Sometimes we unintentionally discourage our kids from reading. I know. It’s hard to believe, but it’s true. Here’s what not to do — and why. 1. Having the Wrong Books If you only have Steinbeck or The New Yorker as reading options, your kids will be discouraged from...
New survey reveals the 10 things they consider most important in judging students' applications. In its annual survey of college counselors, the National Association for College Admission Counseling reports that colleges accepted 65.8% of freshman applicants for the fall 2014 semester (the most recent data available)....
When writing a college admissions essay, your natural tendency may be to emphasize your victories while also downplaying your less successful moments. However, by masking your failures, you sacrifice a powerful opportunity to distinguish yourself from other applicants. After all, academic all-stars, former club leaders and...
The White House announced on Sunday that Malia Obama will attend Harvard University—but not starting this fall—and instead will take a gap year, a practice gaining momentum in the United States in recent years. In its announcement, the White House said the president’s older daughter will...
Is your student applying for college this 2016-2017 school year? It's time to start thinking about what they should write about. Remember: the earlier they start, the more time they will have to think back on their past significant experiences and thus write more meaningful...
As a student at South Pasadena High School, Katherine Uriarte aced six Advanced Placement classes, got top scores on her ACT, served in student government and nailed a summer internship at Caltech. It wasn't enough to get into UCLA or UC Berkeley. The daughter of a Mexican...
After four years of grueling work, the moment had arrived. Maria Contreras, a Hollywood High School senior, huddled with her family around her computer and checked her inbox. There it was. Click. “Congratulations!” the March 18 email said. “It is our great pleasure to offer you admission to...
A child psychologist argues punishment is a waste of time when trying to eliminate problem behavior. Instead, he advocates for a radical technique in which parents positively reinforce the behavior they do want. Say you have a problem child. If it’s a toddler, maybe he smacks...
If a superstore has impacted your life, you might want to write about it. It seems 18-year-old high school senior Brittany Stinson submitted an essay about her love for Costco and got some pretty good responses, specifically, a big “yes” from the University of Pennsylvania, Yale...
MOOCs may soon become a prominent factor in admissions decisions at selective colleges, a way for students who may not do well on traditional measures like the SAT to prove they can hack it. That’s the argument by officials at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which...