The Strategic Collegiate

C ollege admissions essays can be difficult to write, as you have to stand out for the right reasons, usually have limited experience as a high school student, and feel pressured to know your entire life trajectory. College admissions essay prompts are getting more and more individualized, meaning each essay has to be more unique. The common application posts its prompts every year at https://www.commonapp.org/apply/essay-prompts and this year's include the following:   " 1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, please share your story. 2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? ...

  S o you've been accepted to a college and made the decision to attend. Now what? Registering for your first semester will be different in some ways than in future semesters, but some things are true no matter what. Keep reading for tips to help you pick the right classes and get on the right track!      During your summer orientation, you'll go through some variation of this: You attend presentations, go on group tours and do ice breakers in small groups, then you'll be broken up by department then by major, given a little advice, then put in a room full of computers to register, with maybe one administrator in the room for technical difficulties. At this point, you have in front of you a list of recommended classes and a course search to pick between teachers and times. You're also, as a freshman, in the very last group of people to register and therefore some classes will have filled up, though there should be plenty of slots for core classes.     If yo...

  S earching for college can be a difficult hurdle by itself. When I began this process in my senior year, I barely had any idea of what major I wanted, let alone where in the country to look at. Choosing colleges to apply to and attend consists of a series of important decisions.     There are three general areas you'll want to consider to choose where to apply and attend: Location Price Program Quality  LOCATION     You may have a specific location in mind, or you may have no idea and feel overwhelmed by choice. Either way, there are several location considerations to make. First, you may want to stay close - but not too close - to family. When it comes to moving in and out every year and visiting for weekends and holidays, it's much more convenient to live about an hour to five hours away from family - whether your parents, grandparents, or aunt and uncle. Another very important location consideration that you may not be thinking about yet - I know I was...