Posts By: Laura Wilson

Tick tock, tick tock ….the ACT Reading Section is extremely time-sensitive.  Literally a race against the clock.   The problem is rooted in the fact that the questions are presented in a random order and students have trouble locating the very specific information asked within the question.  If students stay within their comfort zone and do… Read more »

College applications can get out of control. Deadlines, transcripts, fees, essays, recommendations – yikes! Follow the steps below to stay organized and anxiety-free! 1. Choose Your Schools Make a list of all schools you are considering.  Remember to consider “off-the-path” schools that are academically suitable for you but that are not necessarily “big name” schools. … Read more »

When they’re born, you dream that one day they’ll be a great scientist, take over the family business, or become the President of the United States. When they’re four, they dream that they’ll become ballerinas, professional baseball players, or toy-store owners. By grade school the dreams morph into firefighters, policemen, doctors, and lawyers, and by… Read more »

Profile of a Strategic Reader Some people think that to do well on the SAT verbal you have to be some profound literary prodigy, when in reality, all you have to do is learn to read strategically.  A strategic reader doesn’t necessarily have to the smartest person, but this type of reader will power through… Read more »

Think you know everything there is to know about the SAT? Prove it! There’s more to this test than you would think. 1. Which of the following statement(s) is/are true? The SAT is an intelligence test. You can’t possibly study for the SAT. The SAT is written by geniuses. A. I only B. III only… Read more »

Tips for Surviving Junior Year Junior year can seem scary if you don’t know what’s ahead. Use these tips to help navigate (and thrive) through this crucial year of high school! 1. Take practice SATs and ACTs. The best advice I have for taking the SATs is practice. Becoming familiar with the test is the… Read more »

Senior Year College Checklist Phew. You survived junior year. The stress, the APs, the SATs, the ACTs, hours on end of studying—you did it all.  So now’s the time to relax, you’re done! High school is basically over, right? Almost. There are a few important things you need to do to ensure that the college… Read more »

It happened again. Almost every year I have an amazing student who doesn’t get into any of his top college choices. This is a student who scored a 2300 on his SATs, has close to a 4.0 average, went on community service trips to build homes in Ecuador, volunteered at a children’s center and played… Read more »

College visits can be intimidating and overwhelming. However, if you come prepared, these visits can be a decisive factor in making college decisions. Here are some tips for taking advantage of your trip: 1. Show interest and learn about a school by ASKING QUESTIONS. Find out about internships, research opportunities, and graduate career paths. Prepare… Read more »

Have you ever seen a model strut down the catwalk in a plain white tee shirt and comfy jeans? I didn’t think so. Boring outfits simply aren’t worth watching. Essay writing may not require long legs and lots of makeup, but it does benefit from the same cutting-edge “wow factor”. And the best way to… Read more »