By – Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. Fall down seven times. Get up eight. – Japanese proverb. When I was 20, I thought I was invincible – until I broke my back. After poorly landing a back handspring and cracking my L1 vertebra, my life changed forever. But for the good! I spent a month home..
By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. Each year, more and more students are asking about how to get a summer internship. While these opportunities are frequently competitive, they’re worth shooting for if you’re genuinely serious about your academic and/or professional ambitions, and are aiming for a highly selective college. To help you figure out your options..
By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. A student recently asked me, “When are we getting to my essays?” She was clearly tired of discussing her activities. This wasn’t the first time I’ve heard this question, so I reassured her, “Soon.” She then raised a quizzical eyebrow. I realized I needed to explain further and continued, “Your..
By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. You’re probably like many students, who come to us agonizing over what are the “right” activities to do. You ask yourself, “Am I doing enough? Are my choices what colleges are looking for? Do I look well-rounded enough?” While you’re correct to assume that extracurricular activities play an important role..
By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. Everyone wants to know the secret of getting into a dream college. While there are several strategic decisions that everyone can make to enhance their chances, there are also several “magical gifts,” known as “hooks,” that can give some applicants a huge admissions boost. So, what are these magical gifts?..
By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. The article first appeared on Fox News on July 1, 2015. At 7:00 am, bleary-eyed and with a granola bar in hand, you race your 17-year-old Lacey to her crew practice. Once you’ve dropped her off, you swing by Whole Foods to grab something to cook for dinner, before speeding..
By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. Picking strong summer experiences is an essential part of the college preparation process. Schools want to enroll productive students, who enjoy taking on challenges and interesting projects even during the “vacation months”. So, what makes a great summer activity? The answer really depends on who you are! Here are a..
By Jon Perkins of www.essaywise.com The question today is how to write a better “activity essay.” The prompt usually looks like this: “Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences.” Here’s what most first drafts look like: Activity X is really important to me. First I did this. Then I did..
By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. If you’re one our nation’s rising seniors, you’re gearing up to apply to colleges over the next 12 months. The process seems daunting from the outset. Not only do you have several online application forms looming ahead of you, but you also have to: • prepare for and take standardized..