We hope all of our students–and parents!–are staying healthy and motivated as we kick off another week of virtual learning for high school and college students around the country. Last week, we asked former and current students to share their stories about staying on track amidst the changes implemented due to the Coronavirus pandemic. We loved reading their responses, which shed light on everything from advice for school administrators to…
We hope everyone is staying safe and healthy at this time, and that students and parents are staying sane while confined to their homes. To provide some good reading material, we’re continuing our Virtual Visits series for students who are currently unable to visit college campuses. Today, we’re taking a closer look at Drexel University’s Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship, which offers students the unique opportunity to earn a degree…
We want to start this post by saying that we hope all of our students and their families are safe and doing as well as possible with all the changes in their educations and lives at this time. Our hearts go out to all high schoolers who are currently missing sports practices, play rehearsals, club meetings, and all of the other activities that often make the hard work of high…
If you’ve spent any time at all in the past week watching, listening to, or reading the nightly news, entertainment reports, radio segments, or local and national newspapers, chances are that you’ve had more than you can take of the “Varsity Blues” scandal. Much more experienced minds than mine have already penned thought-provoking articles touching on the myriad considerations of wealth, privilege, parenting, diversity, etc. that this case has brought…
The Common Application officially opened for the 2018-19 application season on Wednesday, August 1, confirming what students have suspected for months: the start of senior year mania comes faster than you think. While many students are rightfully focused on the personal statement, [[click here for 21 application essay brainstorming exercises]] there are other equally important pieces of the Common Application. Today, we’re going to focus on the Activities section. First,…
The Common Application is set to reopen in three days, and while many students probably planned to have their personal statements drafted by this time, we’re realistic enough to know this most likely didn’t come to fruition in all cases. For those students still stuck in the brainstorming stage, we’ve put together a list of 21 questions to get the creative juices flowing. While the answers to these questions won’t be…
With students finishing up finals, many rising seniors are turning their attention towards college applications. Besides compiling a college list, the first step applicants typically take is to complete their personal statements. Luckily, The Common Application has already released the prompts for the 2018-19 application year. Below, we’ve provided insights into creative ways to interpret and approach these standard prompts. 1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent…
May tends to be one of the most popular SAT testing months, so we’re safely assuming that stress levels of juniors across the country are steadily rising as the May 5th SAT draws closer. Most of our students at Y.E.S. have been preparing since March, but we’re realistic enough to know that not all students have begun this early. It’s not too late to review some essential content areas and…
Spring break for college students means heading off campus for vacation, family time, or service trips. Spring break for high school students, on the other hand, often means heading to campus for college visits. Typically, these trips involve attending information sessions and taking college tours, leaving students and families with piles of glossy packets, bookstore souvenirs, and perhaps a photo or two. Most, if not all, of the schools will highlight…
Now that many of our students have taken their first round of standardized tests, the time has come to get serious about college research. Spring break is right around the corner, and with that comes school tours and endless questions from parents, counselors, neighbors, and pretty much any adult in a student’s life about where they’ll be applying. Before putting together preliminary lists, or even visiting schools, though, students need…
