The College Solutions Blog

October 18, 2009

As usual, I’m sharing with you the posts that I wrote for my college blog for CBSMoneyWatch.com last week.  It was challenging for me to get them done because my son and I were traveling in the Midwest looking at colleges for the last time. Here are my three most recent posts: Want to Succeed in Business? Play Poker. I’m...

October 17, 2009

Yesterday was bittersweet for me.  My son Ben and I wrapped up our final college tour before he begins applying to colleges. Our last stop was Lawrence University, a lovely liberal arts college in Appleton, WI., where the autumn leaves provided a stunning backdrop for a campus that’s perched above the picturesque Fox River. I am keenly aware of the...

October 15, 2009

My son and I have one more stop this week on his last college tour of schools before he starts applying to his favorites. We arrived in chilly Appleton, WI, tonight and we’re looking forward to touring Lawrence University tomorrow. Ben is one of three million high school seniors who are contemplating their college choices during this admission season. Coincidentally,...

October 14, 2009

Yesterday, my son Ben and I spent a lovely day at Beloit College. An admissions officer applauded Ben for making the long trek from San Diego to Wisconsin to visit the college. She mentioned that some students never visit the campus before applying to the liberal arts school. I’ve always thought it was strange that teenagers apply to colleges without...

October 13, 2009

How hard is it to win an athletic scholarship? It’s darn near impossible. About 2% of high school athletes receive athletic scholarships to play their sports in college. The grim odds, however, doesn’t mean that you can’t parlay your athletic talent into sweet deal from a college. That’s what I’ve been telling my niece Molly, who is a high school senior...

October 11, 2009

Last week I was talking to the college counselor at my son’s high school about research findings that suggest that Asian students face much greater odds in getting into Ivy League and other elite institutions. During our conversation, the counselor took a hardback from his book-lined room and suggested I read it. School of Dreams: Making the Grade at a...

October 10, 2009

Every Saturday I share the college blog posts that I wrote for the week for CBSMoneyWatch. As usual, this was an eclectic bunch. Are Elite Universities Discriminating Against Asians The post that I found most fascinating was about a book — soon to be released — that examined the admission practices of seven elite (unnamed) universities. The author, who is...

October 9, 2009

The seniors at my son’s high school are in a panic. They can’t procrastinate any longer. They have to write their dreaded college essay. A lot of college essays fail because students are so afraid of messing up. It’s hard for teenagers to be genuine when they worry about alienating admission officers. I  had the opportunity yesterday to shares some...

October 8, 2009

How do teenagers find great colleges? Traditional ways have included buying a copy of one of those big, fat guidebooks such as Princeton Review’s The Best 371 Colleges and the Fiske Guide to Colleges. Or teenagers look at US News’ college rankings. Today, however, you can discover higher-ed possibilities by turning to online college matchmakers. Here are two popular matchmakers:...

October 7, 2009

A high school counselor in Colombia asked me today how she could find American colleges that provide financial aid for international students who want to study in the United States. Actually, there are many schools that provide need-based aid to international students interested in American colleges and universities. Every year a member of the Overseas Association for College Admission Counseling...