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It’s Not Just a Letter, It’s a Relationship: Overcoming the Anxiety of Asking for a Letter of Recommendation
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Category: Strategy
11 Apr
2019

It’s Not Just a Letter, It’s a Relationship: Overcoming the Anxiety of Asking for a Letter of Recommendation

  • April 11, 2019
  • Distinctive College Consulting
  • 4,264 views

By Robert Yates I recently spoke with a student who was unsure of how to ask a teacher for a letter of recommendation.   This anxiety is common, but it can be alleviated by understanding that the strongest letters of recommendation reflect a strong teacher-student relationship over time.When I said this, the student looked confused...

11 Feb
2019

Dissimulations, Half Truths, and Outright Lies

  • February 11, 2019
  • Distinctive College Consulting
  • 1,201 views

By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. There’s a new arms race, and you’re caught in the middle. It’s obviously no longer the Cold War. Instead, it’s the college admissions war. Nearly all colleges are vying for a top spot in the rankings, and part of rising up involves getting as many students to apply as possible...

10 Aug
2018

5 Steps to Mastering Any Admissions Interview

  • August 10, 2018
  • Distinctive College Consulting
  • 1,576 views

By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. Movies, like Mrs. Doubtfire, The Internship, Stepbrothers, and Good Will Hunting, play on our innate schadenfreude to turn stressful circumstances, like a bad interview, into comedic gold. An interviewer asks an impossible question, or an interviewee says something unbelievably ridiculous, and suddenly you’re shaking your head laughing at the poor..

23 May
2018

4 Tips on What To Do When Admissions Rates Drop

  • May 23, 2018
  • Distinctive College Consulting
  • 864 views

By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. Boston College, down 5 points to 27% BU, down 3 points to 22%. Emory, down 3.5 points to 18.5% Harvard, down .62 points to 4.58% Tulane, down 3.5 points to 17.5% UCLA, down 2.1 points to 14%. Virginia Tech, down 17.4 points to 56% Face it. These numbers don’t make..

17 Jul
2017

The Magical Admissions Gift – The Hook 2.0

  • July 17, 2017
  • Distinctive College Consulting
  • 2,634 views

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?..

30 Apr
2017

In College Admissions, Some Numbers Lie

  • April 30, 2017
  • Distinctive College Consulting
  • 739 views

By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. Numbers are supposed to be straightforward and easy to interpret. 2+2=4, 9>5, and a triangle’s angles always add up to 180 degrees. Yet, in the world of college admissions statistics, some numbers lie. Selective Colleges’ Early Rounds One of the biggest instances involves the country’s most selective colleges. I often..

01 Oct
2016

The Six Myths and Facts of Financial Aid

  • October 1, 2016
  • Distinctive College Consulting
  • 734 views

By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. Time and again, families cheat themselves out of money and admissions opportunities, for the simple reason that they don’t understand how financial aid works. Rather than keep your child out of a top choice institution or set yourself up for a late retirement, learn the facts, so that you can..

12 Apr
2016

What’s Your Diversity Quotient?

  • April 12, 2016
  • Distinctive College Consulting
  • 1,338 views

By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. Thanks to the U.S.’s contentious relationship with affirmative action, most Americans equate college admissions diversity with race. These days, however, diversity actually means so much more than you think. Did you know that your nationality, religious beliefs, gender identity, learning difference, geographic location, major choice, or socioeconomic background could gain..

17 Feb
2016

The Power of Positivity in College Admissions

  • February 17, 2016
  • Distinctive College Consulting
  • 1,037 views

By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. “The process is now out of my hands. I’m not going to bother checking in.” “My son is so lazy and stubborn. You’re going to have to work around that.” “Why even bother reaching out to colleges? Some of them don’t even track interest.” These are some of the statements..

22 Oct
2015

The Secret to College Admissions Success

  • October 22, 2015
  • Distinctive College Consulting
  • 1,017 views

By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. “Nobody reads anymore.” This lament is heard round the world, and perhaps most loudly in college admissions. While doing well in school and leading in extracurricular activities will undeniably help you get into an amazing college, reading is the real secret to success. “How can that be?” you might ask...