Posts by Dr. Steven Mercer
The Ninth Rule of Applying to College: Having the Right Mindset
The Eighth Rule Applying to College: Stop Listening to the Monkey!
There is a deafening “noise”—online, in social circles, or in classrooms—about the “best” college, “best” SAT tutor, the correct number of AP classes to take, secret strategies to make it easier to get into a “better” college, and the “best” and “worst” majors. It is hard to ignore the steady… Read more Read More
The 10th Grade Standardized Testing Dilemma
For high school students nearing the end of 10th grade, right now is a challenging time to figure out what to do about their standardized test plan for college applications.
There’s been a tidal wave of test-optional policies implemented by colleges across the United States. Some colleges have done away… Read more Read More
The Seventh Rule of Applying to College: Stockdale’s Paradox
If you read my previous post, “The Sixth Rule of Applying to College,” you might think it’s not worth applying to a college with a very low admit rate because, statistically, you’ll never get in. You may even think, “Why bother applying to any college since the statistics are stacked… Read more Read More
The Sixth Rule of Applying to College: You Are Not the Exception
Star Wars vs The Office – How to Choose the Topic for Your Personal Statement
One of the most challenging aspects of writing the personal statement is getting started.
Many students struggle with choosing a topic due to myths about what “the best” personal statement topic sounds like. And I find they often get stuck because they believe the falsehood that you must land on… Read more Read More
The Fifth Rule of Applying to College: You Cannot Drive with the Parking Brake On
I often remind students that they need to be realistic about their chances of admission to highly selective schools and resist the trap of believing they must get into one particular college (see “The Fourth Rule of Applying to College”). However, if a student is still determined to apply to… Read more Read More
The Fourth Rule of Applying to College
College admission is not a zero-sum game.
Shortly before admission decisions were expected to hit inboxes, the parents of a student I had been working with through the arduous process of applying to college asked to meet with me alone.
When they came into my office, they sat down with… Read more Read More
Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Ruined Your High School Junior’s College Admission Process?
As I wrote in my previous post (“Has the World of College Admission Changed Forever?”) about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the college admission for students that are nearing the end of the admission journey, my advice to high school juniors who are just beginning the application process… Read more Read More
Has the World of College Admission Changed Forever?
In between watching another breaking news alert, responding to emails, staying in touch with students, family, and friends through Zoom, and taking the dog for another long walk, I am getting a lot of questions from worried students and families about how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact their college admission… Read more Read More