some of the terminology schools use (what are majors vs. concentrations?).

Plus, check out this comprehensive look at legacy admissions, and what it might mean for more schools to eliminate it.

And finally, there are a lot of changes, both good and bad, when a child moves away from home for the first time. Unfortunately, we all know that college students have been suffering from a mental health crisis in recent years, and one mental health issue that is particularly common on college campuses is eating disorders. This article offers some tips to help talk with your student and protect them from this type of mental health challenge when they head off to their new campus home.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

It’s #firstdayfairfax and so many of you are heading back to school! My son James was so excited to go back this morning that he was literally running down the street to try to get into his first grade classroom faster!

We are so lucky to have an amazing neighborhood public school - every year I think to myself that there’s no way this year’s teacher is going to measure up to last year’s (or in last year’s case, that James’ teacher wouldn’t measure up to his sister Caroline’s amazing kindergarten teacher) and somehow they manage to just have a whole team full of rockstars over there. Very grateful! Caroline starts her first day of middle school on Wednesday at OLGC with another incredible team of rockstars and I am so grateful for them too.

(Also, I can’t believe I have a child in middle school! Yikes!)

I would just like to put it on the record that I had nothing to do with this sock choice :)

It has been such a whirlwind over the past several weeks between August 1 and today, when about half of our students returned to school. This has always been the busiest time of the year by a very long shot, and as the FCPS start date inches earlier and earlier, everything compresses into a shorter and shorter period.

This year’s enormous increase in essays as a result of the Supreme Court ruling has just been the cherry on top of a fun three weeks :) Our students and essay coaches have been cranking out supplemental essays at a record pace, and many of our students are close to finishing their Common ApplicationⓇ work! We’re so excited to see everything start to come together.

As always, we will have more space for Late Start Seniors after our first cohort finishes up - so feel free to schedule a Meet & Greet session if you’re a senior who still needs help! We have appointments available as early as next week during school hours (parents are able to attend on their child’s behalf, if that’s easier), and our first after-school availability at the moment is on Thursday, September 7.

Have a great week!

How to Make a Great Impression on the First Day of School

The first day of school can be nerve-wracking for many students - and it’s right around the corner for most of ours! Whether you're starting a new school or returning to the same one, it's important to make a good impression on your first day. Here are some tips to help you start the school year off on the right foot:

Finish your summer work

Did you have any required summer reading? Or maybe an AP assignment to complete over the summer? Make sure you’ve finished any work that’s been assigned to you over the summer. You don’t want to have to admit to your teacher on the first day that you didn’t do your homework! And who wants to start off the school year already behind?

Look your best

Your appearance can say a lot about you, so make sure to dress appropriately for the first day of school. This means following the dress code, if there is one, and making sure your outfit is clean and wrinkle-free. We also recommend getting a fresh haircut. While these details may seem small, they give the impression that you care. Plus, you’ll feel more confident if you’re looking your best. 

Get to school early

The first day of school is likely to create additional traffic jams on the highway (especially in the DMV area!) and even in the school parking lot. Plan to arrive a bit early, so you’re not stressed, or even worse, late for your first class. Use the extra time to organize your locker, catch up with friends, and find your classrooms. You’ll feel much calmer and will be prepared to start the day off right. 

Smile

Even if you’re not a morning person, even if you’re not thrilled to be back at school, smile! It will set a positive tone for the day and draw people to you. This is especially important if you’re starting a new school and need to make some connections and lunch buddies fast! 

Introduce yourself to teachers

Okay, this might sound like a dorky move, but we promise that it goes a long way! Introduce yourself to your new teachers. You don’t have to offer up a formal handshake, but a quick “Hi, my name is…” when you come into class shows you’re mature and personable. And if there’s anything you want to share with your teacher—like how you’ve always struggled in math or have accommodations—send an introductory email or arrange a meeting. They’ll be impressed that you are taking initiative!

Introduce yourself to students

And while you’re at it, introduce yourself to new students. They’ll appreciate your efforts to make them feel more comfortable on the first day. If you are a new student, don’t be afraid to introduce yourself, either! A small “hi” to the classmate sitting in the desk next to you or “do you mind if I sit here?” at lunch will show off your confidence, even if you’re faking it a bit until the anxiety of your first day eases.

Listen and participate

The first day can be intimidating, but make it your goal to participate at least one time in each class. This will show your teachers that you are engaged and interested in learning. It will also help you make a good impression on your classmates, as they will see that you are knowledgeable and enthusiastic!

GOOD LUCK ON YOUR FIRST DAY!

By following these tips, you can start the school year off on the right foot and set yourself up for success. Remember to be yourself, be prepared, and have a positive attitude—and you'll do great!

A Day in the Life, Part IV

For those who have followed our blog for a while, you might remember Colleen, Shannon, and STACI sharing a behind-the-scenes perspective of life at DC College Counseling. NOW WE WaNT TO GIVE YOU SOME INSIGHT INTO OUR BUSIESt TIME OF YEAR - AUGUST! - In PART IV of our day in the life series.

---

At the Front Desk:

When you enter our office, you will likely be greeted by Libby! Libby holds down the fort at the front desk, welcoming students in for their in-person essay coaching appointments. You’ve probably also seen emails from her with reminders about tasks or scheduling. She is busy making sure that all of our students have enough appointments on the calendar during this hectic month!

We also wanted to capture our entry wall - so fun to see all of the college memorabilia and interesting articles (many of which feature Colleen!). We used Framebridge to design this back in 2020 and they did a great job!

Libby is also in charge of ordering snacks and stocking up our candy jar, so if you have any special requests, make sure you let her know! She has everything freshly stocked and ready for the next few weeks.

Our office is on the first floor of our building, but we also see some families from the pediatrician’s office upstairs. In fact, today we had a prospective client and her rising ninth grader stop in after seeing our sign on a visit to the doctor! P.S. We love the pediatricians upstairs! Colleen uses them for her children and they are amazing.

Another post-pediatrician visit! Colleen’s friend Amanda also stopped by with her new baby after visiting the doctor - but this one probably isn’t ready to start college counseling just yet!

IN THE ESSAY COACHING OFFICE:

Staci is in the office today because we have several in-person essay coaching meetings scheduled - but in between, she is also ready with her laptop for students who prefer to meet virtually.

In addition to helping students with their generic and school-specific supplemental essays for most of the month, Staci is also meeting with a former client who is currently working on her graduate school applications, as well as doing interview prep with a student who is preparing for an upcoming William & Mary interview (p.s. - if you are a client with an interview coming up too, you can book a prep session here).

Staci isn’t our only essay coach working today - the rest of our coaches are just as busy with virtual meetings from home. Most of our students prefer virtual meetings, so for now our team is working with a hybrid approach to be able to accommodate everyone’s preferences.

IN the College Counseling Offices:

Shannon and Colleen are here for most of the week in August. In addition to updating the Common Application rollover guides and helping students complete their application work, they are also reading and reviewing essays and applications behind the scenes, and making sure each student stays on track!

Colleen checking the mail first thing in the morning. This is our back door, which provides access to the rest of the building - like the bathrooms!

While typically more of us are doing hybrid work during the school year, in the summer Shannon and Colleen are here almost every day! Today, Colleen got in early and will leave around 6:00pm, while Shannon will hold down the fort until 8:00pm.

…And remotely!

In our current hybrid work plan, many team members are working from home rather than the office, including Donna, Grace, and some of our essay coaching team.

McClain’s home workspace…

…and a couple very cute coworkers!

McClain’s share: “About to hop on an essay coaching session to help a student revise one of her Wake Forest supplemental essays! To get ready for my meetings each day, I usually spend time preparing the night before. I look at where each student is in the writing process, find the document links I'll need, and create skeleton recap emails to fill in post-meeting. My coaching sessions are usually in the afternoons since I’m with my kids—Theo, 1.5, and James, 3—most mornings. This organizational routine allows us to enjoy our favorite summer activities (pool, playground, and lots of ice cream breaks) without stressing about being prepared for my students in the afternoon. My WFH setup is very fancy—my dining room table :). I’m always ready with a flavored seltzer, a big cup of water, and way too many open tabs.”

---

WRAPPING UP:

Colleen’s kids stop by to grab snacks with their au pair before Colleen leaves to take her daughter Caroline to an appointment at 6:00. She’ll likely be back online at night to review progress from the day and respond to emails!

Caroline, 11, will be in 6th grade this year, and James, almost 7, will be in 1st grade! James has a big smile on his face because he thinks he’s getting away with taking handfuls of snacks to eat before dinner (sadly, it was not to be and most of them ended up back on the shelves!).

---

August is a crazy month, but it is also so exciting to see our students’ hard work start to come together. Now we’ve got to get back to it!

Weekly Update: August 7

August is here, and we are busy!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

COMMON APP UPDATES

This has been a doozy of a Common App® update! For more on that, check out our Special Topics post from last week: Notable Common Application® Changes - 2023-2024 Edition. Since I wrote it, we continue to discover more essay changes (from the prompts that schools originally released for this application cycle) every single day. I have never seen anything like this in my entire career and I do not like it one bit! This is a hard enough process without kids having to re-write a bunch of essays! And even from the schools that have not changed their essays - they have added so many more. The overall essay load for are students has been truly unprecedented this cycle - which is especially challenging when paired with the significantly-delayed release of the Common App® personal essay prompts that gave everyone a late start. And that’s why I’m on my 12th hour of work today as I type this :)

COLLEGE BOARD RECOMMENDS FLORIDA SCHOOLS NOT OFFER AP PSYCHOLOGY

In the latest conflict between the state of Florida and the College Board, the College Board has asked Florida high schools not to teach its AP Psychology course. The Florida State Board of Education banned teaching students throughout high school about sexual orientation and gender identity in March, and asked the College Board to perform a review of the AP curriculum to determine that it aligned with Florida laws. In a recent statement, the College Board said that “any AP Psychology course taught in Florida will violate either Florida law or college requirements,” and advised schools not to teach the course. But now it might be back on? Time will tell..

FORMER STUDENT SUES UVA

We’ve talked on the blog before about Morgan Bettinger, the former UVA student who was accused of threatening a group of Black Lives Matter protesters and received harassment online. Now, Morgan is suing UVA, stating that the university violated her free speech rights by punishing her for the remark. Both President Jim Ryan and former Dean of Students Allen Groves are named in the lawsuit, which is the most compelling legal document I’ve ever seen. The detail, the story, etc- it reads like fiction! Pretty incredible, and so devastating for that poor girl.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

This article, “The Real, Hidden Truth About College Admissions,” discusses whether elite colleges in the United States receive too much credit for preparing students for the future. After all, neither the president nor the vice president went to top universities - and neither did the House minority or majority leader, the Senate minority leader, or the vast majority of Fortune 500 CEOs. This Duke professor argues that the real test of a student’s outcome isn’t the selectivity of their college, but instead whether they take advantage of all of the opportunities they are offered during (and after!) their college years. 

We talk with students a lot about the impact of their location - for our students, mainly in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties - on their admission to top Virginia public colleges. This graphic is really helpful in visualizing the difference between a student applying to, say, UVA from rural Virginia, versus those applying from Northern Virginia. Some of the most rural counties in southwestern Virginia have 89-90% admit rates for Virginia public four-year colleges, versus a 67% admit rate for students in Fairfax County.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Week 1 of August is done! 🙏 Many of our students have rolled over their Common ApplicationⓇ, our essay coaches continue to work through supplemental essays, and we are so impressed with how hard our students are working. For many of them, this is the final stretch - and they will definitely see their hard work pay off this fall! 

One of the topics we mentioned in last week’s post has come up this week in our office with our own students - the use of ChatGPT. Remember: many schools are asking students to certify that they did not receive help from ChatGPT when writing their college essays, and others are providing instructions about the extent of Chat GPT help that they will allow. Our essay coaches are doing a great job flagging this in meetings when it’s an issue, and we encourage all parents to discuss it with their children as well. Please, please review policies on the use of ChatGPT or other large language models carefully, to ensure that your essays are your own work! Trust me - we are all about making things easy when we can. If there’s a way to be more efficient, I promise, we’re all over it. But using ChatGPT for college essays is not going to make things easier for anyone. It’s just going to wind up getting you in trouble!

Notable Common Application® Changes - 2023-2024 Edition

As we pore through the Common App® to capture all of the changes in the 2023-2024 application, I wanted to draw attention to a few in particular that stood out!

LaFAYETTE’S STANCE ON ACTIVITIES

I actually really admire this! Lafayette has made the decision to only review a student’s first six activities on the Common Application® instead of all ten. The idea is to be straightforward with students about their preference for quality over quantity when it comes to extracurricular involvement - they want students to be “deeply invested” in what matters most to them. While this is supposed to make things more equitable across income levels, and it will, I think this is really helpful for ALL students. I am so tired of watching teenagers feel overwhelmed and exhausted, doing things they don’t want to do, just so they can write them down on college applications. As a mom, it is painful to watch. I hope other schools follow Lafayette’s lead here!

---

NYU’S QUESTION ABOUT ASSISTANCE

NYU has added a question to their supplement about external guidance in the application process, and this threw everyone for a loop! As always, I would recommend being honest. There is nothing wrong with using an independent educational consultant - just as there’s nothing wrong with using an SAT tutor! However, I do think this is where it (really) helps to be using an organization that is vetted. NYU wants to make sure that the next Rick Singer isn’t running the show!

For what it’s worth, the counselors in our office are members of IECA - the Independent Educational Consultants Organization. We have an EXTREMELY strict code of ethics that goes well beyond expectations for most professionals in other industries. For example, we would never, ever accept any type of referral fee for directing a student to a third-party professional or organization, like an SAT tutor or summer program. Beyond agreeing to abide by this code of ethics, you can’t just sign up to become an IECA member - you have to qualify based on a certain number of college visits in recent years; professional references; experience; a certain number of students advised; and more. Because of this, colleges and universities have great relationships with IECA members - NYU itself held a private informational session just for IECA consultants! Anyway, I share all of this to point out that it’s important to let NYU know that you are working with an IECA member.

I would advise our clients to write something like this: “Because [I am the oldest child in my family/ my school does not provide individualized college guidance/ my parents are unfamiliar with the college admissions process today/ my parents didn't go to college in the United States/ etc] my parents and I felt that we could benefit from professional guidance with the college search and application process. I worked with Colleen Paparella, a professional member of IECA. Colleen and her team helped me narrow my college preferences to find the right fit; provided guidance on ways to determine which of my interests would translate to an intended major; advised me on course selection; and more. More recently, they helped review and edit my application materials. Every piece of information and aspect of my application is my own work, factually true, and honestly represented.”

---

SO MANY ESSAY PROMPT SHIFTS

Wow - there have been an incredible amount of changes when it comes to supplemental essays! Colleges are clearly trying to work within the boundaries set by the Supreme Court in order to get a sense of the ways that students have been shaped by their backgrounds. Harvard and William & Mary, in particular, are ones that stand out to me as very different this year!

---

LOTS OF AI/CHAT GPT ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Institutions ranging from the College of Charleston to Georgia Tech (and plenty more!) have added snippets to their supplements about the use of AI to generate essay content. Stay away from this! Remember, even the “good” AI-generated essays are not actually good, because there’s no way for a student’s voice to come through! Plus - by sharing these types of cautionary messages in the applications, these schools are actually TELLING students that they are watching for this type of thing. And they are! Any attempt to get pass their filters is not going to be effective and will ruin years of your hard work. Do the right thing from the start and create your own content!

---

We’re still working our way through these applications, and we look forward to sharing more thoughts and guidance with our students in all of our August meetings!

Weekly Update: July 31

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

COMMON APPLICATION® RELEASE

The 2023-2024 Common Application® will be released tomorrow, after a several-day shutdown period.  We’re excited! We will be hard at work updating all of our application guides and sending them out to our clients soon. 

VIRGINIA TECH GETS RID OF ED APPLICATION PLAN

Virginia Tech announced late on Friday that they will be doing away with their ED application plan this cycle. Students applying to VT will now have two options: Early Action or Regular Decision. As part of the change, the Early Action deadline will be moved forward, so students will need to apply by November 15 rather than VT’s previous December 1 EA deadline. In addition to complying with the Supreme Court decision to eliminate race and ethnicity as a consideration in the admissions process, VT has also made the decision to eliminate legacy preference as well.

UNC PROHIBITS SEX DISCRIMINATION IN ADMISSIONS AND HIRING DECISIONS

Anybody remember this article? It caused such a stir at the time, I don’t think I’ll ever forget it - and I would say at least 2-3 parents per year mention it, 13 years later. And now the girls trying to find boyfriends are not going to see their situation improve anytime soon! UNC’s board has announced that they will not consider “race, sex, color or ethnicity” in admissions or hiring decisions. This resolution, which at least one board member noted “goes well beyond the Supreme Court ruling,” also explicitly prohibits using admissions essays as a proxy for race. 

BIG CHANGES AT NEW COLLEGE

When Florida governor Ron DeSantis replaced many of the leaders at Florida’s New College, we knew that there would be changes to the small and previously liberal campus. Under new leadership, the school will have a record number of incoming students this fall, with much of the growth coming from recruited athletes. In March, the college announced the creation of a new athletic department, driving recruitment. While the number of incoming students is higher, metrics like average SAT, ACT, and GPA have gone down. This larger class will come in as the school works to fill 36 vacant faculty positions, about a third of the college’s full-time faculty members. 

The board also eliminated the college’s diversity office, a move that one trustee discusses in this opinion piece about DEI programs. The public institution has also requested $2 million in funding to create a center that will oppose cancel culture on college campuses. 

CU BUFFS MOVE TO BIG 12

CU Boulder’s Buffaloes will go back to the Big 12 conference after the coming season. The university left the Big 12 in 2011 for the Pac-12, a conference which lost its two powerhouses when UCLA and USC announced their move to the Big Ten. This is part of a larger realignment within college athletic conferences - as CU Boulder joins the Big 12, Oklahoma and Texas will likely leave; both are in the process of moving to the SEC.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

There has been a lot in the news recently about legacy admissions (see the VT news above!), and it can be difficult to keep up with the changes and the reasoning behind them. If you’re looking for a refresher, this article covers what legacy admissions is, why it is relevant now, and what the impact might be of the current legacy admission investigation at Harvard. Plus, it contains a list of all the schools that currently consider legacy as part of the admissions process.

On Thursday, a House subcommittee held a hearing about the cost of higher education and its value for families. Democrats focused the hearing on for-profit colleges, while Republicans expressed concern about the transparency of colleges and universities when it comes to their value proposition. One solution they raised is a risk-sharing approach, where colleges and universities will become responsible for student loans that alumni are unable to pay. The committee explored other aspects of the process as well, including the Biden administration’s proposed regulations defining what it means for an institution to prepare its students for “gainful employment,” as well as increased accountability for schools. 

This opinion piece from the National Review argues that accreditation, which previously served as a measure of accountability and value, is no longer an accurate way to represent the quality of education from a particular institution. The argument is that required programs, like DEI programs, are not improving educational quality but are still relevant to accreditation.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

It is hard to believe this is already our final weekly update of July! The Common App® is rolling out in less than eight hours (!), and we will hit the ground running tomorrow with our Class of 2024 students. August is our busiest month of the year, but we love seeing our students’ hard work all come together!

Have a great week!

So You Want to Be an Entrepreneur?

When I formed DC College Counseling in 2010, I knew literally nothing about business beyond whatever I picked up in my first-semester freshman year Management 100 class at Wash U. But I did know that I was really good at my job as an independent school college counselor, and I also knew that there was a growing need for people like me to serve the general population, outside of a school setting. So I created a website, looked up how to create a Virginia LLC, and here I am today!

There are so many success stories just like mine, when it comes to service-based businesses. You do not need capital, help, or specialized business knowledge as long as you have a skill that matches up with a need in the marketplace, a willingness to work (extremely) hard, and an internet connection. I want to emphasize this because I truly believe that one of the most amazing things about entrepreneurship is the ability to create something from nothing. ANYONE CAN DO IT!

That said, not everyone does do it, and it’s helpful to have companies which exist in this space to provide budding entrepreneurs a little extra help, if needed. After all, having a project of your own - like a business or non-profit organization - can really help applicants stand out in the admissions process. One such company is the Leadership & Innovation Lab, and today we have a guest post from their director, Maya.

If you are interested in starting your own business but feel a little overwhelmed at the thought, it might be worth learning about how the Leadership & Innovation Lab can help you get started. As always, do your own research to see whether this - or any third-party program - is right for you. We do not endorse this program or any other!

---

Hi everyone, I’m Maya, the Director of the Leadership & Innovation Lab.

My work focuses on curating training programs to develop our students' leadership and innovation abilities. Of the whole complex college application, how students present and package their leadership and innovation abilities has always been the part that fascinated me the most. This is why I do what I do today!

So you’re wondering - how do you truly stand out in the college admissions process that gets more competitive every year? My advice is: be an entrepreneur and start your own project. This is going to be the only thing on your application that is truly unique and wholly yours. 

Think about it: anyone else can join the same competition, attend the same summer program, or complete the same online course. Your student-initiated and student-run project is something that cannot be replicated. It is unique to your circumstances and profile. What’s more, it could well be the centerpiece of your entire application, linking together your personal statement, your activities list, your supplementary essays and perhaps even your choice of major. 

What is entrepreneurship and why is it important?

The most basic explanation for entrepreneurship is two-fold: first, the ability to envision something where there is currently nothing; second, the determination to work hard and to endure hardship for a vision that others may not see or share. 

To put it bluntly, the road to becoming an entrepreneur (especially a young entrepreneur) is not easy. It is often a long and lonely road. However, every single person who has tried to walk down this road, even if they do not reach the end for a multitude of reasons or simply decide to change paths along the way, will tell you that what they have learned on this road is unique and irreplaceable.

Let’s dive into specifics of what you might learn on the entrepreneurial path. From the leadership perspective, you’ll learn:  

• How to articulate your ideas clearly to others

• How to convince others of your ideas, even to join you in your entrepreneurial endeavor 

• How to organize from within your social networks

• How to build up up a leadership structure

• How to establish and maintain leadership authority 

• How to mediate or resolve personnel disputes

• How to motivate your team to work toward a shared vision

Taking a step back, in the process of cultivating entrepreneurship, you will also encounter significant elements of personal growth. You’ll learn:

• How to handle interpersonal relationships

• How to be strategically observant and perceptive

• How to seize opportunity

• How to decide when is the right time to give up or to cut your losses

• How to be more patient

• How to persevere against all odds

• What it means to be a visionary 

What are some obstacles you might face?

Of course, it is not easy for high school students to engage in an entrepreneurial endeavor - whether it is starting a business, club, or other organization. To be honest, it is not easy for anyone to do so!

You may think there are perhaps legal hurdles - after all, high school students are underage. Or perhaps our schools do not provide enough entrepreneurial resources for them. Or perhaps the wider society isn’t sufficiently supportive of youth entrepreneurship or adopts a skeptical attitude. It is true that these are some of the problems high school students encounter in their entrepreneurship journey. But from what I’ve seen, the biggest obstacle to youth entrepreneurship is that the students themselves do not believe that they can do it.

The most frequent challenge I encounter when mentoring students on leadership and innovation is their mindset. They think, “This is impossible, I cannot accomplish this,” or “I’m just a high school student, what can I possibly do to make a difference?” Such thoughts are very common. As an educator in this field, a lot of my time and energy is actually spent on undoing this mindset, building up students' confidence, convincing them of the possibility of entrepreneurship regardless of age, and explaining to students that entrepreneurship can take many forms and varieties. It is not necessarily a for-profit business. 

Most of the time, after overcoming these hurdles, I discover that the students are already internally inclined toward entrepreneurship - some even have concrete ideas of what they would like to do - but they never verbalized these ideas because of the doubt that their ideas can actually become reality.

It can be difficult to manage the legal, financial, personnel, and management aspects of any entrepreneurial endeavor. But under our guidance and mentorship, most students are pleasantly surprised to discover that if they are shown where to look and do so carefully, they find more useful resources among their communities than they previously thought existed. They find also that their communities are in fact more supportive of their student entrepreneurship efforts than they imagined. The problem is that most students struggle to find this door on their own, but once they are guided and shown the way, many students discover that while the road to entrepreneurship is not easy, it also is not as difficult as they feared.

How can the Leadership & Innovation Lab help?

Starting your own new project (whether it's a for-profit business, an on-campus organization, or a community group) requires a clear goal. Students must be innovative, adept at project management, and determined to work hard and persevere against all odds. 

Our Leadership & Innovation Lab is focused on helping students to learn, develop and practically apply these precise skills.

What is unique about our Leadership & Innovation Lab is that we place great value on hands-on application. Students are given a lot of space to try and practice the skills that they are taught in a real entrepreneurial context. Under the guidance of our experienced mentors, students will explore and discuss various entrepreneurial and management skills, then work in small groups, building on collective wisdom, to form their own new ventures and organizations. 

Our Lab will even guide students on how to strategically amplify their entrepreneurial efforts and curate demonstrated impact, as well as integrate their entrepreneurship into their overall personal narrative in a manner that is optimized for college applications. 

How does Leadership & Innovation Lab accomplish all of this? 

• First, the leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship courses we use have been specially developed in-house for high school students to quickly acquire the relevant knowledge and skills in a short period of time.

• We focus on helping students understand their own entrepreneurial and leadership strengths, discover their own natural leadership style, and define the roles that would fit them the most during the entrepreneurial process, so that they can play to their strengths.

• We help students set up their own ventures step by step, accumulating quantifiable achievements that are incredibly useful during college applications.

• We encourage students to take advantage of our workshops and networking opportunities to advance their projects and source for partnerships.

• We help our students develop a higher-level, bigger-picture vision and ultimately enhance their understanding of entrepreneurship and leadership over the longer term. We emphasize legacy planning and guide our students to think about the long-term development of their venture.

We also have a repository of existing student-run projects in which we can install new students to hold leadership positions and even to take over entirely. This is something that is uniquely offered by our Lab. 

Furthermore, we provide Showcase opportunities for our students to demonstrate and feature their work, not only for publicity and exposure but also to gain some conference-speaking experience. We also provide up to $10,000 in funding annually, dedicated to high school-level student-run projects. 

Please visit our website for further information about the Leadership & Innovation Lab.

What are some projects past students created?

• One student created a peer counseling platform to help students deal with stress and mental health issues. This student hired 9 peers, officially registered his company, and launched a website.

• Another developed a new coffee cup sleeve made exclusively from recyclable and plantable materials (it even had seeds!). With new marketing and business development skills, this student built a website and partnered with local coffee shops. 

• Finally, a student collaborated with artists from 15 high schools across the country to curate 2 online art exhibits. This student auctioned 100+ art pieces and raised proceeds to donate to disease relief.

---

If you are inspired to start your own project, you can reach Maya directly at maya@leadershipinnovationlab.org.

Weekly Update: July 24

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

MARIUPOL STATE UNIVERSITY GRADUATES THE CLASS OF 2023

Ukraine’s Mariupol State University held its graduation ceremony about 400 miles away from its war-torn home city of Mariupol last week. Only about 60 of the university’s 500 graduating students attended the event in person, with the rest tuning in online. The university has been educating students virtually since the city fell to the Russian offensive last year; with about 5,000 students before the war, it now has an estimated 3,200 students actively enrolled. The university has begun constructing its new campus at a former military education center in Kyiv. 

WESLEYAN DOES AWAY WITH LEGACY ADMISSIONS

Wesleyan University announced last week that it will no longer factor legacy into its admissions process in the wake of the Supreme Court decision. Wesleyan joins highly selective schools like Amherst, MIT, Johns Hopkins and Carnegie Mellon, who have already ended legacy admissions. 

NEW VDOE MODEL POLICIES

FCPS shared the Virginia Department of Education’s new model policies last week, raising concerns about what the changes in the policies may mean for LGBTQIA+ students. Glenn Youngkin emphasizes parents’ rights in the publication, which quotes Virginia code § 1-240.1: “A parent has a fundamental right to make decisions concerning the upbringing, education, and care of the parent's child.” As such, schools are now ordered to defer to parental preference on a variety of issues, ranging from preferred pronouns to the use of school counseling services. The policies also mandate that every student (and their parent) has the right to opt the student out of sharing bathrooms and locker rooms with transgender students. FCPS is conducting a review of the policies, and reaffirmed the commitment to inclusivity for all students. 

UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS RESIGN

This week saw two major resignations of university presidents, at Stanford and Texas A&M - both related to the universities’ journalism programs! A Stanford freshman journalist exposed photoshopped images in President Marc Tessier-Levigne’s research in November, after years of rumors that the research was doctored. In December, a Board of Trustees review of 12 of Tessier-Levigne’s papers found issues in the five papers on which he was the primary author. Though he is stepping down, Tessier-Levigne will remain on Stanford’s faculty as a biology professor.

At Texas A&M, President M. Katherine Banks resigned following controversy over her appointment of journalism director Kathleen McElroy. Dr. McElroy said that she was initially offered a five-year contract, but that it was changed to one year after conservative alumni groups objected to her work promoting diversity, including an op-ed that argued for the hiring of more non-white university professors. The controversy over the appointment, which Dr. McElroy ultimately turned down, led to the resignation of both Dr. Banks and the dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. 

SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE ADDS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION SUPPLEMENTAL ESSAY

If you are a student with opinions on the Supreme Court’s affirmative action decision, Sarah Lawrence wants to hear what you have to say! The university has added a new supplemental essay option to its application, which reads:

"In a 2023 majority decision of the Supreme Court of the United States, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote, 'Nothing prohibits universities from considering an applicant's discussion of how race affected the applicant's life, so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability that the particular applicant can contribute to the university.' Drawing upon examples from your life, a quality of your character, and/or a unique ability you possess, describe how you believe your goals for a college education might be impacted, influenced, or affected by the Court's decision."

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

Everyone is talking about a new study from Harvard and Brown researchers, published this morning, which found that the top 7% of college students come from families earning over $611,000 - the top 1% of the income distribution in the United States. It also found that on average, legacy students at top colleges were actually more academically qualified than non-legacies, and that graduates from private high schools had stronger academic credentials, objectively, than those from public high schools.

This aligns with an argument that professors and others have made for a long time - that increasing socioeconomic diversity means admitting fewer highly qualified students to college. But the studies also found that 16% of college students come from that top 1% of income - far higher than the percentage that excel academically. The three factors that this newsletter sees as the cause are (a) legacy admission, (b) admission from top private schools, and (c) admission for recruited athletes, who are often more affluent than other applicants. 

At first glance, the data suggests that the higher the household income, the greater the chances of admission to a highly competitive school. However, this is not the case. One nuance I noticed is that this trend only applies to the top 5% of household incomes. Between the 20th and 95th percentiles, the relationship between parent income percentile and acceptance rate is inversely proportional.

Look carefully at the numbers. Once you hit the 40th percentile in parent income, admissions rates fall. They go up slightly between the 95th-97th percentiles, a little more between the 97th-99th, and of course they skyrocket at the 99th percentile.

I would highly recommend reading the study yourself, by the way, as there are a lot of fascinating nuggets like this and I can’t summarize all of them!

It is no surprise that colleges are often liberal enclaves, with students typically more likely to vote Democrat. This Politico article explores the impact that liberal college towns have on more conservative areas of the country, arguing that Democratic votes in Dane County, home of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, make it nearly impossible for Republicans to win in Wisconsin. The same pattern is happening in a variety of other states, too - examples include Arizona, the Carolinas, Georgia, Texas, and even our home state of Virginia.

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Essay work is full steam ahead here in our office! We noticed a definite lag in schools releasing their essay prompts after the Supreme Court decision, but many of our students have been able to get a great head start on their supplemental essay work anyway.

So many, in fact, that I used my time out of the office last week to catch up on essay edits! I thought this was a funny picture - I was on a boat from Cannes to St. Tropez and hot-spotting in :) Every hour counts, right? I have mostly graduated from direct essay work with our students, but I still provide extra levels of review on every single essay they produce with our team (at no extra charge!). If you’re thinking “wow, she must review a TON of essays” - you’re not wrong. I do. But the perfectionist in me needs to do it or I can’t sleep at night!

I’m sad to say that my essay edits are now taking place in a much less exciting environment, as I’m back in the office! We’re gearing up for the Common AppⓇ release next Tuesday - we’ll be working hard to make sure that all of our clients have an updated, comprehensive guide to completing the 2023-2024 application during the week of its release!

Have a great week!

Meet Rose!

We are so excited to introduce you to our newest essay coach, Rose! Once again, she’s already been on the job a little while, but we’re excited to finally introduce her to those of you who haven’t had the benefit of working with her yet!

Rose is pursuing her graduate work at the University of Maryland, and started with DCCC last spring after working as a college adviser herself for several years. We are thrilled to have her on board!

Hello! I’m Rose, one of the essay coaches at DC College Counseling. As someone who loves writing and is passionate about working with students, I am excited to get to know you and be a part of your college application process! 

I’m currently an English Literature graduate student at the University of Maryland, College Park. After finishing a year-long honors thesis, I graduated from Davidson College (home of Steph Curry) with an English major and history minor. I then began my professional career working as a college adviser, helping high school students take the next step towards their postsecondary goals. 

I’ve recently worked as a TA for a journalism grammar class at UMD and as an editorial assistant for Restoration, an academic journal that looks at seventeenth-century literary culture. Working as an essay coach at DC College Counseling has allowed me to combine my passion for writing and love of working with high school students. I hope to see you in a meeting soon!

To learn more about Rose, we thought it would be fun to have her answer some of our favorite supplemental essay prompts and short questions from previous admissions’ cycles.

We’re interested in learning about some of the ways that you explore your interests. List some resources and outlets that you enjoy, including but not limited to websites, publications,  journals, podcasts, social media accounts, lectures, museums, movies, music, or other content with which you regularly engage. (Columbia University)

Big surprise, I love to read! One of my favorite things about summer is that I have more time to read books for fun since I’m not reading for my classes. I track the books I read with an app called Storygraph, which gives you detailed data in the form of charts that categorize your reading trends. So far this year my top categories are memoir and contemporary fiction with reflective, funny, and challenging moods. Moving my body is also important to me, so I love doing yoga and walking around D.C. to explore the incredible museum culture, restaurants, and events. My favorite activity recently was the Smithsonian Solstice Saturday, with late-night music and exhibits. The next stops on my list are the Old Post Office Pavilion and an outdoor movie!

What historical moment or event do you wish you could have witnessed? (Stanford University)  

I wish I could have witnessed the first photograph being taken. It would have been fascinating to watch people’s reactions when it was developed.

What’s your favorite word and why? (UVA)

My favorite word is “interesting” - it can have so many meanings and is also a valuable starter word that can help you get your thoughts on the page. I had a professor who banned us from using the word in her classroom because it was overused and she thought it prevented us from communicating a fuller meaning. Instead, we had to come up with synonyms. Once you start to think about what you really mean when you say “interesting,” you have to be specific and expand your vocabulary. Do you mean provocative, astonishing, relevant, ironic, disturbing, alluring? Interesting!

Dream trip… (USC)

One of my close friends from college lives in Hong Kong and I hope to visit her soon and see Asia for the first time.

Which Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor (real or imagined) best describes you? (University of Vermont)

Chunky monkey! Banana Ice Cream with Chocolatey Chunks and Walnuts: a nostalgic flavor with sweet chocolate chunks and some tougher, crunchy bits in a creamy banana ice cream.

In keeping with Rice’s long-standing tradition, please share an image of something that appeals to you. (Rice University)

Afternoon light in the windows of the Sagrada Familia, taken on my recent trip to Barcelona.

want to book a meeting with Rose?

You can schedule an essay coaching session with Rose here.

Get to know the rest of our essay coaching team!

Meet Ian

Meet Stephanie

Meet Staci

Weekly Update: July 17

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

WAKE FOREST DOES AWAY WITH INSTITUTIONAL APPLICATION

Students will no longer be able to apply to Wake Forest using the school’s own institutional application - this cycle, Wake will offer only two application options: Common or Coalition/SCOIR. This is particularly important for students who want to take advantage of Wake’s rolling ED application. The rolling admissions process makes it possible for a student to apply ED to Wake in August or September and, if they receive a deny decision, apply ED I to another school before the November deadline. 

However, the Common ApplicationⓇ only allows students to apply ED I to a single school and will block any subsequent ED I applications, even if the student hears back from the first school early. As a result, students wishing to apply rolling ED to Wake should do so using the Coalition/SCOIR application, so that they can apply ED I to another school, if need be, through the Common AppⓇ. 

HOUSE COMMITTEE INVESTIGATES UC BERKELEY PROGRAM

The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party is expressing concerns about national security risks posed by UC Berkeley’s Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, a collaboration with China’s Tsinghua University. The Committee is questioning whether Berkeley has properly disclosed Chinese funding for the Institute, as well as whether the Institute gives China access to U.S. military technology. Berkeley has said it will cooperate with the inquiry. 

UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE FACES $8 MILLION FINE

The NCAA is fining the University of Tennessee eight million dollars following an investigation into recruiting violations. Tennessee football also faces five years probation. The number means that Tennessee will lose a total of 28 scholarships for athletes. The university has already self-imposed a loss of 18 scholarships, and will need to hold back 10 additional scholarships over the next several years. 

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE CHALLENGES TEXAS TIKTOK BAN

A lawsuit filed last week by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University supports a coalition of faculty from Texas public universities, who argue that the state’s TikTok ban prevents them from using the platform to teach or conduct research. Texas is one of several public state university systems to ban TikTok on school-owned devices or networks. The lawsuit asks that faculty be exempted from the ban, so that they can use TikTok for research and teaching.     

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

Jeff Selingo’s Next newsletter last week covered some of the biggest things we are watching in the wake of the Supreme Court’s affirmative action decision. We were particularly interested in Jeff’s discussion of when college admissions officers will know about the racial and ethnic makeup of the incoming class. Will they only be able to see the data after students commit in May, or will they have the ability to look before students submit their deposits? 

While race cannot be used as a factor in admissions, if deans know the makeup of their class before deposit deadlines, race may play a major role in recruitment. If race is a factor in yield, we may see it impact financial aid packages, visits, and other outreach that contributes to how colleges increase their yield. 

A fact that won’t be surprising to most parents: college is getting more expensive. Average tuition at private colleges is $40,000, and goes down to $10,500 as an average for state colleges. But for highly selective colleges, those numbers are much higher. This article digs into some of the reasons why a college like Harvard has a final cost - including tuition, fees, housing, books, and cost of living - of $95,438 per year. Causes include the salaries of faculty. The main business of colleges, after all, is teaching - which is something that has not (yet) been outsourced to advances in AI or other tech. Plus, wealthy families are able and willing to pay more in tuition for nicer dorms, better food, and prettier campuses. And state subsidies are dropping - 37 states decreased the amount they spend on public education between 2020 and 2021. 

But there is a silver lining: while the sticker price of college has gone up, the amount that the average student actually pays for college is going down. Adjusting for inflation, students and families pay 11% less on net for college than they did five years ago. 

This article explores the impact that “ALDC” admissions has on the college admissions landscape, and how it may change in light of the Supreme Court decision. ALDC stands for athletes, legacies, children of donors, and children of faculty and staff - a population that makes up about 5% of Harvard applicants, but 30% of admitted students. This example is not unique amongst highly selective colleges, and the likely outcome from ALDC admissions is a whiter student body - something that may not be possible for colleges to maintain after the affirmative action decision. 

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

Wondering how to fill that “Honors” section on the Common AppⓇ? Looking for some more activities this year? Check out some of these contests and other opportunities:

Library of Congress Friends’ Choice Video Game Challenge - Create video games that “improve public knowledge of civics” and win up to $20,000! This contest is open until November 27. 

Virginia’s Soil & Water Conservation Districts Photo Contest - Submit up to 10 photos showing what conservation looks like by August 1 and win in one of three categories, including Young Photographer for photographers under age 18. 

Northern Virginia Soil & Water Conservation Poster Contest - Design a poster focusing on the theme of watersheds and “One Water” and submit by September 30. Winners will be forwarded to the state competition. 

Fairfax Food Council Youth Representatives - Rising juniors who live and attend school in Fairfax County, Fairfax City, and Falls Church are eligible to apply, and should do so by September 15. 

National Environmental Youth Advisory Council - If you are over 16 and interested in environmental science or other related issues, this is a great position. Apply by August 22, and don’t forget to check out their info session on August 7. 

If you are a current client interested in any of the above positions, let us know - we are happy to help with your application!

Unique Freedoms on College Campuses

Happy (belated) 4th of July! As we celebrated our country’s independence last week, we thought it would be fun to honor “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”-- college-style, of course! So today we’re sharing some unique freedoms on college campuses, from self-scheduled final exams to make-your-own-majors to tuition-free schools. 

HONOR CODES

An honor code is a set of standards and values that a school outlines for its students regarding academic integrity, ethical conduct, and behavior. Although it might just sound like a fancy label for another set of rules and restrictions, honor codes can actually offer students a surprising number of freedoms. 

At Davidson College, for example, students have the flexibility to self-schedule their final exams–and no, the professors don’t watch them take the test. Randolph-Macon College takes a similar approach to final exams, allowing undergrads to choose the time, day, and even room to complete their tests. And as part of their honor code, students have another unique liberty: freedom from “telling on” someone else. Instead of reporting an honor code violation, students are encouraged to ask the person to report themselves. 

But with great honor code freedom comes great responsibility. Haverford College has one of the few student-run honor codes, which is overseen by its Honor Council. This group of 16 students works to resolve honor code violations and maintains the spirit and integrity of the code. It’s a big job, but the Honor Council gives students the freedom to shape the campus culture and address problems fairly.

Design your own major 

Forget having to pick from a list of approved majors! Some schools give students the freedom to design their own course of study. In Indiana University’s Individualized Major Program (IMP), undergraduates work with a faculty sponsor to design a multidisciplinary major and a personalized curriculum. IMP students can’t escape the university’s general education requirements, though!  

Similarly, James Madison University’s Independent Scholars Program seeks students whose interests break the typical curricular boundaries. Participants develop an area of inquiry and plan a course of study which is grounded in experiential learning. Independent research or a creative project is a must! 

New York University is so committed to freedom of study that it dedicated an entire school to personalized majors. Gallatin School of Individualized Study emphasizes self-direction for mature students who want to build their own majors. The school also takes into account that designing a unique course of study can be challenging–and sometimes lonely. Therefore, Gallatin students are assigned two advisors. One acts as an “intellectual mentor” while the other oversees a small cohort of students and takes charge of community-building.

Grades

It’s not an urban myth! There actually are colleges and universities that don’t assign grades–well, at least not in the traditional way. Rather than relying on simple letters to measure student performance, professors at Sarah Lawrence College take a three-step approach to assessing undergrads. Critical ability assessments and narrative evaluations give faculty more freedom and flexibility to explain a student’s overall progress and performance. Plus, students are free from having to guess why they got that B+ instead of an A-. The thorough assessments and evaluations explain everything that the letter grade can’t.

While Sarah Lawrence students still see letter grades on their transcripts, that’s not the case at Brown University. Students here can choose to earn a letter grade for a particular class or a satisfactory/no credit designation. It’s up to the individual at the time of course registration, and if they change their minds later, they have the first month of the semester to switch their grading option. So with the freedom to choose letter grades or not, how does Brown calculate GPAs? Simple, they don’t! 

Students at Bennington College can also opt for letter grades, BUT only if they specifically request them during the semester. Otherwise, transcripts are composed solely of narrative evaluations, which are meant to foster a culture of conversation between students and faculty. 

Tuition

Let’s face it. High tuition costs and decades of loan repayments can be a huge burden for students. However, there are some colleges that have managed to free students of any financial worry. They have found creative ways for students to exchange tuition payments for good old-fashioned hard work. 

College of the Ozarks covers tuition costs, provided that students demonstrate need and agree to work on campus. Students at Warren Wilson College also work in exchange for tuition, with emphasis on learning a craft and gaining valuable skill sets for the professional world.

At Deep Springs College, located on a cattle ranch in California, all accepted students receive a full scholarship, including room and board. In return, undergrads are expected to work on the cattle ranch and contribute to the life of the school. The student body even helps make important decisions about admissions and faculty hires. 

scheduling

Thanks to a reimagining of the traditional semester calendar, some schools are able to offer undergraduates more freedom and flexibility in their schedules.

At Bates College, undergraduates spend the month of May taking a short course. These are immersive classes that take students off campus and into the field. Last spring, undergrads were analyzing earthquakes in California, studying theater in central Europe, and researching healthcare systems in South America. 

Undergrads at Colby College have the freedom to make dreary January much more exciting thanks to Jan Plan. This month-long block allows students to choose from an array of internships, research opportunities, and unconventional classes. For example, this past January, students had the option to earn their EMT licenses, learn the art of blacksmithing, study tropical plants in Costa Rica, and more! 

And finally, one of the most famous schools for scheduling freedom is Dartmouth College. Their D-Plan allows students to design their very own academic calendars. How exactly does that work? Well, the college distinguishes between residency terms, those where students study on campus, and leave terms, in which students intern or undertake research projects. Of course there are some guidelines to help students organize their calendars, but the D-Plan ultimately opens up a lot of possibilities that wouldn’t be available within a traditional semester schedule.

Did any of these special freedoms pique your interest? If you’d like to do some more research on any of the schools mentioned, here are some our favorite online resources:

• You can find virtual tours on the school's websites or at youvisit.com. The virtual information sessions will almost always be on the individual school websites. 

• Create a free account on the Princeton Review website at review.com and read their write-ups on various colleges. I particularly like the "See what students say" perspectives and the “Rankings & Lists” sections.

• More great resources for college profiles are the reviews at unigo.com (I like the "Most-Answered Questions" part), and the "report cards" at niche.com.

Weekly Update: July 10

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY BANS TIKTOK

Clemson University announced today that students will no longer be able to access TikTok through the campus network. Students, faculty, and staff can still access TikTok on personal devices using their cell networks, but the app will not be accessible on campus Wi-Fi. The university says the decision was made in order to maintain campus security.

FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY PAUSES PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH

On Friday, Florida Atlantic University’s Board of Trustees received a letter from the Florida State University System Board of Governors, alleging that there were anomalies in the university’s presidential search. The university argues that the anomalies were a result of a questionnaire sent out by an independent search firm, AGB Search, and were not authorized by the university. Anomalies in the questionnaire included asking a male candidate if his sexual orientation was “queer” and whether he was a “male or transgendered male.” The university is cooperating with the Board of Governors’ investigation.

LSU MAKES HISTORY IN MLB DRAFT

The MLB draft began Sunday night, and LSU made history when its players went numbers one and two overall, the first time two college teammates have been selected for the top slots back-to-back. LSU also had four draft picks total on Sunday, the most of any team in the first night. The big wins in the draft come on the heels of LSU’s national championship win last month.

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

We’ve been anticipating the effect of the recent Supreme Court case on legacy admissions since long before the decision was handed down, and we’re starting to see the impact play out. Last week, a legal activist group filed a complaint against Harvard University, arguing that the school’s legacy admissions preference discriminates against Black, Latinx, and Asian students. This interesting opinion piece from a Princeton professor argues that in fact, the presence of legacy students at elite colleges benefits underprivileged students, because they can network with students that have more “cultural capital” and useful connections.

Another group with a clear admissions advantage? Recruited athletes. This opinion piece argues that it is athletic preference, not legacy admissions, that should be the first practice to go in an effort to make admissions more fair. Over 1,000 Harvard students, for example, are recruited athletes, and they receive significantly more preference in the admissions process than even legacy students. The author, who was a recruited athlete at Princeton, argues that the number of athletic recruiting slots a school offers is a “de facto quota,” which goes against the decision by the Supreme Court. We will have to see whether legacy admissions, athletic recruitment, or any other aspects of the admissions process change in the next few months and years after the decision.

For students looking for less selective schools that have great name recognition and on-campus recruitment opportunities, public state flagships are a great option! This article lists the state universities with acceptance rates over 50%, and features well-regarded schools like the University of Alabama, Penn State, and Virginia Tech. While it is important to take the acceptance rates at state schools with a grain of salt, as they are often much lower for out-of-state students than for those applying in-state (or vice versa, depending on the state!). I would not include Virginia Tech as a less selective option for Virginia residents, unfortunately, But this list could be a great starting point for students who are beginning to build their college lists!

And for college students heading off to school in the fall and looking for tips, check out Forbes’ top five financial tips for college kids to follow. This summer is a great time to start building credit, creating a budget, and getting familiar with the perks offered to you as a college student, which can range from free museum or movie tickets to free public transit in your college town to discounts at local businesses. I will add my own tip here: return your library books, and when you get a letter in the mail about library fines, DO NOT ignore it. In one sense, it’s kind of funny that the biggest mistake I made in college was failing to return library books, but the consequences were a lot less funny. The library reported me to the credit bureaus, it impacted my credit score, and when I bought my first home in my early 20s, I had to pay a higher mortgage interest rate as a result. I was never so happy to see that fall off my credit report!

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

If you didn’t catch my FAQ on the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, posted at the end of last week, check that out here.

Speaking of the Supreme Court decision, I think that it is impacting some of the timing around supplemental essay prompt releases for the current admissions cycle. Schools which have had the same essay prompts for years have now indicated that they are considering making changes as a result of the ruling - because of increased dependence on essays. And from other schools that have always released prompts by this point in the cycle, we’re just hearing crickets…

If you want to know which schools have released prompts already, we keep a running pre-8/1 list here: 2023-2024 Supplemental Essay Prompts. As a reminder, our goal is to help our students complete as many essays as possible before August. This gives them plenty of time to get a lot of it out of the way before the school year starts, so they can focus on their classes (and enjoying senior year) in the fall!

Have a great week!