A shake-up in elite college admissions

Posted on June 25, 2018 by Valerie Deutsch

Big news from the University of Chicago! The University will no longer require the ACT or SAT scores from U.S. students… “sending a jolt through elite institutions of higher education as it becomes the first top-10 research university to join the test-optional movement.” Let’s hope it’s the start of a trend!

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Advice for parents

Posted on June 25, 2018 by Valerie Deutsch

This article offers great tips for parents when working with a child through the college admissions process. ”While you may be well-meaning, you may be unintentionally inspiring some negative backlash. Each of these behaviors can usually be reined in by asking yourself, ‘Why am I doing this?’ and finding an answer for yourself.”

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Still trying to map out your summer?

Posted on June 25, 2018 by Valerie Deutsch

Consider getting a job! Waiting tables, scooping ice cream, or working retail all require the employee to show up on time, be a team member, have a positive work ethic, be service-oriented, learn how to take constructive feedback, manage a paycheck, and learn what it means to work for a wage. All of these skills will serve a student well in college and beyond. Read on!

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College admissions: Let’s cut the stress!

Posted on May 1, 2018 by Valerie Deutsch

“As a parent who is one year out from my son’s college admissions process, I offer these insights. First, do not encourage the concept of a “first choice” school. My son applied to six schools, any of which he would have been happy to attend. When he got into three of the six, there was no angst about not getting into a “first choice,” just an evaluation of what would be the best fit for his goals.

Second, ditch the obsession with name-brand East Coast schools…I work with successful people who have attended an incredible gamut of universities. They are where they are because of passion and persistence, not where they went to school.”

Read on!

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How to work with a college counselor

Posted on May 1, 2018 by Valerie Deutsch

Whether you’re interacting with your high school counselor or your independent counselor during the college admissions process, follow these six guidelines to build an effective student-counselor relationship.

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Drumroll…Class of 2018!

Posted on April 30, 2018 by Valerie Deutsch

Congratulations to College Advisory’s hard-working Class of 2018! Students will be attending American University School of International Service, Bennington College, Chapman University, Macalester College, Oregon State University, UC Berkeley, UCLA (Regents Scholar), UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television, University of Colorado Boulder’s Arts & Sciences Honors Program, Engineering Honors Program & Leeds School of Business, University of Denver (following a gap year), Weber Honors College at San Diego State University, and Wesleyan University.

In addition to need-based financial aid, students were offered institutional merit scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $29,000 per year.

College Advisory’s seniors who graduated from high school in 2012 through 2018 have been admitted to following colleges and universities. What I hope is apparent is the range of options that College Advisory’s students have and the diversity of interests and strengths they possess.

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How to find a college you’ll love

Posted on April 18, 2018 by Valerie Deutsch

This article highlights important factors for students and their parents to consider when selecting a college. For example, “…even if students are sure of their major, the school they choose should offer a balanced menu of academic programs. A little more than half of college freshmen say there is ‘very little’ to ‘no chance’ that they will change their major, according to an annual nationwide survey of first-year students conducted by the University of California at Los Angeles. But among those students, 47 percent actually end up pursuing a different major by the end of their first year of college.”

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The inside scoop on summer programs

Posted on April 18, 2018 by Valerie Deutsch

This discussion with the University of Pennsylvania’s Dean of Admissions explores the value of summer programs at selective colleges. Summer programs are a great vehicle for helping students explore an academic interest. But they’re no magic bullet when it comes to admissions. “The admissions office on a campus is separate from the summer-program office. The myth out there is that if you attend a particular summer program at a school, then you have a leg up for the admission to that institution. That’s a myth.”

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What happens in the admissions office?

Posted on April 18, 2018 by Valerie Deutsch

This article is a reality check for students who aspire to attend highly selective colleges: Former admissions officers share some of the things they wish college applicants knew about the admissions process.

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Selective admissions: no magic formula

Posted on November 2, 2017 by Valerie Deutsch

From Eric Hoover, a reporter with over a decade covering admissions for The Chronicle of Higher Education, ten key takeaways for figuring out what selective colleges are really looking for in applicants.

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