Collegewise

You’re doing business even before the transaction happens

Kevin McMullin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 02:05:00 -0800

I want to rent a house for a vacation this spring, and I found what looks to be a perfect one on a vacation rental site. It said to contact the owner for availability, so I sent him an email....

Two college planning principles for parents

Kevin McMullin — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:37:29 -0800

Almost all the advice I give to our Collegewise parents about navigating the college admissions process with their kids falls under one of these two principles: 1. Remember that you aren’t applying to college—your kid is. Some parents respond to...

Work hard to be missed

Kevin McMullin — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 08:42:45 -0800

Which is more important—to be the scoring leader on the basketball team or to be the kind of player your teammates and coaches will miss when you graduate? Of course, it’s great if you can be both. But if given...

When email is your introduction

Kevin McMullin — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:14:00 -0800

I got an angry note once from someone who’d applied for a job as editor at Collegewise and was “shocked and dismayed” that we hadn’t invited her to interview. There were several reasons we’d passed on her, and one of...

Three mistakes college applicants must avoid this month

Kevin McMullin — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:03:00 -0800

Seniors, while you’re awaiting the last of the decisions to arrive from your colleges, don’t make any of these common mistakes: 1. Neglect to send a midyear report to a college that requires one. 2. Forget to send your required...

Do you really have until May 1 to decide?

Kevin McMullin — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:04:00 -0800

Students accepted for fall admission are supposed to have until May 1 to decide between the colleges that accepted them (unless you were admitted under a binding early decision program). And yet some colleges seem to imply in their acceptance...

Send a good message by taking notes

Kevin McMullin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:18:00 -0800

Taking notes in class isn’t just good common study sense. It also demonstrates that you’re bringing some effort of your own to this exchange. It shows that you’re paying attention and that you care about what your teacher has to...

What’s your academic story?

Kevin McMullin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:15:00 -0800

Here are three things colleges don’t need to read about in a letter of recommendation from your teacher: 1. The grade you earned in the class. It’s helpful for a college to learn about your level of achievement relative to...

Don't renew your vows

Kevin McMullin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:14:02 -0800

If you’re planning college visits this spring, here’s a tip—don’t visit your dream schools. A lot of students make collegiate pilgrimages to visit their dream schools, which all too often are those schools most likely to reject them. Then they...

No FAFSA regrets

Kevin McMullin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:31:24 -0800

It’s hard to imagine a worse college admissions regret than wishing you’d taken the time to apply for financial aid, especially if that regret comes in the face of not being able to afford your chosen college. Don’t make excuses....

Write it down

Kevin McMullin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:21:00 -0800

I’ve written before that when you’re applying to college, it’s important to share the stories behind what you’ve done in high school. A college isn’t as interested in your list of activities as they are in what you actually did--how...

Juking the stats

Kevin McMullin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:01:00 -0800

You show me anything that depicts institutional progress in America, school test scores, crime stats, arrest reports, arrest stats, anything that a politician can run on, anything that somebody can get a promotion on. And as soon as you invent...

Former Collegewise students: Join our Wall of Fame

Kevin McMullin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:09:00 -0800

We’re going to be dedicating a wall in our Irvine, CA office to pictures and stories from our former students. We may also be putting these same pics and tales on a special page of collegewise.com. Whether you’re in college...

Ship it...or cancel it

Kevin McMullin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:19:14 -0800

January-April is our slower time at Collegewise. Every year, this is when we tackle our projects—new ideas, improvements to our programs, updates to our materials, all the things we thought about during the fall but just didn’t have time to...

What UPS delivery drivers know about focus

Kevin McMullin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:17:00 -0800

A UPS delivery driver’s day is done as soon as the truck is empty—never before. That’s why they always seem to be hustling, and you never see their drivers hanging out together on an extended coffee break in the middle...