Hi, Reader! Last week, I organized and spoke at a neighborhood event on college planning. I brought in two colleagues to speak, too — one who covered paying for college and another who discussed test prep — and I put together a quick checklist to hand out about what students can do each year of high school to prep for college applications. (You can snag a copy here.) If you're anything like me, having a checklist is the bee's knees. (Speaking of, here's a picture of a sweet bumblebee that was...
19 days ago • 4 min read
Hi, Reader! I was so grateful to spend the week last week with the College Essay Guy team out in beautiful San Diego, reflecting on this past application season and looking ahead to the next. I truly couldn’t have picked a better group of people to work with (and for). They challenge me, support me, and make me a better person (and essay coach)! With all the changes in the world right now, I’m grateful to have those constants in my life. Speaking of uncertainty, if you’re a Texas resident (or...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hi, Reader! Not that I'm trying to take all of my life advice from TikTok, but I watched a video last week about trying to find at least one good thing about each day. It doesn't have to be deep. It doesn't have to be life-changing. It just has to be good. I'm trying to do that for myself this year. Heck, it feels like we could all use something like that right now, right? My good thing for today? I was going through a bag of old 8mm family movies I want to have converted, and I came across...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Hi, Reader! In two weeks, I'll be heading out to San Diego, where I’ll spend the week with the College Essay Guy team to plan for the next admission season. I love the team I work with and am grateful to be able to spend the week with them learning, connecting, and planning. They make me a better essay coach — and person. And even though I have plenty of time before I leave, I can bet you that I'm likely to wait until the night before to start packing. Can you empathize? It seems like often,...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi, Reader! Happy New Year! I hope you’ve had the chance to enjoy a restful winter break with friends and family. We had the chance to take a family cruise, and we loved spending New Year’s on the ship. It’s been a busy year, so I really valued the time to relax, recharge, and read some mindless books on my Kindle — one of my favorite Christmas presents from last year. But I’m back in action (though I'm missing the all-you-can-eat-bacon) and have been seeing a lot of Facebook posts about the...
2 months ago • 4 min read
Hi, Reader! It's almost Black Friday, and you know what that means: Shopping! I’ll admit, I was doing a little post-dinner shopping last night, scoring a few deals on Etsy and a few things from my daughter’s wish list. As you're looking for the best deals out there, you might as well earn some cash back or gift cards, too. Here are my favorite deals I've been using for years! (And they're all free!) These aren’t college-related at all, but saving money is something we can all get behind as we...
4 months ago • 3 min read
Hi, Reader! Between school work, activities, the upcoming holidays (and travel uncertainty), and more application deadlines not that far away, I know it can feel like there’s a lot to juggle. But don’t worry — you’re not alone in this! This month, there are some key steps you can take to stay organized, focused, and on track with your college plans, no matter what grade you (or your student) are in. Whether college isn’t even on your radar quite yet or you’re eagerly awaiting admission...
4 months ago • 4 min read
Hi, Reader! We’re just about a week out from Nov. 1 deadlines, which means I know there’s a lot of work being done right now. As early deadlines continue getting closer, I just wanted to send a few quick reminders to help keep everyone’s stress level (slightly) lower: 1. Don’t panic about “missing” materials in your application. (But keep an eye on them.) Here’s what I’ve been seeing (and hearing): For most schools, your application itself must be submitted by the deadline — but supporting...
5 months ago • 3 min read
Hi, Reader! Some of you may be getting ready to submit applications soon — remember that you have until 11:59 p.m. local time on the deadline day to submit them. (But don’t wait until the last minute! The Common App becomes notoriously glitchy as we get closer to midnight.) I know I’ve shared them before, but in case you need any last-minute help with your Common App application, here are two resources I find helpful: AXS Companion — Open Resource. Anyone can use or share this free resource....
5 months ago • 3 min read