Blog – Dr. Steven Mercer

Blog

Your Early Decision Denial Isn’t About Your Essay

January 13, 2026January 8, 2026

Every year, after early decision results come out, my phone starts ringing off the hook. Students and families who just received their first major rejection are searching for answers. They’re convinced something went terribly wrong with their application and ask: “Was my personal statement too personal?” “Should I have been… Read more

Understanding the Four Learning Modes (Part 4) – Is Your Student an Explorer?

December 26, 2025

After looking at Passenger, Achiever, and Resister modes, we arrive at the final part of my four-part series examining the learning modes identified in “The Disengaged Teen” by Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop, and how these affect college admission – featuring the Explorer Mode. Explorers are students “driven by internal… Read more

Understanding the Four Learning Modes (Part 3) – Is Your Student a Resister?

December 8, 2025December 2, 2025

“My grades were terrible during my freshman and sophomore years. I’ve ruined my chances at any good college, haven’t I?” I hear this question frequently, usually from students who’ve been labeled as “difficult,” “unmotivated,” or “not working up to their potential.” These are students in what Jenny Anderson and Rebecca… Read more

Understanding the Four Learning Modes (Part 2) – Is Your Student an Achiever?

November 24, 2025November 12, 2025

In the second part of this series—examining the learning modes identified in “The Disengaged Teen” by Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop: Passenger, Achiever, Resister, and Explorer—we’ll look at the Achiever and how this mode affects college admission. The Dangerous Misconception of an Achiever The student sitting across from me had… Read more

Understanding the Four Learning Modes (Part 1) – Is Your Student a Passenger?

November 10, 2025November 11, 2025

I recently read a book on teens that I found very compelling, and I knew right away that I wanted to use it to explore how I work with students. It’s called “The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better” by award-winning journalist Jenny Anderson and… Read more

Stop Chasing Status Symbols: Why Earned Prestige Matters More in College Admissions

October 26, 2025

In my years as a college admission counselor, I’ve noticed a troubling pattern among students and their families: the trophy collection mentality. They approach the college application process like they’re building a trophy case, collecting prestigious activities, brand-name summer programs, and impressive-sounding titles to display for admission officers. Parents proudly… Read more

The Hard Truth About “Impossible” Schools: When Reach Becomes Fantasy

September 30, 2025September 24, 2025

After two decades of college counseling, I’ve had countless conversations with students about building balanced college lists. Most understand the importance of applying to a mix of high-, medium-, and low-chance schools. They’re clear-headed about what “reach schools” really means—that admission is more likely than not to result in denial—yet… Read more

Authentic Excellence: Why Finding Your True Interests Trumps “College Resume Building”

September 16, 2025

In my years as a college admission counselor, I’ve witnessed countless high school students approach my office with the same worried expression. They present meticulously crafted lists of extracurricular activities—often an impressive but exhausting array of clubs, volunteer positions, and leadership roles. And then comes the inevitable question: “Is this… Read more

“I’ve Never Heard of It, So It Can’t Be Good” – Why Overlooking ‘Unknown’ Colleges Could Be a Mistake

August 26, 2025

After more than 20 years as a college admission counselor, I’ve heard countless variations of the same disconcerting refrain from students and families. “My dad won’t let me apply to that college because he’s never heard of it,” or “I haven’t heard of those schools you suggested, so they couldn’t… Read more

The Hidden Purpose: What Is the Purpose of College Counseling? A Partnership for Authentic Growth

July 30, 2025August 10, 2025

Many families approach college counseling with the misconception that an advisor’s role is to simply tell the student what to do to gain admission to a “better” college than they could if they were to apply on their own: Which extracurriculars will give them an edge? Which colleges should they… Read more

The Hidden Purpose: What is the Purpose of Going to High School? More Than College Preparation

July 3, 2025

Many families approach me with a singular focus when their children enter high school: “What does my child need to do to get into a prestigious college?” This mindset views high school exclusively as a stepping stone—a means to an end rather than a meaningful chapter in their child’s development.… Read more

The Hidden Purpose: What is the Purpose of Going to College? Beyond Job Training and Rankings

June 11, 2025August 14, 2025

When families sit down in my office to discuss college planning, I often notice subtle but important differences in how they view the purpose of higher education. Many arrive with firmly held beliefs that college is primarily job training, that it’s an investment with a measurable ROI, or that attending… Read more

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