nutsANDbolts

Spring Break is right around the corner and quite unexpectedly, I find myself planning college visits with our 15-year-old daughter.  She is a sophomore and our youngest. With three older siblings, we've been to this rodeo before. In the past, we have always commenced with this ritual in the winter and spring of junior year. Yet, for Mary, I feel compelled to start now. Why?

I've been questioning whether it's too soon to be starting down this rabbit hole, especially since she plans NOT to app…

Are the SAT and ACT Still worth worrying about? The short answer is likely "yes."

The pandemic's ripple effects continue to send college admissions offices scrambling. They have long relied on test scores as one of the key variables they use to evaluate candidates, yet according to FairTest, seventy-six percent of bachelor's-degree-granting institutions have now adopted some blend of a test-optional or test-blind policy. The ramifications have been – unsurprisingly – both positive and negativ…

There is no limit to the amount of time and treasure we can invest in enhancing our children's potential. It can feel like there are endless educational and experiential opportunities to be had... because there are. It can also feel as if there's no limit to the expense those opportunities can amass. At the end of the day, we do our best with the means at our disposal to help our children realize their potentials, but as teens reach the cusp of adulthood, the stakes can feel higher. The added pr…

Assisting your teen in finding a college that is the right FIT for them is undoubtedly complex, and a major source of stress on parents and student alike because it must take into account dozens of factors that may or may not be readily apparent. Additionally, the foundation for each of those factors can shift at a moment's notice. 

Identifying the Fit is a family affair, and at Elevated Admissions, we break it down by saying that there are three key elephants in this room. The three are Academ…

Hello Friend!

We field variations on the following questions ALL OF THE TIME: "What's the best way my teen can spend their time over the summer?" and "What activities will help my student boost their application?"

In this short video, I share one of my favorite go-to services offered by Give3600. Teens are paired with a volunteer opportunity that aligns with their interests, whether they have two weeks or ten months. The Give3600 College Application Spotlight package is reasonably priced at ab…

I recently participated in a Clubhouse chat with 125 of my esteemed admissions coaching colleagues across the country. Going full wonk talking about admissions is what we like to do best.

"What the Heck Just Happened?" was the way one of my colleagues so aptly described this past admissions cycle during the open chat. 

Here are the things I heard repeated by multiple consultant and coaches: 

• This year's decisions were the most unpredictable they had ever seen. 
• The number of applications t…

Can we just take a hot second and talk about time?  As in, timelines and everything that needs to get done when you have a budding college applicant in the house.

Our third, Aaron, is a high school junior. I  just booked his first official college visit that is not virtual!  I was so excited by this accomplishment that I sent a screenshot of the confirmation to the family group chat. (I usually ONLY send pictures of Aspen, Buxy, and Bella because I'm the crazy dog lady in our tribe.)

You may —…

Hello , 

We've been so busy here readying to launch our new website (woo-hoo!) that I realized that it had been two weeks since we last connected. Today is a quick post about the number one thing to discuss with your teen (regardless of where they are in the process).

There are two lenses through which teens can view admissions.

The first is that an acceptance from FabulousU will:

• validate that I am smart, accomplished, worthy, and this will ensure my highest potential will be reached.
• re…

MOST parents and students I speak with LOATHE standardized testing. Feelings aside, most still have questions about how to navigate this portion of the ad…

What Do the Essential Self and the Right Fit Have in Common? 

The short answer: Everything.

The long answer is, well, longer than that, but we think it’s worth reading about, thinking about, and considering seriously.

Sociologist Martha Beck proposes that each of us has two selves that form the basis of our operations: a “social self” and an “essential self.” In Finding Your Own North Star, Beck lists the behaviors of these selves: The “social self” is avoidance-based, conforming, imitative, …