Posts By: Melissa Slive

Vocational education is making a comeback – not as a fallback option for high school dropouts but as a means of boosting the economy. These schools simulate workplaces, from time cards, promotion opportunities, to random drug testing. Administrators believe that this structure will get future employers to take technical students as serious, competitive applicants. This… Read more »

The beginning of college is a stressful time: students have to adapt to new teaching styles, social groups, and extra-curricular activities. Freshmen especially feel the pressure to gush about how much they love their new classes, friends, and experiences when in fact the pressure to excel in all these fields may be paralyzing. Some students… Read more »

The ACT is coming up. You think you’re ready. You’ve studied well, sharpened your pencils, and set three alarm clocks just to make sure you don’t oversleep. What could possibly go wrong? Just to give you an idea, here’s an email that I received from a student after the ACT: “Not to be a downer… Read more »

After you’ve finished your education, what path through life should you take? This is a question all are faced with when seeking their first job after graduation. Armed with the generic advice “follow your passion,” many students feel lost or unsure of their direction. This article discusses the steps graduates should take when building their… Read more »

Growing up, we were often told to “broaden our horizons” by getting involved in many different activities and areas of study. The goal was to appear “well-rounded” on any application or resume. Many still feel that this is the best way to prepare for the future. However, today’s employers prefer a more passionate and focused… Read more »

Put on your lab coat, safety glasses, and thinking cap! Success on the ACT science section calls for science savvy and a strategic approach. Below are the strategies to help you get those Eureka! moments. In order to maximize your time and score, you want to spend your time on the quickest questions first. Remember… Read more »

How much should our past mistakes affect our future? For those with criminal records, past decisions seemingly affect every aspect of life, from housing to jobs and even to applying to schools. Colleges have a history of asking prospective students to disclose their criminal history on their applications. But now many are questioning if this… Read more »

Good news! You all get a quiz this week. I was a high school teacher years ago, and the following is a grammar test I used to give my students. This passage reflects the mechanics questions on the SAT and ACT. Put your thinking cap on (it’s stylish, I promise!) and experience what it’s like to… Read more »

There are an unlimited amount of activities and classes that can fill out a student’s college application. Many worry that no matter how many boxes they check off, it won’t be enough. Colleges have always preached depth over breadth, but the real changes in the approach to applying to college may have to come from… Read more »

As your mother always told you, “If you put in the time and effort, you will see results.” And, this is the philosophy many of us tell our children today. Unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple! Current research shows that your mother was wrong: BETTER practice, as opposed to MORE practice, leads to success. You… Read more »