Alison Merzel
Don't Let "Average GPA" Scare You Away
If you look at published GPA ranges for many well-known colleges and universities, you may start to scratch your head in bewilderment....
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Alison Merzel
- Sep 16
- 1 min
Look out for the SSAR and the SRAR
While many colleges/universities request official high school transcripts as a part of the application process, some prefer to see a...
Alison Merzel
- May 13
- 3 min
School Spotlight: Ohio University and the Honors Tutorial College
I had the pleasure of driving to Athens for a visit to OU on a spectacular Ohio day, perfect for a college tour. My student tour guide...
Alison Merzel
- Mar 28
- 2 min
To stay or not to stay on the waitlist. That is the question.
You may have noticed that this year, in particular, colleges are handing out waitlist decisions like candy. It almost feels like "YOU get...
Alison Merzel
- Mar 23
- 2 min
School Spotlight: Carnegie Mellon University
Despite the frigid temperature during my February visit, I was extremely impressed by Carnegie Mellon. This medium-sized private...
Alison Merzel
- Mar 9
- 2 min
School Spotlight: University of Dayton
I had the good fortune of being able to visit UD on an unusually warm and beautiful February day. I was extremely impressed with the...
Alison Merzel
- Mar 3
- 1 min
Common App Application Updates
The Common Application recently published a report of application trends through February 15, 2022. Here are the big takeaways: 1) Since...
Alison Merzel
- Feb 25
- 2 min
School Spotlight: University of Pittsburgh
I had the pleasure of visiting Pitt on that lovely spring-like President's Day (in contrast to my fantastic, yet FRIGID tour earlier that...
Alison Merzel
- Feb 3
- 2 min
School Spotlight: Colgate University
Around this time last year, Colgate University made higher education headlines because they saw a 102% increase in application volume and...
Alison Merzel
- Feb 1
- 3 min
Unpredictability is the Reality
As admissions decisions continue to get released, there is always chatter about why one student got into a school and another didn't. "He...
Alison Merzel
- Jan 14
- 2 min
School Spotlight: NC State
If you receive my quarterly newsletter, you recently read that NC State is planning to enroll 5,000 more students in engineering and...
Alison Merzel
- Dec 2, 2021
- 2 min
School Spotlight: Emerson College
Some students will thrive in a less traditional academic environment, one where hands-on, project-based learning is the norm. For strong...
Alison Merzel
- Nov 16, 2021
- 3 min
Know your Regional Admissions Reps!
Many colleges and universities divide their admissions offices into states or territories, designating specific staff members to be...
Alison Merzel
- Oct 29, 2021
- 2 min
School Spotlight: University of Georgia
If you are looking for evidence that being on the Common Application helps a university increase its application volume, look no further...
Alison Merzel
- Oct 27, 2021
- 3 min
What you need to know about ED
Since it is October 27 and many students are furiously preparing applications to hit the November 1st Early Decision deadline, I thought...
Alison Merzel
- Oct 15, 2021
- 2 min
School Spotlight: Allegheny College
You've seen some spotlights before on other CTCL schools - colleges that share the mission of offering personalized and student-centered...
Alison Merzel
- Sep 28, 2021
- 2 min
School Spotlight: University of Alabama
My neighbors in Columbus, Ohio may be scratching their heads at the site of Alabama Crimson Tide signs on the lawns of graduating...
Alison Merzel
- Sep 21, 2021
- 2 min
Who is eligible for financial aid anyways?
When many families hear the term "financial aid," they automatically assume loans, grants, or need-based financial support. In reality,...
Alison Merzel
- Sep 1, 2021
- 2 min
School Spotlight: William & Mary
If you are looking to attend a school that is rich with history and tradition, you won't be disappointed by William & Mary, which was...
Alison Merzel
- Aug 13, 2021
- 2 min
School Spotlight: Dickinson College
These days, just about every college/university touts their access to study abroad programs, but only a few schools really deserve the...