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Yes, Senior Year Matters! Choosing Senior Year Classes
It’s junior year and you are in the middle of a grueling second semester: a full schedule filled with AP and Honors courses, clubs an d...
jdhjdhirsch
Mar 18, 20252 min read


Top College Admissions Trends for 2025: What You Need to Know
The college admissions landscape is constantly evolving, and for students applying in 2025, there are several key trends to be aware of....
jdhjdhirsch
Feb 8, 20253 min read


Pre-College Summer Programs -- Free Resources
Summertime offers the ideal chance for students to engage in enrichment activities. Many colleges provide pre-college summer programs,...
jdhjdhirsch
Jan 28, 20241 min read


Navigating the Shift: The Impact of AI on College Applications
In the ever-evolving landscape of college admissions, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is beginning to reshape how prospective students...
jdhjdhirsch
Dec 7, 20232 min read


Surprised You Got Denied? Show Me the Essays.
This past week, a colleague of mine mentioned hearing the various murmurings of parents, students - and Facebook - surprised by this...
jdhjdhirsch
Apr 30, 20233 min read


The Fear (of Not Getting In)
Beginning in April of each school year, I sit down with my juniors for their first official college meetings. However, before they step...
jdhjdhirsch
Apr 11, 20233 min read


I Don’t Care About Harvard or Yale and Neither Should You
Before I start, let me be completely transparent. I am privileged. I am a white male who grew up decidedly middle class. I went to...
jdhjdhirsch
Jan 30, 20233 min read


Demonstrated Interest + the State of College Admissions 2022
As a high school counselor here in Westchester County and owner of a college counseling business, I continue to get a lot of questions...
jdhjdhirsch
Jan 5, 20223 min read


Do Away With the SAT/ACT – For Good
Much has been made about the state of standardized testing and its role in college admissions. For years, the College Board (SAT) and the...
jdhjdhirsch
Mar 20, 20213 min read


The College Landscape: Now and Beyond
As a high school counselor here in Westchester County and owner of a college counseling business, I have been getting a lot of questions...
jdhjdhirsch
Jan 18, 20212 min read


Why I'm Loving Early Decision II
It’s that time of year for many students – less than two weeks away from them sending out their Early Decision application to their...
jdhjdhirsch
Oct 21, 20204 min read


Your Grandmother is Lovely
My first favorite thing about working with our College Starter students is when I open my email in late spring to an excited message...
paultaylorfiver
May 15, 20203 min read


Basic College Timeline: Spring 10th – Spring 12th
Spring Sophomore Year 1. Schedule a time to meet with your counselor. Although counselors are usually very busy working with senior and...
jdhjdhirsch
Dec 2, 20192 min read


Digging Deeper: Key (Less Obvious) Differences Between the SAT and ACT
By Celina Petterson Many of my prospective clients ask me, “Should my son/daughter take the SAT or the ACT?” It’s the $100,000 question...
jdhjdhirsch
Oct 22, 20193 min read


IS YOUR CHILD READY FOR COLLEGE?
So your child is preparing for college this fall... Congratulations!! I know you had a long road to get here. The last two years, in...
jdhjdhirsch
Aug 5, 20194 min read


Does the High School You Attend Matter to Colleges? (And Other Juicy Nuggets That Factor into Colleg
Back in November, the ever-important 2018 State of College Admission report from the National Admissions for College Admissions...
jdhjdhirsch
Jun 11, 20193 min read


The Fear (of Not Getting In)
Beginning in April of each school year, I sit down with my juniors for their first official college meetings. However, before they step...
jdhjdhirsch
Apr 28, 20193 min read


Pay close attention to a college’s Retention Rate.
Why? Think about this: What can we infer about the general satisfaction of its student body if a college’s retention rate is 40%? Hint:...
jdhjdhirsch
Feb 2, 20192 min read


I’ve been deferred, now what?
Getting deferred from one of your top-choice colleges can be deflating, but all is not lost, you are still very much in the game! Take...
jdhjdhirsch
Jan 16, 20192 min read


The Common Application Goes Live August 1!
… But that doesn’t mean that you have to wait to begin filling it out! The Common Application rollover allows students to begin answering...
jdhjdhirsch
Jul 15, 20181 min read
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