Scott Anderson , Senior Director for Access and Education at The Common Application,  wrote this in November 2015. Ten years later, these words are even more important. “This week, as you gather with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving, be mindful of the high school seniors seated at the table. Odds are they don't want to talk about their college applications any more than you want to talk about work... ...Teens are thinking about college but don't necessarily want t

I am excited to help my sophomores and juniors begin making college visit plans and list building. But where to start? Before booking the proverbial trip to Boston (MIT, Harvard, and Northeastern have single digit admit rates), why not start smart, go online, and see what you can learn for free? (There is a lot of misinformation, so please stick with these sites.) Less College Stress families: Go onto your page in the Less College Stress system. If you haven't already, stude

From a trusted colleague: how to use AI as a smart research and editing tool—without crossing ethical lines or risking your college application. Venkates "Swami" Swaminathan Aug 16, 2025 This time of year, we’re reading students’ admissions essays. Over the years, reading essays, many admissions counselors have learned to detect when an essay may have been written by a parent or other adult. The voice is different, and the vocabulary is telling. Now, coaches are learning to d