College Visits


A Brief History of College Courtship: Interest –> Demonstrated Interest –> Informed Interest

College admissions committees have always been more interested in students who are interested in their schools than those who are simply throwing in another application just to see if they can get in or to use as a safety school. Back in the days before college admissions became more competitive than the Olympics, it was enough for candidates to say (and we were actually coached to say), during interviews for example, “You’re my first choice.” In today’s college admissions game, that no longer flies. You have to PROVE you’re interested (see Summer Goals and the College Admissions Game); you have […]


The College Admissions Process 101

1. Get the best grades in the most advanced classes you can. The first thing college admissions officers look for in evaluating any application is your curriculum and grades. The most effective way to become an attractive candidate is to impress them with your coursework and GPA. If you need help raising your grade in any particular subject(s), our outstanding tutors can help.  2. Learn as much as you can about the application process by reading blogs and listening to podcasts. There are many pieces to the puzzle, and they cannot be figured out overnight. Carve out time to investigate all the elements […]


My Two-College, Overnight Visits

Guest CPE-Blog post by Amanda Youmans, Hall High Junior Like second-semester junior year isn’t hectic enough already! Nevertheless, this past Monday and Tuesday marked my first foray into the world of overnight college visits, which my dad tells me is important in figuring out where I’m going to spend the fours years after I graduate from high school next June. Visiting a college is like going to a museum. Some parts are fascinating, some parts you don’t connect with at all, and in some parts someone is somehow telling you not to touch something (pro-tip: don’t poke the professors). My […]


Parent Tip #23: Take Notes During Info Sessions

(with thanks to Kim Brunstad, Yale Law) Parents I work with would love nothing more than to help their kids get into top colleges, but they often feel helpless to do anything useful beyond helping their teens organize their time (read: nag; see CPE’s blog post, 3 Dont’s and Do’s for Parents in the College Admissions Game). So if you’re a parent of a 10th-12th grader and planning to spend some or all of your Spring Break visiting schools, here’s a great, practical tip you can use: Take great notes during the info sessions for your child’s later use during […]


Visiting Colleges: What to Look For and What to Do

Listen to internet radio with CollegePrepExpress on Blog Talk Radio   A panel of teen experts—including Courtney Robinson, Hall High ’13 (joining us live by phone from her college visits in PA), and Teddy Monyak, Conard High ’13— who’ve visited campuses, attended info sessions, taken tours, and had interviews, will join Dr. Yo to share their experiences of trekking through colleges. Kelly Queijo of SmartCollegeVisit will also be joining the discussion to add her professional expertise, tips, and advice. If you plan to visit schools this spring, summer, or next fall, don’t miss this episode! Also available on  SaveSave


Keys to Success: Keeping an Open Mind

The following is the first in a series of CollegePrepExpress guest blogs, written by students and focusing on the keys to success in school and in preparation for life. Andreea Dinicu is a junior at Glastonbury High School, Glastonbury, CT. Several weeks ago, I attended a Forum on Women in Engineering at Columbia University. The forum was meant to generate interest in the science field among young women. In middle school, statistics show that out of all students interested in the sciences, half are male and half are female. However, the percentage of females interested in science in high school […]


How to Have an Impressive Interview

Listen to internet radio with CollegePrepExpress on Blog Talk Radio   Dr. Yo is joined by Cornell alumna interviewer, Susan Levy (Cornell ’86), Dartmouth alumna interviewer, Liz Deakin (Dartmouth ’87), and teen experts, including Chris Macca (KO ’12) as they discuss to how make a great impression and get the most out of campus and alumni interviews!   Topics include: How to get an interview Campus vs alumni interviews When and where to have them What should students do when they are first contacted by a college interviewer? What should you wear? Anecdotes from teen experts What do interviewers look […]