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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When a Letter of Recommendation Isn’t Just a Letter of Recommendation

Now, that school’s back in session (or about to be back in session), and the excitement of choosing colleges for application can be wearing thin (given that everyone who discovers or knows you’re a senior is asking where you’re applying), so what’s next?  Well, parents, since about July have been asking us about letters of…

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“Why Do You Want to Go To College?” Has New Meaning

“How do employers look at college names?”  is a typical question parents ask us, when trying to narrow their senior’s choices for application.   Two meanings emerge from this question: What’s the value of a college degree? How, if at all, is value different for different colleges? The value in college question will be answered differently…

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Guilt? I Didn’t See that On My College Bill

Without understanding the value of a college degree, students can sense, what they often term, “guilt.”  They may not confidently understand why their families, and increasingly themselves (in the form of student loans), are paying the thousands of dollars (and rising each year) that a college degree costs. Listen to the following podcast, featuring Julie…

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College Tuition: Is a Private University Always More Expensive than Public?

According to the Wall Street Journal and the College Board, public university tuition is rising faster than private universities around the nation.  “In-state residents at four-year public schools, tuition and fees are up 25.1% from the 2008-09 academic year; over the same time period, tuition and fees at private universities rose 13.2%.”  While public universities…

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Guest Post: Advice about the College Essay from a Graduated Senior to The Class of 2013

About the Author: In a few weeks, Hunter will be a Freshman at UC Berkeley, considering a major in Physics.  He applied to 10 colleges and wrote 18 short answer and full length college application essays in Fall 2011.  _________________________ Tips for writing college essays (from someone who wrote quite a few): Don’t sacrifice your…

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College Rankings: What Are They Worth?

College rankings and lists are not lacking–Forbes, US News & World Report, Washington Monthly, Newsweek–just to name a few.   And, for families already wondering about a kid’s chances of college acceptance, after 12 years of thinking and re-thinking every class, homework assignment and academic opportunity, not to mention the hours spent at sports practices, dance…

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Summer and the College Essay

Every summer, several parents of soon-to-be seniors contact Creative Marbles to ask about finishing college application essays before the next school year starts.  In parents’ minds, the thinking goes, “Summer’s a totally unstructured time.  Less distractions with school work and after-school activities.   The college essay is essential to a competitive application, and I want my…

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