Application Avoidance

Application avoidance is something I run into constantly. Don't get me wrong. I have some students who are proactive about working with me. When I was a teacher, we called them students who advocate for themselves. They request video conference meetings. They write...

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The Lure of Merit Aid

Note: It's the busy season at Curtis Hier & Associates, as it is at every college consultant agency. It's college application season!  So blog posts will be sparse for a few months. Our followers can stay connected with us on social media. Education author Jeff...

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Common App Advice for Seniors

Well, the Common App dropped on August 1. A million students and some 900 colleges will be using it again this year. Every August 1 it becomes available. Colleges are welcome to change their requirements. For instance, they may alter their supplemental essay prompts....

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Stop the Essay Insanity!

I’ve been busy during these past few months helping my students draw up college lists. One of the most important considerations on my part is what a particular school’s supplemental essay requirements are. Our college admissions system is broken. The Common...

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The Story Behind Middlebury’s Famous Cane

What makes for a great college fit? There are many intangibles. One such intangible is tradition. I love tradition. And Middlebury College is steeped in tradition. One such tradition has only been observed since it was re-established in 1995, but it commemorates the...

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Your Plan B, C, and D for College Admissions

You’re about to get your admission decisions. You should have had a Plan B going into the application season. But you might need a Plan C or even a Plan D. Maybe you’ve been waitlisted or flat rejected at your reach and target schools. Maybe you didn’t even get into...

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Seven Things You Can Be Doing While Waiting for a Decision

Finally, you’ve gotten your college application into all the schools you want to. Congratulations! That was no small feat. So, now what?  Here are some suggestions for passing the time until you receive your responses.  1. Thank your recommenders. An email is better...

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SAT Preparation Without Going Broke

There are several SAT preparation options. Kaplan is for rich kids. Princeton Review is for Ivy-bound scholars. Khan Academy is for poor kids (it’s free). But there are other options for SAT prep. Nothing beats live, individual tutoring. Kaplan will charge you $700...

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Sorting Out Education Consultants

Education consultants are everywhere on the Internet these days. Remote meetings have made it easier to set up a practice, but the profession has become a lot more competitive. The admissions process has become more complicated in recent years and more competitive at...

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