A newsletter about the crazy world of college admissions, sprinkled with analysis, empathy, and advice.
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After taking a little time off of Substack for personal reasons, I’m happy to say that I’m back, collaborating with my colleague, Lynda Doepker, to create the same kind of content over at The College Admissons Collective Substack. I hope you’ll join us there!
I empathize with all the kids out there who can’t start on their personal essays, I really do. For the last few months, I’ve been in their shoes.
I am not going to pretend that I understand the complexities of the Middle East, or that I understand how universities invest their endowments. What I do want to point out is that the current protest movement among college students, and their commitment to it, was inevitable. Let’s think about what’s happened in the lives of these 18-25-year-olds, shall we?
The concept of branding has invaded our culture. Not only do brands have brands, but people, including students, are encouraged to promote their “personal brand”. Soon my dog will probably start working on one–his brand will probably be “well-behaved but quirky” so he gets more treats, although his behavior will undoubtedly remain problematic despite his campaign.
My daughter is currently in the hospital, which is where I’m writing this post.
When I went to tour McGill last summer with my two kids, ages 15 and 11, I had two very different experiences.
Navigating the college admissions process is complicated, and I feel it’s on the organizational level of planning an invasion of a small country. Here are some ways to make it slightly more efficient and less stressful.
I have a wonderful friend, who has a wonderful son.
Anxiety is a useful emotion. Evolution-wise, it lets us perceive and respond to danger. However, some “dangers” can’t be responded to with action, and in this case that anxiety can cause a problem–a feeling of unease without any action to fix it.
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
