Yesterday I was working with one of my students. We’ll call her ‘Bethany’ (named changed to protect the innocent). Bethany was admittedly scrambling to submit a last minute Common Application to meet a December 1 Boston University scholarship deadline. At approximately 10:42pm, Bethany pasted her essays and writing supplements into the app, hit ‘submit’ and then […]

With admissions and financial aid priority deadlines rapidly approaching, I’m buried neck deep in paperwork. So I was pretty excited to see Corin Porter, SUNY Binghamton’s Florida Admissions Representative, on my calendar last week. I’ve always enjoyed meeting and spending time with Admissions and Financial Aid representatives from colleges across the country. But this meeting was extra special. […]

Last week I had a conversation with one of my students that made me so furious that I still can’t shake it. So I decided to write about it. Warning: Rant to follow so please don’t read if you’re easily offended. Anyhow, here’s the story. I have a student I work with, let’s call him […]

A common question I get from parents and students alike, especially in 11th grade, goes something like this: Hey Pete, what can I do right now to improve my college admissions chances at a highly selective college? Aside from the standard answers (take rigorous classes and do well; perform well on the SAT/ACT; engage in […]

For most of my life, I thought the Dog Days of Summer began in mid-August. That’s when the predictability of another sweltering hot morning, followed by yet another afternoon thunderstorm would inevitably lead me to experience a certain, strange combination of lethargy mixed with anxiety. As a child, I was, by this point in the […]

Yesterday was the official last day of school in our local district. In the coming days and weeks, students will be set free to enjoy their summer fun. And unlike the COVID cancellation of many 2020 activities, there are numerous outlets for fun in the months ahead. Many of our students have some exciting summer […]

If you’re an 11th grader and you want to go about the college application process properly, then yes, you should be thinking about teacher rec letters right now. In fact, some high school guidance offices require that students ask teachers for rec letters prior to the end of the school year, and some of those […]

It’s my favorite time of year, no doubt. Yes, this is the time when students learn about where they’re admitted to college, but it’s also the start of March Madness, the single greatest sporting event on the annual calendar. (Note: To my soccer-loving friends, the World Cup only comes around every 4 years. And while […]

Please don’t think from the title of this post that I’m suggesting that your participation in a March Madness bracket, and winning, is the answer to paying for college. But keep reading, and I’ll explain the intersection between Bracketology and getting money for college. Both exercises––paying for college and completing a winning bracket––are extremely difficult. With March […]

Last month, while we were all trying to enjoy the Holiday season, Congress passed and the president signed major, significant legislation that will change how financial aid is calculated. The FAFSA Simplification Act is the culmination of years of effort by Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), who retired from the Senate this week after serving 3 terms. […]