Bob Carlton of College Matchpoint writes about the students they worked with who got into the uber-selective top 25. Straight A’s and involvement aren’t enough. He lists these common factors: Remember, too, that a 5% acceptance rate of 100,000 applicants means that 95,000 applicants, most of whom were technically admissible, were rejected. Carlton goes into detail in his blog, linked

The “power of and” philosophy Our tour guide for Lafayette College announced, “Here, we believe in the power of and.” In other words, at Lafayette, which offers both the liberal arts and engineering, you won’t be pegged as just an athlete or an engineer or a theater person. You can hold as many roles as you wish at this college

I visited Bucknell University along with about 50 other independent educational consultants on a cold and blustery day in late March. Despite the inhospitable weather, we were welcomed warmly by Chrissy Findlay, associate dean of admissions, and a panel of articulate students. Three colleges, one unified experience Bucknell, with nearly 4,000 undergraduates, is a little larger than many liberal arts

Penn State is big. Racing from site to site with two dozen other independent educational consultants and one little tour guide on a blustery, snowy day in late March, I envied the students waiting for the shuttle to pick them up. The numbers are big: The spirit of community If you’ve watched any Penn State game, you’ve heard the echoing

The light grey limestone buildings of Dickinson College and the red Dickinson flags on lampposts connect the campus and give it a feel of oneness. Quarried locally, the limestone also gives a nod to the school’s commitment to sustainability. Seth Allen, the vice president for enrollment, noted that Dickinson is a warm community, and faculty care about the students and

The ampersand Franklin and Marshall, or F&M, is all about the ampersand. At F&M, you don’t have to be just an athlete, or a dancer, or a CS major. You can be any of those things, but you can be that—and whatever else you want to be. That’s why there’s a giant metal sculpture of the “and” symbol on the

News flash March 30, 2025: Villanova’s struggling basketball team is getting a new coach! Kevin Willard will leave the University of Maryland to join Villanova this year. Augustinian heritage One of only two Augustinian institutions in the U.S., Villanova’s motto is “Veritas, Unitas, Caritas.” They believe in truth through education, community, and charity. Villanova literally translates to “new home.” St.

“We’re creating the next generation of female leaders,” said Nicole Reynold, dean of undergraduate admissions at Bryn Mawr College outside of Philadelphia, PA, speaking to a group of around 50 independent educational consultants.  Only 2% of undergraduates attend a women’s college, but those who do are seven times more likely to major in STEM, and they learn to navigate those

Intro and Mission While higher education faces funding cuts and pressure from the federal government to disband DEI efforts, American University has decided to lean into their values and mission. Diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion is a core value; their mission includes “empower[ing] lives of purpose, service, and leadership.” Leadership Vision The new president, Jonathan Alger, wrote to students this