Posts by Dr. Steven Mercer
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
An “Optional” College Application Requirement—Is It Really Optional?
One of the qualities of undergraduate education in the United States I appreciate is that our system of higher education is a marketplace of different college options.
The beauty of this system is that there are many opportunities to find colleges that fit an individual student’s needs and interests. For… Read more Read More
Applying to College as an Introvert: Letter of Recommendation
This is my third post addressing the college admissions process for introverts. The last two posts in this series addressed extracurricular activities and the admissions interview.
Let’s now turn to the letter of recommendation.
As an introvert myself, I’ve had to ask many people to write letters of recommendation for… Read more Read More
Applying to College as an Introvert: Admission Interview
As I mentioned in my last post, “Applying to College as an Introvert: Extracurricular Activities,” introverted students sometimes feel that they are disadvantaged in the college application process, especially where extracurricular activities are concerned.
In this post, I would like to discuss how to approach admissions office interviews.
A Heads-Up… Read more Read More
Applying to College as an Introvert: Extracurricular Activities
Recently, I was sitting across the desk from a parent and student whose transcript was filled with excellent grades and rigorous courses. The student enjoyed school and had SAT scores that were well above average.
As I’ve written about in many other blog posts, grades, academic rigor, and standardized test… Read more Read More
The Three Most Important Things to Consider When Applying to College – Redux
As an experienced college admission counselor, I think about applying to college all the time!
In my blogs, I have listed many of the “most important things to consider”—probably too many times. I also visit a lot of colleges, as often as I can. A recent visit to Depauw University… Read more Read More
How Can You Apply to College If Your Room Is a Mess?
When I was in elementary school, I had an extraordinary opportunity to attend a sleepaway camp that specialized in competitive downhill snow skiing. The coaches were some of the most accomplished ski racers in Europe and the United States.
While I have the fondest memories of spending time on the… Read more Read More
The Third Rule of Applying to College
The Second Rule of Applying to College
In my previous post, I wrote about “The First Rule of Applying to College”: getting enough sleep. This rule puts a premium on finding the balance between pursuing admission to desirable colleges and maintaining one’s mental and physical health.
Pushing oneself to extremes where sleep, well-being, and mental or physical… Read more Read More