Category: High School College Counseling - Page 3

How to Find the Worst College for You

By Dr. Steven Mercer | May 15, 2019

I have worked with a lot of students over the years. And at the end of the admission process—as they look back through the ups and downs, the exciting times and the disappointments—most of them do not have a lot of regrets. Generally, these students have authentically gone through the… Read more Read More

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: 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

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

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

When Should You Start Applying to College?

By Dr. Steven Mercer | November 15, 2018

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 Read More

How Long Does It Take to Apply to College?

By Dr. Steven Mercer | November 1, 2018

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 Read More

GET STARTED