Collegewise

No excuses

Kevin McMullin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

I worked with a student who once lamented to me that the police in his neighborhood were so "bored" that they'd given him three speeding tickets in one month. What? You're blaming the police? Then his parents told me, "Can...

Moving the goalposts

Kevin McMullin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Exclusivity breeds popularity. The more exclusive the night club, the more we wish we could get inside (and the longer the lines outside will grow). The popular kids in high school aren't necessarily the nicest or the smartest--it's the air...

Can you teach it back?

Kevin McMullin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

The best way to learn something is to get to a point where you could teach it to someone else. When the University of California first announced their new eligibility requirements, I was asked to explain them to a group...

Don't be a title collector

Kevin McMullin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

In their efforts to impress colleges, a lot of students become title collectors. They're driven to accomplish things so they can list them on their resumes. And when they apply to college, they can't wait to rattle off their list...

How to write a thank-you note

Kevin McMullin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

There are two ways to write a thank-you note. One is to get it over with, to say the basics, keep it short, and send a quick email (capitalization optional). Those notes sound like this. Dear Mr. Gerard: Thank you...

Who needs a champion?

Kevin McMullin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

In my life before Collegewise, I worked for a local office of The Princeton Review, best known as an SAT prep company. But they prepare students for other exams, too, and for a two year stretch that immediately preceded my...

How to handle college rejections

Kevin McMullin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

This is the month when the majority of college decisions arrive home. And while there will be a lot of happy squealing and celebrating by the mailbox, it can also be a disheartening time for students when a college for...

This is how it's done

Kevin McMullin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

I admit it--I've got a collegiate crush on the College of Wooster. I've written about them before and this probably won't be the last time. But for now, I'll hold off on my praise for Wooster and instead praise a...

Advice from students who have been through it

Kevin McMullin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Parents often lament to us that their kids won't listen to them about college. I always remind those parents that in just a few years, your kids will realize just how right you were about almost everything. Until that time,...

What happens next?

Kevin McMullin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

A Collegewise father once called me and told me, "Kevin, you won't believe this. Lauren (his daughter) just called me and said, 'Dad, I'm graduating from college in two months. So, what happens next?'" He had a reply that would...

Pronoun guidelines for parents

Kevin McMullin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

I received an email from a parent last week asking about how to find volunteer opportunities for her son. Here's an excerpt: "I was thinking about volunteering him at a hospital or maybe at a local soup kitchen." It's coming...

Treat rejections like break-ups

Kevin McMullin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800

When someone breaks up with you, you have two options. 1. You can enter an extended period of mourning. You can blame yourself and say you weren't pretty enough or smart enough or fun enough. You can wallow, shun other...

What's your story?

Kevin McMullin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800

I was meeting with a Collegewise family once when the student revealed that his now bald father had an afro back in college. The dad held his hands six inches from his head and said, "It was out to here."...

Burgers and shakes for the parent's soul

Kevin McMullin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800

To really experience college, I think you need to pull at least one all-nighter. I look back at my college life and marvel at the things I could do back then, like play intramural basketball at midnight, live on pasta...

Going for the gold...and a college diploma

MargotF — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:13:26 -0800

If you’re anything like me, you’ve been glued to your television every night for the past two weeks. I cannot get enough of the Winter Olympics, and I like to think I’ve become a bit of an aficionado (although my...