While watching the Academy Awards, trying to second-guess who would win the Oscar and who would get snubbed, slighted, or sacked, it dawned on me -- the awarding of the Oscars is very much like college admissions: Arbitrary, capricious, and pretty much anybody’s guess, educated or otherwise.

Was Birdman really more worthy than The Budapest Hotel? Eddie Redmayne truly a better actor than, say, Benedict Cumberbatch? Why was Feast the “best” animated short film, and not The Bigger Picture? ...

It is not always -- or even often -- about the story. How you tell it. What it imparts. Where you’ve come from. Where you hope to go. At least not in college admissions, where the difference between acceptance and denial (or deferment and waitlist) is frequently a random act rather than a conscious effort.

Take the case of two students I worked with this year. Both from a prestigious Long Island high school. One with stellar grades, scores, community service, extracurriculars, and an essay t...

College scholarships. Read as, FREE money for college!

You’ve read about them. You’ve heard about them. You may even get emails, texts, and Tweets to apply for them. But what are you doing to actually get a college scholarship -- or two, or three, or four?

In all likelihood, not much, if anything at all.

“Oh, no one every wins those.” “You have to be poor to get a scholarship.” “Too much work.” “Wait. There are scholarships?”

You’ve heard the excuses. And no, it may not be e...

You’ve seen them. In the newspapers and magazines. On Internet search engines and online tutorials. Even on your Twitter feed.

“10 Things You Must Do Before Applying To College”

“7 Myths About FAFSA”

“8 Reasons Why Your SAT Score Matters”

“The 5 Best College Dining Halls”

Yes, along with those inane college rankings (the ones that prompt colleges to extend their application deadlines, so they can have more applications to deny, thus decreasing the acceptance rate, and moving them...

Welcome to February! The Ground Hog has seen your college application and... Okay, you tell me what the Ground Hog said. 

Meanwhile, on the financial aid front, a few tips and critical reminders:

- You MUST submit a “CORRECTED” FAFSA once you have filed your 2014 income tax returns. [The FAFSA Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) is now available. It may be utilized approximately 10-days after you file your federal tax return, if filed electronically.]

- If you will be attending a college physically lo...