Collegewise

Putting college interviews in perspective

Kevin McMullin — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 02:16:00 -0800

The first step to having a great college interview is to relax. And the best way to do that is to recognize that the interview is the least important part of the process. Interviews aren’t unimportant; you’re sitting face-to-face with...

Rejection just means redirecting

Kevin McMullin — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 02:05:00 -0800

Last year, I wrote about an idea Arun and I had to present our college essay workshop at the big annual NACAC conference with two particular admissions officers we really like and respect. We got them on board and polished...

How is college life going?

Kevin McMullin — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:09:00 -0800

It’s that time of year when our Collegewise counselors email their former students who are now in college to find out how things are going. We ask them to tell us about their college lives, what they’re up to, and...

Five guaranteed college admissions strategies

Kevin McMullin — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:19:00 -0800

There are no magic formulas that will guarantee your admission to the school of your choice. But there are things you can do that will always make you more competitive. Here are five college admissions strategies that will make you...

Don’t run your club like a big business

Kevin McMullin — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:02:00 -0800

A lot of high school clubs and organizations run like big businesses—everyone goes to meetings, a few key people actually make decisions, a few other people actually do the work (it’s not always the same people who make the decisions)...

For counselors: How to get students and parents to read what you email

Kevin McMullin — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:15:00 -0800

I send a monthly “Collegewise Parent Email Newsletter” to families in our program who ask to receive it. And our counselors occasionally send group emails to all of their students with important reminders, especially when it wouldn’t make sense to...

Which semester is the most important?

Kevin McMullin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 02:13:00 -0800

Want to know which semester of high school is the most important? This semester—that’s the most important one. Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, in the fall or in the spring, the current semester is always the most important...

How many cups of coffee a day can you sell?

Kevin McMullin — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 02:10:00 -0800

There’s a 7 Eleven in Long Island that sells a company record of over 2500 cups of coffee a day. Their secret is a cashier named Dolores who’s been there 18 years and greets all of her customers by name....

Fatherhood vs. the SAT

Kevin McMullin — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 02:13:00 -0800

I learned today that a student I counseled through the college admissions process back in 2001 is now married—he and his wife are expecting their first child. Back in high school, he was one of those good students who worried...

There are good practices, but no maps

Kevin McMullin — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:13:00 -0800

A lot of students are looking for a roadmap, a step-by-step plan that will get you into the college of your choice. But that’s like looking for instructions telling you exactly what to do to have a great marriage. There...

What about saving for college?

Kevin McMullin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 02:22:00 -0800

The most important college financial planning strategy a family can employ is to save as much as possible. The more cash you have on hand, the less you’ll have to rely on financial aid, the less you’re likely to have...

If you want to make sure you get a job after college…

Kevin McMullin — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:20:00 -0800

In today’s economy, a lot of families are understandably worried about students’ job prospects after college. I constantly see articles online about the majors with the best job placement and highest starting salary (guess what—none of them seem to agree)....

Which tests to take and when to take them

Kevin McMullin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:13:00 -0800

My friend Paul Kanarek at The Princeton Review just wrote a piece to help students decide which standardized tests to take and when to take them. As is typically the case with anything Paul writes: 1) It's excellent. 2) I...

How to train people to listen to you

Kevin McMullin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 02:02:00 -0800

When I was a freshman in college at my first official fraternity meeting, one of the older guys (who’s now a pediatrician), said to me: “Kevin, I want you to notice something. There are some guys here who always have...

Why Harvard is like the Boston Marathon

Kevin McMullin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 02:21:00 -0800

Every marathon is exactly the same distance—26.2 miles. And yet many hard core marathoners covet the Boston Marathon more than any other. It’s not because Boston’s is notably prettier, more fun, more challenging, or otherwise better than New York’s or...