How Executive Function Skills Promote Childhood Friendship
It is commonly believed that friendships rely on shared interests or compatible personality traits to remain strong. For children and adolescents, this might ring true: just think how often friends are found on the soccer pitch after school or among those of similar cultural backgrounds in one’s graduating class. That being said, in recent years […]
The 5 Things Students Forget to Do Before Submitting Their Common App
There’s a moment in the college application process when students finally think, “I’m done.” The Common App is filled out. The personal statement has been reviewed, edited, and proofread. The supplemental essays are finished. The deadline is approaching, and all that’s left is to hit “Submit.” Well, not quite. The problem nobody talks about is […]
It’s the End of August. Here’s Where Seniors Should Be in the College Admissions Process.
If your student headed into senior year this month, it’s exactly the right moment to check in on where things stand. Granted, there is no immediate deadline looming and your student doesn’t need to have all their application materials finished, but August is typically the calm before the busiest stretch of the entire college application […]
Seven Tips for Choosing Your College Application Essay Topic
There’s normal writer’s block, and then there’s looking at a blank Word document, trying to write your college essay writer’s block… and oh man, the second one is intense. It feels like SO MUCH is riding on the quality of your college essay, so it’s no surprise that choosing a topic is one of the […]
Small Habits, Big Wins: Four Simple Habits That Will Help Your Child Get Homework Done
Homework doesn’t always go smoothly—and sometimes the challenge isn’t the assignment itself. For students who struggle with executive function, getting started, staying focused, managing frustration, or figuring out what to do next can all become obstacles. The good news is that small, consistent habits can help students at any age. The goal isn’t to create […]
Five Common Writing Mistakes to Avoid in Your College Essays (and Everywhere Else, for That Matter)
Your vocabulary is enviable and you’d never be caught dead mixing up their, there, and they’re. In general, you’re pretty proud of your writing abilities. However, there are a few common mistakes that we see even the most talented writers make. As a former English major who now pays her bills by writing, I’m occasionally […]
In Defense of Challenges and a Big Announcement
I’ve always loved a challenge. From racing an Ironman to building a business from scratch to learning how to make bread, I love the process of figuring something out– the thrill of doing a hard thing. For a long time, I chalked it up to my DNA. But it goes deeper than that: tackling big […]
Top 10 Things Juniors Should Be Doing to Prepare for the College Admissions Process
I’m not sure it’s possible to take all of the stress and anxiety out of the college admissions process, but I do know the secret for minimizing it: planning ahead. You might be sending out your applications senior year, but the preparation should begin long before that. Make the process as low-stress as possible by […]
The Final Countdown: Emotionally Preparing Your Child for College
You’ve probably got a general checklist of everything you and your child need to accomplish before they head off to college, from skills like learning to do laundry to those practical tasks like buying twin XL bed sheets. However, there’s one side of this transition that’s often overlooked, and that’s the emotional side. With increased […]
Test-Optional, Test-Required, and Test-Blind Admissions: What Families Need to Know
The college admissions landscape has changed dramatically since the pandemic, and standardized testing remains one of the biggest sources of confusion for students and parents. Some colleges require SAT or ACT scores, others allow students to decide whether to submit them, and some won’t consider test scores at all. Adding to the uncertainty, admissions policies […]