Daily Archives: October 23, 2026

“So, tell me a little bit about yourself” – How to Answer in a College Interview

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Welcome to application writing crunch time, a rite of passage for HS seniors! The vast majority of college-bound seniors are deep into writing, reviewing, and polishing applications, and many are in mid-interviewing season. I’ve offered advice about how to answer the most commonly asked supplement essay and interview question both in a prior blog post and in my new book, The CommonApp Handbook, “Why do you want to go here?” In this post, I’d like to offer some advice about answering another very commonly asked question, often the first question right after you sit down for a campus or alumni interview: […]

Clarifying SAT Dates for Early Apps to College

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If you’re planning to apply ED or EA to college this or next month (and in almost every case it makes sense to apply early to give yourself a better chance to get in!) and you assumed that the November 7, 2026, SAT is too late for you, I have good news. The APPLICANT’S decline may be Oct 15 or Nov 1, 2026, but scores reported shortly thereafter historically have still counted at many top schools, as they are reported well before committees even start thinking about making final decisions. This year, for example, Harvard REA and Penn ED both accept the Nov. 7 SAT […]