Author: Dr. Steven Mercer - Page 6

Can You Game the Admission System?

By Dr. Steven Mercer | May 1, 2019

You may have seen recent news about a vast college admission scandal in the United States. Charges included such things as bribery, conspiracy, cheating, fraud, etc. and involved a wide range of people at several colleges, but also parents. I could not help but think about how these kinds of… Read more Read More

“I Do Not Care Which College You Get Into”

By Dr. Steven Mercer | April 15, 2019

Coming from someone who helps students apply to college for a living, the title of this post should be quite shocking. The truth is, I care deeply about all aspects of applying to college from the very first steps to the very last. But, during more than two decades of… Read more Read More

Does It Really Take a Village?

By Dr. Steven Mercer | April 1, 2019

As an Independent Educational Consultant in private practice, I work with distinct types of clients. Some, after signing up to work together, proudly announce: “We are so happy to welcome you to our team! We already have an SAT tutor and tutors for all three AP classes. Also, we found… Read more Read More

Advice to Parents: Helping Your Student If You Notice Signs of Application Stress

By Dr. Steven Mercer | March 15, 2019

In my last post, “Advice to Parents: Keeping an Eye on the Emotional Well-Being of Your Student,” I talked about the symptoms of college application stress on students. I also noted that, while some symptoms are fairly normal, other symptoms are more serious. Thus, a parent may want to consider… Read more Read More

Advice to Parents: Keeping an Eye on the Emotional Well-Being of Your Student

By Dr. Steven Mercer | March 1, 2019

Applying to college can be a very stressful process. Stress, in general—but especially consistent high levels of stress—can have an impact on a student’s brain functions, emotional well-being, and physical health. However, the outward signs that your student’s health may be negatively impacted by stress are not always easy to… Read more Read More

My Biggest Regret When I Applied to College

By Dr. Steven Mercer | February 15, 2019

Like a lot of students I work with, I applied to college right out of high school. I was fortunate to be admitted to a place that really fit me, and I was excited to go. College was a great experience for me in many ways. However, in retrospect, there… Read more Read More

“Why Us?” – The Hardest Application Essay You Will Have to Write

By Dr. Steven Mercer | February 1, 2019

Many colleges, especially well-known or highly-selective colleges, request several different essays from applicants. Of those, one of the most important you will have to write is an essay that asks: “Why do you want to go to our college?” Highly-selective colleges are popular and receive a lot of applications from… Read more Read More

Are You Making Your College Counselor Cringe?

By Dr. Steven Mercer | January 15, 2019

As an Independent Educational Consultant, I provide expert guidance to support each individual student in their journey through the college admission process. To accomplish this, I am dedicated to helping students (and their families) set educational goals, organize their time, put a plan into action, and overcome any obstacles that… Read more Read More

Visit Early and Visit Often

By Dr. Steven Mercer | January 1, 2019

Of all the steps involved in applying to colleges in a thorough and thoughtful way, perhaps visiting colleges is the most important. In fact, it is never too early to visit a college. Though, it is not a race by any means either. It is not about trying to beat… Read more Read More

How to Apply to College With No Volunteer Hours

By Dr. Steven Mercer | December 15, 2018

A student walks into my office and says: “I am in big trouble. I need a lot of help with my college application. My biggest problem is that I have very few volunteer hours and hardly any community service. What do I do? Where can I go? Can you sign… Read more Read More

Posts by Dr. Steven Mercer