The paradox of the overzealous editing of the college essay by many helicopter parents is that they don’t know what a college essay is really about.
Stop Asking About My Kid’s College Plans
Everywhere I go, people want to talk about one thing: college.
Hey Students, Applying For College Aid Is Easier! (But Still Hard) - NPR
When the Obama administration announced "an easier, earlier FAFSA" last year, prospective college students (and their parents) cheered. And it is both. So why do many students still have trouble finishing the FAFSA?
Investor's Guide To College Admissions: 10 Undervalued 'Buys'
In many respects, college admission is a classic case of momentum investing. Everyone chases the same schools, which become harder to get into and more expensive each year. But why not consider “hot colleges in the making” under innovative management?
Advice College Admissions Officers Give Their Own Kids (NY Times)
Admissions officers tell their own children that high school is far more than just a pathway to college — it’s a time for maturation, self-discovery, learning and fun. They encourage their teens to embrace activities and courses that reflect who they genuinely are, not who they think colleges want them to be. The NYTimes interviewed admissions officers, who all emphasized the importance of their child finding a college that fits, not the other way around; here is their advice.
What Does a Private College Counselor Do: College Admissions 101 (HuffPost)
“Applying for college is not what it used to be. It is insanely more competitive these days and if you can afford the help of a professional, get it” according to parent quoted in an Atlantic article. College admissions has become a hyper-competitive and important part of a student’s educational journey. As colleges routinely receive thousands of applications and students are applying to more and more colleges each year, admissions has become a sophisticated and confusing process, especially for parents who are unfamiliar with the US educational system and just want the best for their children.
Uncertainty, Unpredictability, Chaos (Slate)
Next year will be confusing for students, families, and most colleges in the admissions process.
How to Survive the College Admissions Madness (NY Times)
For too many parents and their children, acceptance by an elite institution isn’t just another challenge, just another goal. A yes or no from Amherst or the University of Virginia or the University of Chicago is seen as the conclusive measure of a young person’s worth, an uncontestable harbinger of the accomplishments or disappointments to come. Winner or loser: This is when the judgment is made. This is the great, brutal culling. What madness. And what nonsense.
Silicon Valley’s College-Consultant Industry (the Atlantic)
For a price, these services help high-school students find summer internships, refine their essays, and prepare for the application process. But is it worth all the effort and stress?
The New Faces of College Admissions (NY Times)
Colleges have long sought parents’ help with job placement and networking. But now many small and medium private colleges and some large public universities (West Virginia University, University of Pittsburgh) call on parents of enrolled students to volunteer with the admissions office. They promote the school at fairs, share their experiences on parent-to-parent panels, reach out to local parents and even conduct admissions interviews.