What is a Good College?
Many students and parents looking for a college don’t really know where to start. “What is a good college” or “good colleges” are frequently used search terms. There are colleges out there that aren’t so good, so it’s a question worth asking. Aside from distinguishing what is a less-than-desirable college,…
Read MoreWhat to do if you’re deferred
When you apply early decision or early action, you may not be accepted or rejected. Instead, you might get deferred, which means your application joins the regular admissions process and you won’t get a decision until the spring. This probably means that you met the admissions criteria (those who did…
Read MoreWhy Apply to Colleges Early?
Early Decision, Early Action, and why you should be the early bird The question is, why not start early? The applicant who starts late, and by that I mean what the applicant considers to be “on time”, four weeks before the deadline, will always bitterly wish they had started the…
Read MoreRecommendations about Recommendations
Before we make recommendations about your teacher recommendations, let’s review the mistakes students commonly make when it comes to securing this crucial element of your application. Do Not – Think of the recommendation as just another hoop to crawl through, or another box to be checked. Do – Consider the…
Read MoreHow should an applicant use the summer?
Parents usually look at summer in one of two ways. Either they want their high school student to get a well-deserved break after all the pressures of the year, or they worry that there is a particular program or internship that the parent of a college-bound student should be attending…
Read MoreAt how many reach, target, and safety schools should a student apply?
Many applicants and their families wonder how many schools they should apply to, and what mix of reach, target, and safety school applications they should work on. We at Bentham recommend making an accurate assessment of your standing relative to other applicants to selective colleges (consulting Bentham Admissions would be…
Read MoreWriting the Why Us essay
Before we talk about how to write the “Why Us” essay, let’s talk for a moment about what supplements are and how to budget your time to write them well. Many applicants make the mistake of devoting most of their time and energy to the personal statement, only to discover…
Read MoreWhat is the Admissions Office Looking For?
Your application to a selective college needs to be like a three-legged stool. Admissions officers rate you in three categories: academics, extracurricular activities, and something called intellectual vitality, which means having a genuine passion for a field of study that has driven you to learn about it on your own…
Read MoreCollege Applications: Why You Should Start Early
Your senior year of high school is going to be your busiest school year yet. You’ll be taking the most rigorous course load possible, you’ll be serving in leadership roles in your clubs and on your teams, and on top of that, you’ll have several college applications to complete, unless…
Read MoreCollege Essay Assumptions and Realities
Many young people get off on the wrong foot when it comes time to start writing their essays, based on false assumptions that they, their parents, or even their counselors might hold. The protean world of college admissions is always changing, and it’s important to stay up to date. Assumption:…
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