college applications

Common Mistakes Students Make on College Admissions Essays

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on December 22, 2022

So you’ve narrowed down your list of schools. You’ve filled out all the demographics information for the application, and now it’s time for the essays and short answers. You’ve got everything covered…or do you? Here are some common mistakes that college admissions see, as well as how to fix mistakes on college admissions essays. Starting …

college applications

Gap Year: Ways to Improve College Applications and Readiness

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on December 22, 2022

We’ve talked a bit about gap years before in the context of Should I take a gap year? The focus this time around is how to make the best of a gap year before applying to colleges. Or maybe you’ve been accepted into a school, but have deferred enrollment for a year. Whatever the case, …

college comparisons

Best Colleges for Students Who Love Robotics

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on December 22, 2022

When it comes to pursuing your hobbies at college, there is no end to what is available. There are schools out there with programs and student organizations for everything you can imagine. If you love robotics in high school, or you’re looking to get into it for fun after high school, you should check out …

financial aid

How GPA and Test Scores Affect Financial Aid Opportunities

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on December 22, 2022

Over the course of your high school career, people have probably told you to make sure you keep your grades up. You’ve probably stressed about your standardized test scores and your GPA. Those two factors play a very large role in the college admissions process. But do better grades result in better financial aid opportunities? …

student life

6 Colleges with Heartwarming Holiday Traditions

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on December 22, 2022

The Winter Holiday season is rife with the opportunities for merriment, and magic. Many schools decorate, and there is likely a concert or two in honor of the season (and the end of the semester). But some schools take it to the next level. Here is a shortlist—just the tip of the iceberg, really—of schools …

college comparisons

10 Colleges for Musically-Inclined Students

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on December 22, 2022

Music is a vital part of many students’ lives. Whether they like to sing in the shower, have played an instrument for years, or dabble in composition, there are many options when it comes to schools. Even if you aren’t looking to be a music major, you can still make music a priority when applying …

student life

Alternatives to Going Home for Winter Break

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on December 22, 2022

Winter break. Possibly one of the most look-forward-to aspects of college. Your Thanksgiving break was okay, and you might have had a long weekend here or a fall break there, but nothing equals the weeks in between your first and second semester. While it is tempting to just go home and relax for a while, …

tips tools & advice

How to Study if You’re a Physical Learner

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on December 22, 2022

Physical learners do best when they have a hands-on approach to learning. In grade school, they were the ones who probably found the attachable blocks most useful when learning addition and subtraction, or the students who remembered things from field trips and lab experiments the best. A physical learner —also called a kinesthetic learner because …

financial aid

How Will My Parents’ College Savings Affect My Financial Aid?

By Ellen AndersenLast updated on December 22, 2022

You’re applying to colleges and finally got to the part about financial aid. Calculating financial need is a complicated process. There are so many factors that go into it that families might not always expect. One of these factors, your parents’ college savings accounts, is frequently an area of great concern to parents and students …