Myth: “Liberal Arts College Means I Can’t Study Science or Math”

False. A “liberal arts” college has several meanings.  One, liberal arts can refer to the breadth–i.e. wide range–of classes for graduation requirements the college would like students to complete.  Often, there is a “core” set of academic courses that includes English, Math, Science, Social Studies/History and Foreign Language (the specifics may vary depending on the…

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How Common is the Common Application Essay?

In this podcast, Art Baird and Jill Yoshikawa, our company’s educational experts, generously share their 10-years of experience to help students write competitive college admissions essays within the context of the Common Application.  They define an effective outline for drafting this complex autobiography. For more helpful information, please also read: Storytelling Season is Around the…

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College: Path to Adulthood?

“We treat our kids like adults when they’re children, and we infantilize them when they’re 18 years old.”  –Jean Twenge (The Atlantic, July/August 2011) We routinely hear parents share concerns as their grown children are preparing to leave for college that laundry and food and budgeting–basics of managing life–won’t be done, nor learned.  (Rarely, do…

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Student Debt = Future Income Spent Today

Know the terms (i.e. repayment, interest rates) and possible consequences of taking student loans for college–essentially bringing future income into the present. (FYI: colleges are not obligated to disclose the terms of the loan BEFORE accepting them as part of a student aid package.  Students MUST ASK.  Also, students are not forced to accept student…

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Reverse Study Abroad: International Students in the U.S.

Before choosing a college in the U.S. understand not only the educational and academic experience, understand the social environment of the university and its location.  Understanding how the local community will support and incorporate international diversity can help students transition and focus on their academic pursuits. U.S. students consider the same issues when choosing colleges…

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