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    School Spotlight: Pennsylvania State University
    Alison Merzel
    • Feb 11, 2021
    • 2 min

    School Spotlight: Pennsylvania State University

    As a two-time alumna from Big 10 universities and someone from a family of Big 10 graduates, I happen to have a soft spot for schools in...
    High School Scheduling Advice
    Alison Merzel
    • Feb 9, 2021
    • 2 min

    High School Scheduling Advice

    Especially as a freshmen, it may seem premature to consider how your current course scheduling may impact college admissions. However, it...
    School Spotlight: Colorado College
    Alison Merzel
    • Feb 4, 2021
    • 2 min

    School Spotlight: Colorado College

    Are you a strong student looking for an intimate and personalized college experience? Do you have a passion for the great outdoors? Do...
    School Spotlight: Lafayette College
    Alison Merzel
    • Jan 28, 2021
    • 2 min

    School Spotlight: Lafayette College

    If you aren't familiar with Lafayette, you may just assume it is some college in Louisiana. In actuality, it is a very selective, private...
    Alison Merzel
    • Jan 22, 2021
    • 1 min

    4 Key Changes to Higher Ed under Biden Administration so far

    On his first day of office, President Biden took action to begin to reverse some of the harmful policies affecting higher education that...
    School Spotlight: University of Miami
    Alison Merzel
    • Jan 15, 2021
    • 2 min

    School Spotlight: University of Miami

    In January in Ohio, Miami probably sounds quite appealing to a lot of people. Beyond having a desirable winter climate and access to the...
    School Spotlight: Rhodes College
    Alison Merzel
    • Jan 6, 2021
    • 2 min

    School Spotlight: Rhodes College

    When you think of outstanding private liberal arts and sciences colleges, Rhodes may not be anywhere on your radar, but it should be....
    Alison Merzel
    • Dec 30, 2020
    • 2 min

    Upcoming changes to the FAFSA - What you need to know

    When Congress passed the most recent COVID-19 relief legislation, it included the FAFSA Simplification Act. While the 167 pages do...
    School Spotlight: University of Maryland
    Alison Merzel
    • Dec 29, 2020
    • 2 min

    School Spotlight: University of Maryland

    Fans of the Big Ten conference know that Maryland and Rutgers are the two most recent additions. Not a sports fan? UMD offers students...
    How College Admissions is Like Dating
    Alison Merzel
    • Dec 18, 2020
    • 2 min

    How College Admissions is Like Dating

    You know that old phrase, "It's not you, it's them?" You know you are a great catch - you have the brains, the athleticism, the artistic...
    Surprised to be deferred? This may explain why.
    Alison Merzel
    • Dec 16, 2020
    • 2 min

    Surprised to be deferred? This may explain why.

    In a previous post, I explained the difference in terminology between "defer"and "waitlist" - some schools use them interchangeably but...
    School Spotlight: University of Florida
    Alison Merzel
    • Dec 10, 2020
    • 2 min

    School Spotlight: University of Florida

    Last week I featured a California school, so this week we will move to the other side of the country and look at a Florida school. The...
    School Spotlight: UCSB
    Alison Merzel
    • Dec 4, 2020
    • 2 min

    School Spotlight: UCSB

    Each of the nine University of California campuses has its own personality and notable programs and resources. They are all highly...
    Alison Merzel
    • Dec 2, 2020
    • 3 min

    It's About Who You Are, Not What You Did

    I recently attended a conference session during which admissions officers at three selective institutions shared case studies of...
    School Spotlight: George Washington University
    Alison Merzel
    • Nov 19, 2020
    • 3 min

    School Spotlight: George Washington University

    Many students who think they want to study in our nation's capital naturally just add schools like GW, Georgetown, and American...
    Demonstrated Interest Decoded
    Alison Merzel
    • Nov 18, 2020
    • 2 min

    Demonstrated Interest Decoded

    You know how you google something and then all of a sudden you start seeing ads for the item showing up everywhere you go? Or even...
    School Spotlight: James Madison University
    Alison Merzel
    • Nov 9, 2020
    • 2 min

    School Spotlight: James Madison University

    JMU is a public research university in Harrisonburg, Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley. Over 90% of enrolled students are undergrads, so...
    School Spotlight: University of Dayton
    Alison Merzel
    • Oct 30, 2020
    • 2 min

    School Spotlight: University of Dayton

    University of Dayton is a mid-sized Catholic and Marianist university whose mission to "learn, lead and serve" is embodied throughout the...
    Tips for navigating college websites
    Alison Merzel
    • Oct 27, 2020
    • 2 min

    Tips for navigating college websites

    College and university websites should be a primary source of information as you research schools and try to evaluate whether you are...
    School Spotlight: Michigan State University
    Alison Merzel
    • Oct 22, 2020
    • 2 min

    School Spotlight: Michigan State University

    Today we are featuring another Big 10 school in that neighboring state to Ohio. Ohio residents looking for an economical alternative to...
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