College Counseling with Avigail

2011 Wrap Up – Quiz Yourself on the Education Trends of the Year

Brick by Brick College Counseling — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:14:50 +0000

For those of you interested in trends in education, you’ll probably like this quiz. Catching up on my reading today, I stumbled upon this column in The Washington Post by Valerie Strauss called The Answer Sheet. In a entertaining quiz, she manages to help us review this last year in education. Do you know, for instance, how much training Teach for America recruits get before going out on their own to teach in high-poverty schools? (answer: 5 weeks – much, much less than I would have expected). I won’t spoil the rest of the questions for you, but I will encorage you to check the quiz out for yourselves! Click here to read her full post and to take the quiz.

“Playing the Game”

Brick by Brick College Counseling — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:49:37 +0000

I was glad the NYTimes wrote this piece all about a very impressive young woman, working hard to get into college. Nathaly Lopera is just one of thousands of students who is honing her skills, practicing, studying and pushing herself to always do more as she keeps her goal of going to college ahead of her. Two things especially struck me about Nathaly and I think that all high school students should be thoughtful about her example as they go through this process.

First, Nathaly relies on a huge amount of support from teachers, from counselors and from organizations that are working with students just like her to help her put her best foot forward. Lesson the first – no one can do this alone.* It is important that you bring your friends and family in to support you the best they can. Teachers are not only people who grade you, they are people who want to help you learn; people who will answer your questions and push you forward. Counselors can help to guide your college process and make sure that you keep the big picture in mind.

Second, that Nathaly is an impressive and powerful young woman who seems to take the metaphorical bull by the horns. She spends tons of time and energy and effort working on that goal of going to college. Lesson the second — focus and hard work are what pay off. Not complaints or self pity or mindless surfing on the internet. How much more could you do in a day if you kept your goals at the center of everything you do? You’ve come this far, clearly you’re capable of doing even more. Need a push? Remember our first lesson and pull someone in to give you a boost.

The title of the article was “Learning to Play the Game to Get Into College” and, sadly, there are times when applying to college feels like playing a game in the wrong way. We think about ways we can get a leg up by fudging here, cheating there and otherwise “gaming the system.” What if we thought of it as learning the rules of a game that we could get better at, like chess or tennis? Nathaly’s example can be a model for all of us. She has spent time learning the rules and is now practicing. Practice can be boring and even painful, but it is the only way we make progress. I think we can expect that Nathaly will have good news in a few months, once college decisions are released. Chances are that you will also if you apply yourself just as hard!

* Someone pointed out to me that this construction is highly unusual. I am borrowing the phrase “lesson the first” from one of my favorite teachers, Spike of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame. Wanna see for yourself? Check out one of the best episodes, Fool For Love, season 5, episode 7.

The Dish on Interviews

Brick by Brick College Counseling — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:11:21 +0000

This excellent article explains intervews and how they can factor into your admissions decision at different campuses. An interview is an opportunity to tell your own story in real time, to a real human being and so can be a powerful way of rounding out your application. Additionally, speaking to someone in person can be an important way of showing your interest to your favorite schools and a time to let yourself shine.

Making the numbers work for you: Early Decision

Brick by Brick College Counseling — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 09:42:55 +0000

This article by Steve Cohen helps to explain one of the easiest ways to boost your chances of getting into your top school — by applying early decision. If you are accepted you are “bound” to accept their offer so you have to take your application seriously, but the numbers Cohen lays out are too significant to ignore. Read the article yourself to fully understand what I’m talking about. This is one of those ways in which the early bird catches the worm.

Supporting you

Brick by Brick College Counseling — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 20:30:06 +0000

I do this work because I love being a part of a student’s journey of discovery.

As a counselor, I help students and their families as they make their way through the college application process. My advising can be as comprehensive as you need: planning for the school year, testing strategy, crafting college lists, writing and revising essays, preparing for interviews and creating effective applications.

To learn more or to book an appointment please fill out this form.