Essays
Do Your Research
We can’t tell you how many times kids report to us that they want to go to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, etc… but when we ask them why, they have no good reason. Colleges want to know WHY you are applying — are you impressed by their world-famous chemistry program? The well-known English department? The art history department with a specialty in Renaissance art? Often times students with particular interests do themselves a great disservice by not bothering to check if the schools on their list match their own academic interest. For example, if you like ancient languages you’d want to apply to a school that at least offered classes in Latin, Greek, Aramaic, Sanskrit and the like. [Read more]
Plan Ahead for Summer!
It’s hard to turn our thoughts to summer when winter is just kicking into gear.
But, we encourage students to take some time before the Christmas break to begin researching their summer plans. Many of the top summer programs at colleges and private schools fill up well ahead of the spring deadlines.
Top Tips for Strong College Essays
By: Josh Stephens
1. Be honest.
Students often assume that admissions office “want” a certain kind of essay, perhaps about an exotic trip or profound community service experience. But essays like those often come off as melodramatic and even insincere. Don’t make an experience sound more profound than it really was. Admissions officers have heard every story – from the trivial to the grandiose – and the subject matter almost never matters. What matters is candor, reflection, and honesty – all of which they can perceive from a mile away.
Congratulations Everyone!
Michele’s students had record breaking acceptances in the early round of college admissions results for the Class of 2014.
Learn More...
Ivy League Admissions Statistics
Our exclusive data on the Class of 2014 Ivy League Admissions statistics, now updated for Early Action and Early Admissions for the class entering 2010. See exactly how many students applied and how many were accepted to different schools.
Learn More...
Michele Talks About College Admissions on Good Morning America
View Michele's appearance on Good Morning America with George Stephanopolous and read the ABC News article, Battle College Acceptance Anxiety With These Tips, that features advice from Michele.
View all television interviews or learn more about Michele's appearances in the media.
Blog Topics
Find college application and testing help by browsing our stories by topic:
- Academic Index
- ACT
- College Application Secrets
- Colleges
- Essays
- Home Page Items
- Insider Tips
- Ivy Admissions
- SAT
- Standardized Testing
Academic Index Calculator
Since the 1950's, Ivy League schools have used the Academic Index, a ranking formula, to evaluate students. Find out how you rank according to the Academic Index.
Learn More...
Become an Affiliate
You can become an affiliate and sell our Application Boot Camp® products and services.
Learn More...