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    Alison Merzel
    • Dec 10, 2019
    • 2 min

    School Spotlight on the Spartans

    While Michigan State University isn't technically a "lesser known" school, it also isn't necessarily top of mind as a Big 10 choice for...
    Alison Merzel
    • Dec 4, 2019
    • 2 min

    Give them some space

    When my kindergartener starts to feel overstimulated and her siblings are in her face, she loudly yells, "Give me some space!" While we...
    A Buckeye Butterball
    Alison Merzel
    • Nov 26, 2019
    • 1 min

    A Buckeye Butterball

    While The Ohio State Buckeyes have many traditions, did you know that one of the largest is their annual Thanksgiving dinner, which is...
    School Spotlight: Kenyon College
    Alison Merzel
    • Nov 19, 2019
    • 2 min

    School Spotlight: Kenyon College

    Looking for a terrific school that is not too far from Columbus but feels like a world away? Consider another "Hidden Ivy," Kenyon...
    Take the time to document your college visits
    Alison Merzel
    • Nov 18, 2019
    • 3 min

    Take the time to document your college visits

    Throughout the college application process, you are going to be considering many factors -selectivity/potential for admission,...
    Dear Admissions Representative
    Alison Merzel
    • Nov 1, 2019
    • 2 min

    Dear Admissions Representative

    You hit the "submit" button and you receive your Congratulations message, acknowledging completion of your application. You stare at the...
    CSI: Campus Visit
    Alison Merzel
    • Oct 23, 2019
    • 1 min

    CSI: Campus Visit

    No, not CSI as in Crime Scene Investigation, but College Scene Investigation. The Campus Visit is indeed an investigation of a particular...
    Test optional admissions - an inside perspective
    Alison Merzel
    • Oct 17, 2019
    • 3 min

    Test optional admissions - an inside perspective

    As a former Director of MBA Admissions, I have reviewed thousands of applications. The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) was...
    Colleges That Change Lives (and ones you may not have heard of!)
    Alison Merzel
    • Oct 7, 2019
    • 2 min

    Colleges That Change Lives (and ones you may not have heard of!)

    A retired New York Times editor and journalist by the name of Loren Pope published a book in the late 90's called Colleges That Change...
    The sticker price isn't what you will pay
    Alison Merzel
    • Oct 2, 2019
    • 2 min

    The sticker price isn't what you will pay

    When you shop for a car, you typically don't walk blindly into a car dealership, tell the salesperson which car you want, and walk out...
    School Spotlight #2: University of Vermont
    Alison Merzel
    • Sep 25, 2019
    • 1 min

    School Spotlight #2: University of Vermont

    Last week I highlighted a private liberal arts university in Ohio, so this week I am going to provide some interesting information about...
    The Alphabet Soup of Deadlines - ED, EA, RD - WTH?
    Alison Merzel
    • Sep 24, 2019
    • 2 min

    The Alphabet Soup of Deadlines - ED, EA, RD - WTH?

    As if the college admissions process isn't overwhelming enough, a dictionary of acronyms and abbreviations is required to translate much...
    Alison Merzel
    • Sep 17, 2019
    • 2 min

    School Spotlight Series - Expanding Your Knowledge

    I find that when I first ask high school students about the schools they are considering, they often name schools that are familiar to...
    ACT, SAT... OMG!
    Alison Merzel
    • Sep 11, 2019
    • 1 min

    ACT, SAT... OMG!

    ACT or SAT – Does it matter which one I take? Back when I was applying to college, it seemed that certain schools preferred one test over...
    4 great ways to visit colleges in the fall
    Alison Merzel
    • Sep 6, 2019
    • 2 min

    4 great ways to visit colleges in the fall

    As you are researching potential colleges and trying to evaluate which ones are the best fit, you will want to get as much firsthand...
    Look in the mirror
    Alison Merzel
    • Sep 6, 2019
    • 1 min

    Look in the mirror

    For some students, the idea of applying to college is super exciting - maybe you picture yourself cheering for your team among thousands...
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