Throughout the Ivy League, possibly emboldened by test-optional admissions policies being one less barrier to entry, Fall 2021 applicants increased by double digits, adding subjectivity to the admission evaluation process and dropping admit rates year over year, some to record lows at Harvard, Columbia, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania. Ivy League admit rates for the Classes of 2025: Harvard, 3.4% Columbia,…
The 1200% increase in college tuition over the last four decades, outpacing inflation by nearly 1000%, is Reason Number One parents often anxiously ask me about how their kid can apply for scholarships. As the conversation unfolds, many often also reveal having saved some for their children’s college expenses, though the amount is woefully inadequate, and are now looking for…
To learn effectively is to practice humility, to admit how little we know, and recognizing the cost of remaining ignorant is the antidote to pride and the beginning of the journey of discovery, fueled by curiosity which results in the acquisition of knowledge which applied in a continuous collaboration with others who are willing, results in resilience needed to navigate…
I recently zoom’d with Dr. Will Davenport for The Dr. Will Show podcast about how to find value in education. Take a listen and share with others who are seeking guidance as they help their children discover their life’s purpose. To learn more how Jill and other experts at Creative Marbles Consultancy, a full service educational advisory, help families resolve…
This spring, like every spring, after years of struggle, high school seniors will finally experience acceptance in the form of an electronic letter or alert in an applicant portal offering admissions to this or that college. Once the initial elation fades, families begin deliberations in earnest to make a final selection by the May 1 national college enrollment deadline.* Essentially,…
Sometimes, we gain clarity and/or confidence about our aptitude when the thoughts of another like Kurt Vonnegut, author of Slaughterhouse Five, reflects our own experience: When I was 15, I spent a month working on an archeological dig. I was talking to one of the archeologists one day during our lunch break and he asked those kinds of “getting to…
Kahlil Gibran’s timeless poem provides a contemplation as we all share concerns for the youngest generations. And, while parents are typically the primary adult mentors for children, we all bear the responsibility of helping children realize their full potential. Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you…
Good writing is rewriting. Truman Capote Typically, high school students write one draft of an essay the night before the assignment is due amidst the myriad other homework assignments. Thus, drafting and editing and revising of each sentence happens simultaneously. But, typically, in writing college essays, drafting, editing, and revising are three separate steps, repeated multiple times per essay, as…
In the current economic upheaval, those individuals with more education are unemployed at lower rates than all other groups. Or by wages, assuming that wage is an indicator of educational attainment, those with $60,000+ in wages have lower rates of unemployment than those earning less than $60,000. However, if the recession during The Great Financial Crisis of 2009 is an…
Since the University of California (UC) has suspended the requirement of SAT and ACT scores for all admissions cycles through Fall 2025, which affects current (2020-21) 8th graders, subjectivity in admissions evaluations will likely increase, as officers will lose a standardized metric as a comparison for the GPA, extracurricular resume and essays, utilizing the UC’s 14 Comprehensive Review points. UC…
Attending college is not required for achieving economic prosperity nor lasting peace of mind. Success is defined by the individual’s interpretation of their net worth that they were born to discover throughout a lifetime of searching for value from the sum of their experiences. Yes, that may include attending college, and praise to those who have spent their life’s work…
I recently discussed the current disruption in education and the college admisisons process, as well as how as a company we have adjusted our services for clients, with Danielle McKinney of Comstocks Magazine, a local business publication in Sacramento, California. The following is an excerpt: COVID-19 prompted all Ivy League schools to make SAT and ACT scores for admissions optional…
In mid-March 2020, under threats to public health associated with the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, government officials acted swiftly, instituting a series of closures that disrupted our lives, especially for college students who were summarily sent back to their childhood homes, halting their coming of age process. As of May 2020, officials believing the worst was over, relaxed the restrictions and…
We’re officially in a recession, meaning GDP, or the total value of goods produced and services provided in the US during a single year has declined for two consecutive quarters. The world economy is expected to contract by 5.2% this year—the worst recession in 80 years—but the sheer number of countries suffering economic losses means the scale of the downturn…
As reported in a study by NORC (National Opinion Research Center) at the University of Chicago: Optimism for the future generation has also fallen. In the wake of the outbreak, only 42% believe that when their children are their age their standard of living will be better than their own, whereas 57% said the same in 2018. Historic Shift in…
