3 Essential Admissions Books to Kick Off Summer
As summer begins and the pace (hopefully) slows down, it’s a great time for families to take a breath and reflect. Whether your student is gearing up to apply this fall or just starting to explore possibilities, these three admissions books offer clarity in a season that can often feel murky. I’ve personally returned to […]
The Role of Passion Projects in Building a Compelling Narrative
Ask any parent or student what matters most in college admissions, and you’ll hear a familiar list: test scores, grades, leadership roles, volunteer hours. The standard extracurricular checklist. As a longtime educator who’s taught thousands of students across middle and high school—from Chicago to Taipei—I’ve seen how real growth happens not through checklists, but through […]
From Middle School to Lifelong Leadership: Why Now Is the Moment to Build Your Child’s Future
Middle school doesn’t always get the respect it deserves. It’s often treated as a waiting room before “real” education begins — a phase marked by mood swings, social drama, and awkward transitions. But what if we’ve been underestimating this stage all along? In my former life as an eighth-grade drama teacher in Chicago, the “leader” […]
Harvard’s Federal Funding Lawsuit: What It Means for College Admissions
Is Harvard’s Financial Future in Flux? In my last post, we talked about how Harvard’s new tuition policy could open doors for a lot more students, especially middle- and upper-middle-income families who once thought it was out of reach. But there’s another story unfolding right now. And it’s one that future Harvard applicants can’t afford […]
What Harvard’s New Tuition Policy Means for Your College List
If you’re from a middle- or upper-middle-income family, you might’ve crossed Harvard off your list before even giving it a real shot. Maybe you’ve said—or heard someone say—something like, “I’d love to go to Harvard, but we can’t afford a $90,000-a-year college.” That price tag feels like a locked door before you even step onto […]