Blog – Page 6 – Dr. Steven Mercer

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Myths About Extracurricular Activities – Part 1

July 15, 2018October 10, 2018

two competing lacrosse players in action

Extracurricular activities can certainly be fun and educational at the same time. Some people, though, seem to think these activities possess some sort of extraordinarily miraculous powers when it comes to college applications. They do not. Nevertheless, throughout my years as an admission officer and independent educational consultant, I have… Read more

The Rigor of Your Curriculum: What Level of Difficulty Is Enough?

July 1, 2018October 10, 2018

The rigor—or difficulty—of the classes you take in high school (honors, AP, or International Baccalaureate) is a crucial piece of information colleges use to make admission decisions. In fact, rigor is one of the top three most important factors that college admission officers regularly consider. The annual State of College… Read more

Why Start College Counseling Early?

June 15, 2018October 10, 2018

“Early” is a somewhat relative term. For some, starting college counseling early means one week before the application deadline. For others, a year or even earlier in advance. What I mean by “early” when it comes to the college counseling process is considering college requirements at the very beginning of… Read more

The Different Flavors of Standardized Tests

June 1, 2018July 17, 2018

When most people hear the expression “standardized tests” they automatically think of the SAT and ACT exams. The simple reason is that those are the two most prominent standardized tests almost everyone who is applying to college has to think about. However, they are by far not the only tests… Read more

How Do You Really Know a College Is the Right One for YOU?

May 15, 2018July 17, 2018

“That is easy,” some may say in response, “I can tell you a lot of information about a college.” What they usually mean is that they can give you statistics about a specific college, such as its location or history, and information about its faculty or the admission process. With… Read more

Advice to Parents: How Not to Be Involved in Your Child’s College Application Process

May 1, 2018July 17, 2018

In my last blog post, “Advice for Parents: How to Be Involved in Your Child’s College Application Process,” I have discussed what parents can do to be involved in this important process the best way. In this post, I will talk about what not to do and why. … Read more

Advice to Parents: How to Be Involved in Your Child’s College Application Process

April 15, 2018July 17, 2018

For families, the process of children applying to college is not always easy. Naturally, parents want to be involved because there is a lot at stake. But children may not always perceive a parent or guardian’s involvement in a positive light. As a result, conversations at home about college can… Read more

Undecided Is Normal!

April 1, 2018July 17, 2018

In the United States, there is a tendency among some high school students to think that they must focus on committing to a major before they apply to a college. For most undergraduates, forcing the choice of a major that is connected to a chosen career path, before they even… Read more

College Application Essay: The Biggest Mistake You Can Make and How to Avoid It

March 15, 2018March 12, 2018

The importance of writing an authentic college application essay CANNOT be underestimated! The biggest mistake students make in this instance is submitting an essay that is not or does not sound like it was written by a high school senior.… Read more

Building a College List: 4 Common Mistakes

March 1, 2018February 24, 2018

Choosing a college is a highly individualized process. It is also a decision that deserves time, investigation, and thoughtful consideration. Deciding which colleges to actually apply to is one of the most important parts of this process. Many students make mistakes when they compile their list of colleges because they… Read more

Extracurricular Activities: The Different Roles They Play for First-Year vs. Transfer College Applicants

February 15, 2018March 24, 2018

Most high schools provide a plethora of extracurricular activities for their students. Exposure to a wide range of such special interests—sports, drama, dance, painting, singing, scouts, volunteer work, debating, etc.—brings many benefits. It can help you develop new skills, discover talents, and even assess possible careers for your future. As… Read more

Horizontal Transfer – Should You Switch to Another Four-Year School?

February 1, 2018March 12, 2018

College is often the first time that students are living away from home, and it can be surprisingly hard for many. Consequently, some decide very early in their college career to transfer to another four-year school. This type of transfer is usually referred to as a “horizontal” transfer because the… Read more

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Visit Early and Visit Often

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

How to Apply to College With No Volunteer Hours

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

The End of Standardized Testing: Has the Time Come?

In the world of college admissions, few things change frequently. Except in one area—standardized testing* requirements for admission. It has been my observation that, in the last 5 to 7 years, standardized testing requirements have seen the highest rate of change for a significant number of colleges and universities in… Read more

When Should You Start Applying to College?

The short answer is… as soon as you begin high school. Now, that does not mean that you would actually be filling out applications at that moment or preparing any of your application essays. But what it does mean is that, as soon as you start high school, you have… Read more

How Long Does It Take to Apply to College?

The short answer to that question is… longer than you think. Ultimately, it does not just take weeks or month—it takes years. The answer really depends on what part of the application process you are working on. To clarify, let me break down the timing.… Read more

The Crucial Elements of a Great Personal Statement – Part 2

Remember that quote from my post “The Crucial Elements of a Great Personal Statement – Part 1”? I can only echo the words of the famous novelist Elmore Leonard once again for part two of this subject: “If it sounds like writing, rewrite it!” In that last post, we applied… Read more

The Crucial Elements of a Great Personal Statement – Part 1

As I have noted in my blog post, “Personal Statements for Mere Mortals,” many colleges require a unique essay—usually 500-650 words-long—as part of the admission process. As a former admission officer and high school college counselor, and now as an Independent Educational Consultant, I have read, edited, and helped students… Read more

The Best and the Worst Letters of Recommendation I Have Ever Read

As a former college admission officer, I was at the receiving end of hundreds of letters of recommendation. And, obviously, as a college counselor and independent educational consultant, I frequently talk with students about their letters of recommendation. I have seen good ones, bad ones, and anything in between. For… Read more

Transparency Is Key for Transfer Students

Transparency is fundamental for college applications. When you apply as a transfer student, there are two areas in which you must be transparent, honestly and clearly disclosing information: Your past Your future.… Read more

two girl with "volunteer" tee shirts taking a selfie

Myths About Extracurricular Activities – Part 2 (Summer Activities)

In my last post, I talked about some of the misconceptions about extracurricular activities in general and the place they have in your education and college application. In this article, I will address summer extracurricular activities in particular. Summertime—when most students are off school—provides you with an abundance of free… Read more

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