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    School Spotlight: Ohio University and the Honors Tutorial College
    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...
    To stay or not to stay on the waitlist. That is the question.
    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...
    School Spotlight: Carnegie Mellon University
    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...
    School Spotlight: University of Dayton
    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...
    School Spotlight: University of Pittsburgh
    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...
    School Spotlight: Colgate University
    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...
    Unpredictability is the Reality
    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...
    School Spotlight: NC State
    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...
    School Spotlight: Emerson College
    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...
    School Spotlight: University of Georgia
    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...
    School Spotlight: Allegheny College
    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...
    School Spotlight: University of Alabama
    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,...
    School Spotlight: William & Mary
    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...
    School Spotlight: Dickinson College
    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...
    A portfolio, not an autobiography
    Alison Merzel
    • Aug 5, 2021
    • 2 min

    A portfolio, not an autobiography

    The goal of the college application is to present a portfolio of your experiences, rather than an autobiography that shares all of the...
    School Spotlight: University of South Carolina
    Alison Merzel
    • Jul 29, 2021
    • 2 min

    School Spotlight: University of South Carolina

    With over 27,000 undergraduate students, University of South Carolina - Columbia is the largest university in the state. While its...
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