Category Archives: college

An Excellent Book on Getting a College Education You Won’t Read

Posted on October 10, 2011 by

Welcome to my review of Prof. Andrew Roberts’s excellent book, The Thinking Student’s Guide to College: 75 Tips for Getting a Better Education. Calmly, sanely, and intelligently, Prof. Roberts dissects the various elements of choosing a college, choosing your classes … Continue reading →

Posted in admission practices, college, college admission, college counseling | 4 Comments

Crabby Counselor Talks to High School Principals

Posted on August 11, 2010 by

You think you’ve got problems? Don’t get me started.I know you have plenty to deal with day to day and I don’t want to rain on your parade, but when you tell me I provide a “service” and then expect … Continue reading →

Posted in admission, admission practices, advising, college, college acceptance, college admission, college counseling, college counselor, customer, customers, education, Ivy League, marketing, parents, reality, top tier, universities | Leave a comment

Underserved Students and the Politics of the Practical

Posted on January 5, 2010 by

One thing that’s bothered me for a while is how often low-income and first generation students are steered pretty hard toward “jobs” rather than “education” when it comes to college. I can’t argue with the imperative to earn money and … Continue reading →

Posted in African American, African American students, American culture, college, college degree, first-generation students, Latino, Latino students, low income, low-incme students, students | 1 Comment

Center for Student Opportunity

Posted on October 30, 2009 by

I’m a big fan of the Center for Student Opportunity,  a nonprofit organization with a mission to promote college access and opportunity among first-generation and historically underserved student populations. They’ve produced a very fine guidebook of colleges that focuses on information particularly appropriate … Continue reading →

Posted in college, college admission, college counseling, CSO, first generation, low income, Opportunity Scholars, underserved students | Leave a comment

Creating a Self: The Facts of Fiction

Posted on October 26, 2009 by

The reasons many colleges give for requiring essays include getting to know more about the student, giving him or her a chance to explain something in the record, or providing a writing sample. Fair enough, but do they have to … Continue reading →

Posted in applications, college, college admission, college admission essays, college applications, college counseling, essays, fact, fiction, reality, truthiness | Leave a comment