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School Spotlight: Wittenberg University
Anyone driving east on 70 from Indianapolis, west from Columbus or north on 71 from Cincinnati would likely have come across signs for...

Alison Merzel
Oct 1, 20202 min read
Focus on the WHY and WHAT before the HOW
For many high school students, the mechanics of the college admissions process take shape before they have even given thought to why it...

Alison Merzel
Sep 25, 20202 min read
School Spotlight: Rose Hulman Institute of Technology
Last week the Ohio Association of College Admissions Counseling (OACAC) hosted several virtual sessions as part of their Virtual College...

Alison Merzel
Sep 22, 20202 min read
5 tips about the University of California application process
If you are interested in applying to any of the nine schools within the University of California system, you will use one application,...

Alison Merzel
Sep 16, 20202 min read
You know about AP and IB credit, but do you know about CLEP?
While most high school families are familiar with either AP and/or IB courses as pathways to college credit with passing exam/assessment...

Alison Merzel
Sep 15, 20201 min read
School Spotlight: Quinnipiac University
Some students are looking for a broad, liberal arts education while others are looking for a university that offers more of a...

Alison Merzel
Sep 10, 20202 min read


FAFSA vs. CSS Profile - what is the difference?
You have likely heard of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This is the paperwork you file starting October 1 each...

Alison Merzel
Sep 8, 20202 min read
School Spotlight: UCLA
Through a College Conversation organized through the IECA and open to only IECA members, I was able to hear from Gary Clark, Jr., the...

Alison Merzel
Sep 3, 20203 min read
School Spotlight: University of Denver
As the city of Denver has experienced tremendous population growth over the last decade (about 20%), so too has the interest in the...

Alison Merzel
Aug 27, 20202 min read


A Gap Year with College Credit
You have likely heard of a Gap Year by now if you hadn't before - with so many colleges and universities offering only remote...

Alison Merzel
Aug 26, 20202 min read
School Spotlight: Swarthmore College
Yesterday I had the chance to pop into the counselor preview virtual college fair hosted by the National Association of College...

Alison Merzel
Aug 20, 20202 min read
School Spotlight: Goucher College
If you follow my school spotlights, you know that I try to alternate between large and small schools, private and public schools, and...

Alison Merzel
Aug 12, 20202 min read


School Spotlight: UCONN
University of Connecticut is considered a top 25 public university in the nation. With 14 schools and colleges, 117 majors, 700+ student...

Alison Merzel
Aug 6, 20202 min read


When does "Optional" mean "Preferred"?
Earlier this spring, I wrote a post explaining that Test Optional is not Test Blind. As a result of continuous test center closures,...

Alison Merzel
Aug 3, 20202 min read


School Spotlight: Columbus State Community College
As a result of financial constraints, healthcare concerns, and social/emotional instability, many students are expected to turn to...

Alison Merzel
Jul 22, 20202 min read
School Spotlight: Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a medium-sized private school located in Bethlehem, PA, which is in the Lehigh Valley, the third most populous...

Alison Merzel
Jul 14, 20202 min read


College vs. university? Public vs. private? What is the difference anyways?
When most high school students begin thinking about colleges, their list typically begins with schools they have heard of - those their...

Alison Merzel
Jul 6, 20202 min read


School Spotlight: University of Colorado - Boulder
For students looking for a comprehensive R1 doctoral university, Division 1 sports, an interdisciplinary approach and a campus with...

Alison Merzel
Jul 1, 20202 min read


School Spotlight: Tufts University
You may be aware that Tufts is considered both a Tier 1 research institution and a liberal arts college, but did you also know that you...

Alison Merzel
Jun 23, 20202 min read
In honor of #Juneteenth
In commemoration of the proclamation of the emancipation of slavery, I wanted to share some interesting historical facts about African...

Alison Merzel
Jun 19, 20201 min read
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