How Many College Essays Do You Have to Write?

This is a great question students never ask: “How many essays do I need to write when applying to college?” The answer is more than you think. On average, students write at least 20 college essays! Why is this? Almost…

How to Write a Winning Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide

Writing an essay can be daunting, but with the right approach, it can be a rewarding experience. Whether you’re a student or a professional, there are certain steps you can take to ensure that your essay is well-written and effective.…

How to Plan College Visits

By Jessica Chermak & Sawyer Earwood As Independent Educational Consultants and Certified Educational Planners, a major piece of our professional development is visiting colleges. When we go on college tours, we try to visit as many schools as possible and…

5 Ways to Spend Your Summer

5 Ways to Spend Your Summer

Planning your summer is important because it helps you set goals, create structure, explore new opportunities, avoid boredom and burnout, and prepare for the future. Without a plan, it can be easy to waste time or get stuck in a…

7 Reasons to Work With Kate

1. Unlimited hours. Many other consultants finalize in just a few drafts, but we’ll spend much more time than this because we understand that writing improves through many iterations. Plus, it takes time to identify precisely what you want to…

Epic List of Free Online Courses From the Ivies

Many Ivy League and other top-tier universities offer online classes to reach a wider audience. The best part is that many of these e-learning and development courses are free. My favorite Harvard University courses: Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and…

What Harvard’s Admissions Scandal Taught Me

Harvard admissions doesn’t appreciate applicants who are too techie or give off an arrogant vibe. It divides its applicant pool into “regular” and “special” groups. It actively scouts athletes, under-resourced students, and students from less-populated areas long before most teens…

Summer & Extracurricular Opportunities for 2022

If you’re a teenager aiming for a top college, believe it or not, it’s time to plan for summer. Competitive colleges expect much more than excellent grades and test scores. That means it’s essential for teens to develop their interests with…

How COVID-19 Will Impact College Admissions

If you have questions on how to proceed with the college admissions process, check out this resource I created: How to Make a Final College Decision in the Wake of a Pandemic The latest news: Yield and Admit Rates Are…