The College Whisperer™ | Navigating The Road To College

Showing Tag: "college applications" (Show all posts)

Applying To College In The Age Of The Corona Virus

Posted by Seth Bykofsky on Thursday, March 19, 2020, In : College Planning 

***FREE TELEPHONE CONSULTATION - 516-345-8766 | Call Us!***

Here at
College Connection, we’re hunkering down, ready to offer some sage advice for high school students as they march forward - socially distanced, of course - on their journey to college.

First and foremost, of course, would be to STAY HOME. Help to flatten the curve of the Corona Virus, not only to keep yourself healthy, but to avoid infecting others, particularly the most vulnerable. Socialize online (teens are experts at that)...


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College Counseling In The Time Of The Corona Virus

Posted by Seth Bykofsky on Monday, March 16, 2020, In : College Planning 



Don't let the Corona Virus, with attendant quarantines, pauses, and time outs, hamper your college admission plans.


Whether you're in Great Neck or in Guam, time constraints, logistics, social distancing, or simply dollars and cents may make face-to-face, in-person counseling impractical, if not impossible.

That's why College Connection offers
 E-Planning
, a comprehensive combo of online, e-mail, telephonic, and virtual counseling, with a real-live college planning counselor on hand and on call,...


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FREE College Planning Workshop | April 20

Posted by Seth Bykofsky on Monday, February 10, 2020, In : College Planning 



Colleges once considered “safety” schools have become “reach.” The application process, seemingly simple back in the day, is now overwhelming. And the cost of college, well, let’s just say that arm and leg may not cover it. What’s a high school student (or parent) to do?

On Monday, April 20, 2020 at 7:30 PM, the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island will play host to a free college planning workshop, where high school students and their parents will get the inside scoop on how to...


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A Spring Break "To Do" List

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, April 18, 2019, In : College Planning 
Wondering What To Do Over Spring Break? Read On...
Remember, college application and admissions season is closer than it appears in the rear view mirror. Check out College Connection's College Planning Packages (or create one of your own). Then, give us a call (516-345-8766) with your questions, concerns, or to schedule a college planning & counseling session in the comfort of your home (Long Island, NY and environs) or remotely. 
At College Connection, we've got ...

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The College Whisperer 4.0™

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, December 5, 2018, In : College Planning 

Pssst! Got College Plans? Then you need this guy. . . The College Whisperer™ - That warm and fuzzy teddy bear who comforts you from angst, anxiety, and stress.
The College Whisperer™ - That ferocious pit bull, tenacious in getting you into the right college, and helping you find the money to pay for it. The College Whisperer™ - At six pounds four ounces (weight may vary)


If this is how applications, admissions, paying for college, an...
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Prelude To College Applications: A Primer On Getting Started

Posted by College Connection on Saturday, June 9, 2018, In : College Planning 


If there is a single question The College Whisperer™ is asked most about the college application process, it is, "Where do I begin?"

My typical response is, "At the beginning, of course!" ;-)

Seriously, though, getting started down that long and winding road to college admissions, as it is with many things in life, is often the most difficult part of the journey.

So, what will follow below is a basic (very basic, as in, just to give you a push) primer -- a "To Do" list, if you will -- to set y...


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The Knowledge Of College In Black, White, And Shades Of Gray

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, May 22, 2018,

College is closer than it appears in the rearview mirror!

That said, here is a short list of required reading as we prepare for yet another exciting college application season:






And, for those who are absolutely enamored...

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Free College Planning Workshop

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, January 11, 2018, In : College Planning 



College Planning 101 | The Knowledge of College

Monday, May 21 2018 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM

Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island

38 Old Country Road, Garden City, New York 11530

    Space Is Limited | REGISTER TODAY at www.tfaforms.com/319156

...
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What High School Juniors (and even Sophs) Should Be Doing Now!

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, November 29, 2017, In : College Planning 

At College Connection, we help you navigate the college application, admissions, and financial aid maze. We welcome the opportunity to work with you, should you choose to use our college planning and counseling services.
 
Meanwhile, you can get a jump start on those college plans.

It's not too early to start planning and preparing for college. In fact, the time is just right...

READ, High School Juniors: This Is Your Moment! 

Questions? Concerns? Leftover turkey and trimmings? Give a holler. We a...


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On Turkeys, Tuition, & Trolling For Scholarships

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, November 21, 2017, In : Paying for College 

Almost time to stick that Thanksgiving turkey in the oven (and can that Christmas music be far behind?). [By all rights, if the heralding of Christmas (1 day) begins the day after Halloween, the festivities for Chanukah (8 days) should start right after Valentine's Day. Just sayin'... ]

Early Action. Early Action II (like hitting the snooze button?]. Regular Decision.Now is the time to put those finishing touches on the yet unsubmitted applications. Dot the i's. Cross the t's. Answer the optio...


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Finding Your Niche In The Rankings Of Everything

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, September 14, 2017, In : College Planning 

Rankings. The best of the best. Top dog. Number one seed. Whether of colleges, basketball teams, tennis players, or pizza parlors, somebody is ranking them, and everyone is reading about them. Suspect as they are -- and they are, on so many levels -- we are drawn to rankings like so many moths to a flame (or was that, so many flies to... you get the idea). Rankings give us a sense -- often a non-sense -- of someone else’s idea of which school, which restaurant, which airline, which dry c...


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Essential Reading On The Road To College

Posted by College Connection on Friday, May 12, 2017, In : College Planning 

College is closer than it appears in the rearview mirror!

That said, here is a short list of required reading as we prepare for yet another exciting college application season:






And, for those who are absolutely enamore...

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College Planning & Counseling | Now's The Time!

Posted by College Connection on Friday, March 24, 2017, In : College Planning 

FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY:
 Save $500 on our Ultimate College Planning Package! Just $4000 complete, now through April 28. [Payable in 8 monthly installments of $500.]
 
Don't wait until the beginning of your Senior year to begin the college application and admissions process. Get started NOW!
 
Here's just some of what our college planning and counseling package includes*:
 
 
      ·         Comprehensive college plan customized to student’s needs and           goals                               ...

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Tips For Students (and their parents) Applying To College

Posted by College Connection on Saturday, March 11, 2017, In : College Planning 


1. Five top tips for college bound students

- Seek out colleges that are the "best" fit for the student, rather than what is "best" for Forbes, U.S. News, or The Princeton Review. Rankings make for fun reading and can offer valuable insight, but students need to do their homework to find colleges that are right for them, and not merely popular or trendy to others.

- Apply early. If a college offers Early Action (non-binding), and the student is motivated to have a complete, accurate, and read-w...

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BREAKING: Common App Essay Prompts for 2017-18

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, February 8, 2017, In : College Applications 

BIG NEWS! 

Okay. Not so big news. But still a heck of a lot better than fake news, right?

The folks at Common App have announced the essay prompts for 2017-18. Something new. Something old. Something reworded. And, back by popular demand, the topic of your choice!

For a good read on what's in store for that all-important personal statement, read on...

The Common App Essay Prompts Are Changing. Here's Why It Doesn't Matter.

For those who like their essay prompts without commentary, here they are, s...

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Ethical Humanists of Long Island to host The College Whisperer™

Posted by College Connection on Friday, January 20, 2017, In : College Planning 

Seldom are the words “ethics” and “humanity” heard in the same breath as “college admissions,” but on Wednesday, March 22nd at 7:30 PM, the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island will play host to a college planning workshop, where high school students and their parents will get the inside scoop of how to choose the “best” colleges, the ins and outs of the application and admissions process, writing persuasive essays, and navigating the maze of financial aid ...


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The Road To College Starts Here!

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, December 14, 2016, In : College Planning 

FREE COLLEGE PLANNING WORKSHOP

Navigating The Application Process ~ Admission Strategies
Persuasive Essays ~ Financial Aid Essentials
Wednesday, March 22, 2017  7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
at the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island
38 Old Country Road, Garden City, NY 11530

COLLEGE PLANNING FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS & PARENTS

College Connection, Official Sponsor of College Admission Success™, offers a FREE College Planning & Admissions Workshop. Open to students and parents alike, this forum will explore...

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College Planning | High School Juniors

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, November 22, 2016, In : College Planning 

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL!

Why wait until Black Friday or Cyber Monday? Save $500 on our Ultimate College Planning Package! Only $4000 complete, now through January 15. [Payable in 8 monthly installments of $500.]
 
Don't wait until the end of your Junior year to begin the college application and admissions process. Get started in January!
 
Here's just some of what our college planning and counseling package includes*:
 
 
      ·         Comprehensive college plan customized to student’s needs and     ...

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Early Action. Don't Miss It!

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, August 10, 2016, In : College Applications 

Just a quick reminder that Early Action deadlines for many colleges and universities are quickly approaching, with some only days away (UNC-Chapel Hill and the Georgia Tech, for instance, have Early Action deadlines of October 15th).

Most Early Action Deadline fall between November 1 and November 15.

Some schools have what is known as Priority Deadlines. While not Early Action, in the traditional sense, apply by the Priority Deadline for your application to receive the most favorable considerat...

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The Best Fit For Your College Plans!

Posted by College Connection on Monday, July 4, 2016, In : Just for Fun 

COLLEGE CONNECTION VOTED "BEST COLLEGE PLANNER & COUNSELOR OF THE NORTH SHORE." [Of course, our students, and their parents, already knew that! SEE, What They're Saying]

How do you like that? For the second year running, College Connection, home of The College Whisperer , is tops in the category of "College Planning & Counseling," in  Blank Slate Media's Best of The North Shore (Long Island) 2016.

Who's the best college planner and counselor on the north shore? C'est Moi! 

Okay. We know. Thes...


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Whose College Applications Are They, Anyway?

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, June 14, 2016, In : College Applications 

Just when you thought it was safe to start your college applications, you have to decide where to start them, how to submit them, and who will truly give you the easiest access, the most bang for your buck, and the greatest likelihood of success.

Most of those applying to colleges are familiar, for better and for worse, with the Common Application (with 600+ colleges), replete with it's spinning wheels of death, initializing bars of doom, and the very antithesis of commonality, college-speci...


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In College Applications, Truth Matters

Posted by College Connection on Monday, June 6, 2016, In : College Applications 

Truth: Conformity to fact or reality; exact accordance with that which is, or has been, or shall be. 
                                                                        --Webster's Dictionary

The truth.
 Seems so hard to come by these days, particularly for those of us who closely follow the political circus in which we are now center ring (enter the clowns in that funny little car).
The truth. Often supplanted by half-truths, untruths, innuendo, misstatements and out and out lies.
The truth....
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Jump Start Your College Applications! | May 25 | Garden City, NY

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, May 18, 2016, In : College Planning 

COLLEGE PLANNING FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS & PARENTS
• Choosing Colleges That Are “Best” For You
• Navigating The Application Process
• Admission Strategies
• Engaging Essays
• Financial Aid Essentials & Scholarship Sourcing

College ConnectionOfficial Sponsor of College Admission Success™, offers aFREE College Planning & Admissions Workshop. Open to students and parents alike, this forum will explore such topics as choosing a college that’s a “best” fit for you, the intricaci...


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Spring Break's "Top Ten" List

Posted by College Connection on Monday, March 21, 2016, In : College Planning 

In case you were wondering what to do over Spring Break, we’ve come up with a definitive list of the “Top Ten” things high school students (particularly juniors) should be doing to prepare for the coming college application and admission season.

So, in between soaking up the sun on the beach, hitting the slopes, or sleeping until 2 PM, pick up the iPad or Android and have a go at one (and more) of these:

10. Search for “Best” Fit Colleges[And if you do nothing else in this endeavor,...


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Why Wait? Jump Start Your College Applications!

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, February 11, 2016, In : College Applications 


High school junior? Sophomore? Even freshman? Why wait until you're a rising senior to start your college applications? With the new "Rollover" of the Common Application (see, you can teach an old dog new tricks), students may start the common aspects of the Common App (just not the supplements), and data will be saved and carried over from the 2015-16 application to the 2016-17 application. [And, at least in theory, to subsequent years.] No more "wipeout" of data prior to the Common App goin...


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Got College Plans? Get A College Plan!

Posted by College Connection on Friday, January 15, 2016, In : College Planning 

COLLEGE CONNECTION, Home of The College Whisperer and Official Sponsor of College Admission Success, offers comprehensive college planning and counseling. Guidance and support in choosing a college, getting in to college, and finding the money to pay for college, all while taking the stress, the worry, the frustration and the madness out of college applications and admissions.

At COLLEGE CONNECTION, we’ve not only got your back, we’ve got your best moves forward!

From college mat...


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FREE College Admissions Workshop | March 14 | Garden City, NY

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, December 16, 2015, In : College Planning 

COLLEGE PLANNING FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS & PARENTS

  • Choosing Colleges That Are “Best” For You
  • Navigating The Application Process
  • Admission Strategies
  • Winning Essays
  • Financial Aid Essentials & Scholarship Sourcing

College ConnectionOfficial Sponsor of College Admission Success™, offers a FREE College Planning & Admissions Workshop. Open to students and parents alike, this forum will explore such topics as choosing a college that’s a “best” fit for you, the intricacies and nuances of...


Continue reading ...
 

A Fall Guide For The College Bound

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, November 4, 2015, In : College Admissions 

WELCOME TO NOVEMBER!

Almost time to stick that Thanksgiving turkey in the oven (and can that Christmas music be far behind?). [By all rights, if the heralding of Christmas (1 day) begins the day after Halloween, the festivities for Chanukah (8 days) should start right after Valentine's Day. Just sayin'... Wink]

Anyway...

Early Action. Early Action II (like hitting the snooze button?]. Regular Decision. Now is the time to put those finishing touches on the yet unsubmitted applications. Dot the i's. C...

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On That Path To College: No Stone Unturned!

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, October 22, 2015, In : College Planning 

Just the other day, The College Whisperer -- also known as "Current Occupant" in certain postal circles, received a piece of unsolicited mail. Not email, mind you, but actual snail mail, at bulk rate, no less.

Keeping with my practice of opening every piece of mail that crosses my desk -- and actually reading it -- I sliced off the top of the envelope and pulled out what I soon realized was an invitation to take a survey. Innocuous, and otherwise destined for the circular file, until I saw,...
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The Early Bird May Catch The Worm. . .

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, July 22, 2015, In : College Applications 


...But The Second Mouse Usually Gets The Cheese!


Yes, 
Common App, portal to more than 600 college applications, goes "live" on August 1. And so, the college application season officially begins. Or so you thought...

As my colleague, Nancy Griesemer, reports inThe Examiner, some colleges are willing to accept your applications even earlier.
READ, Colleges ready and willing to accept applications for fall 2016

Yes, it's like doing your Christmas/Chanukah shopping in July. You'll buy those presents ...


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Prelude To The Common App: A Primer On "Getting Started"

Posted by College Connection on Monday, June 22, 2015, In : College Applications 


If there is a single question The College Whisperer is asked most about the college application process, it is, “Where do I begin?”

My typical response is, “At the beginning, of course!” ;-)

Seriously, though, getting started down that long and winding road to college admissions, as it is with many things in life, is often the most difficult part of the journey.

So, what will follow below is a basic (very basic, as in, just to give you a push) primer -- a “To Do” list, if you will...


Continue reading ...
 

Enrollment Management Is The New College Admissions

Posted by College Connection on Monday, June 8, 2015, In : College Admissions 

For most graduating high school seniors, the tale has been told. You've applied and been accepted to college, made your final decision, and, hopefully, searched for and found an abundance of scholarship money to pay for that degree.

There are of course those, who, waking up to the fact that high school is now coming to an end, have yet to apply to college. The procrastinators. The "hiding under a rock" gang. The "I only applied to one school and didn't get in" bunch.

Out of luck? Too late? Afte...


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Hit The Ground Running In The College Admissions Race!

Posted by College Connection on Friday, May 29, 2015, In : College Admissions 

The college application season approaches (and waits for no one)!

Just a brief, yet important, overview as to what high school juniors/rising seniors should be doing at this stage of the college admissions game (batteries sold separately):

1. Naviance - Build that Resume (in the About Me section). Every activity, in school and out; every award, honor, citation, and pat on the back; basically, anything you have done during waking hours from the 9th grade on. [Include senior year activities, etc....


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Top Ten Tidbits Of Advice For Those About To Embark On The Road To College

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, In : College Planning 


This is the time of year when everyone doles out advice – to graduates of high school and college, to the newly minted and soon-to-be-initiated, to sun-worshippers, everywhere.

And so, I thought it appropriate to hand out a few gems of my own, gratis, for those still bright-eyed high school juniors/rising seniors, as well as their already angst-ridden parental units, just now beginning the journey through the college application and admissions maze.

 So, without further, and in no particular ...


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The Sherpa's Guide To College Admissions

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, April 30, 2015, In : College Planning 


M.S. of East Williston, NY writes: 

Do I really need a college planning counselor for my child? Aren’t the resources available through her high school guidance counselor, the colleges, and the Internet, sufficient? It all seems so expensive. 

The College Whisperer  responds: 

Back in the day, when the earth was young, and college applications were written by hand and mailed to one or two schools along with a check for $15, a visit to your guidance counselor, along with a thumb-through of th...

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Who Doesn't Like FREE?

Posted by College Connection on Friday, April 17, 2015, In : College Planning 
Free College Planning Workshop  
               April 28, 2015 | 
Garden City, NY  
     Register TODAY!


College Connection
, Official Sponsor of College Admission Success™, hosts a free College Planning Workshop. Open to students and parents alike, this forum will explore such topics as choosing a college that’s “best” for you, the intricacies of the college application and admissions process, creating a winning college essay, and paying for that college degree.

When: Tuesday, April 28, 20...


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What High School Students Should Be Doing Now

Posted by College Connection on Monday, April 6, 2015, In : College Planning 

While applying to college -- let alone actually going -- may seem far away, now is the time to start planning, preparing, and gearing up, way before the madness of the senior year of high school.

So, what can high school juniors (and, in many instances, sophomores), and their parents, start to do now to get ready for the college application and admissions process?

Well, here is a short “To Do” list to get the ball rolling:

-Check out the college planning calendar to get an idea of where you ...


Continue reading ...
 

What You Don't Know About College Admissions Can Hurt You!

Posted by College Connection on Friday, March 13, 2015, In : College Planning 

Test prep and fees for APs, SATs and ACTs: $1500
College Application fees: $1000
College tuition, room & board: $60,000

Knowing how to navigate the college application, admissions & financial aid process? PRICELESS!

Okay, so we’re mixing Farmer’s Insurance with MasterCard, but surely you get the message.

The college admissions process, from application to financing, is confusing, confounding, complex, and overwhelming. Getting in the admissions game is one thing. Understanding the rules (where...


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In Search Of A "Best" Fit College

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, March 12, 2015, In : College Planning 

There are many superaltives bantered about these days. “Best” seems to trump all. “Best” hotels. “Best” restaurants. “Best” haircut. [I once knew a man who only frequented what he believed to be the “best” of everything. He died. As I recall, he had the “best” funeral.]

And then, there are those best of the “best” -- “Best” colleges.

Ahh, yes. The “Best” Colleges In America (or the world. The Universe?) Rankings of the “best” 100, the “top” 25, and th...


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And The College Acceptance Letter Goes To. . .

Posted by College Connection on Monday, February 23, 2015, In : College Admissions 

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? ...


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A Tale Of Two College Applicants

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, February 19, 2015, In : College Admissions 

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...


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10 Things I Hate About 10 Things!

Posted by College Connection on Monday, February 9, 2015, In : College Admissions 

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...


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High School Juniors: Get A Jump Start On The Road To College

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, January 28, 2015, In : College Planning 

As you head down that long and winding road toward college (try to stay behind the salt spreader :-), take advantage of College Connection’s College Cafe.

Information is updated regularly, so check back frequently at College Cafe!

To Do List:

Nag. Nag. Nag. Yup, it’s what we do! LOL

Here are a few things high school juniors should be working on as we move toward the Spring --

1. Naviance -- Begin building/updating your Resume (Under About Me);

2. Take the SAT and the ACT. Repeat the test on whi...


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What To Do Over Winter Break

Posted by College Connection on Saturday, December 27, 2014, In : College Planning 

Yes, school is out. HOORAY!

But before (or after) you hit the beach -- or the slopes -- here are a few things “To Do” during the break:

1. High school Seniors: Put the finishing touches on those college applications still waiting to be submitted, and, by all means, SUBMIT! [Be aware of those deadlines. They mean it!]

2. Follow up on submitted applications (most colleges have Application Trackers on their web portals) to make certain they are complete. [Transcripts, letters of recommendation,...


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Haven't Applied To College Yet? There's Still Time!

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, December 18, 2014, In : College Applications 

While many a college application deadline has long ago passed (or is about to), there are literally hundreds of colleges out there still accepting applications for the fall of 2015.

Here are but a few of the ways you can find colleges that have late application deadlines and/or offer "rolling" admissions:

  1. Common Application member institutions still open to new applicants may be found by going to the Common App website, scrolling down Member Colleges & Universities, and clicking College Search....

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What High School Juniors (and even Sophomores) Should Be Doing Now

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, December 3, 2014, In : College Planning 

While applying to college -- let alone actually going -- may seem far away, now is the time to start planning, preparing, and gearing up, way before the madness of the senior year of high school. 

So, what can high school juniors (and, in many instances, sophomores), and their parents, start to do now to get ready for the college application and admissions process? 

Well, here is a short "To Do" list to get the ball rolling: 

-Check out the college planning calendar to get an idea of where you s...

Continue reading ...
 

Up Close and Personal with The College Whisperer™

Posted by College Connection on Monday, November 17, 2014, In : College Planning 

Just Who Is The College Whisperer?

The College Whisperer
 is Seth Bykofsky. [Or is it the other way around? No matter! :-)]

Born on the cusp of a new century (1 B.C.), his mother, Frances, was first runner-up to Miss Alternate Universe, while his father, Irving, served as counsel to the Czars. Orphaned at a tender age by the tragic sinking of the Titantic, Bykofsky was home-schooled until the age of 13, at which time he was summarily expelled. 

Joining the French Foreign Legion and rising t...

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So, You Missed The Early Action Deadline

Posted by College Connection on Sunday, November 2, 2014, In : College Applications 

No Big Deal!

Sure, somewhere in the neighborhood of 30% of prospective college students will be accepted via Early Action/Early Decision. Yes, had you applied Early Action, (a) most or all of your college applications would have been completed and submitted before Thanksgiving, (b) you would have increased your chances, though only slightly in most instances, of being accepted by the college of your choice, and (c) you'd typically have an admission decision in hand (or in your email inbox) som...

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I'm The College Whisperer™ And I Approved This Message

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, October 21, 2014, In : College Planning 

VOTED "BEST" In COLLEGE PLANNING AND COUNSELING
BY
THOSE WHO MATTER MOST!



* * *
At COLLEGE CONNECTION, We've Got Your Back. And Your Best Moves Forward!

Find Us on the web at
 College Connection
Check out The College Whisperer blog
College Connection on Twitter icon_sm_twitter.gif Follow Us
The College Whispereron Facebook icon_sm_facebook.gif Like Us On Facebook

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College Connection Update - October, 2014

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, October 2, 2014, In : College Planning 

Welcome to October!

A new month means that it is time, once again, to enter College Prowler's $2000 "No Essay" Scholarship Contest. [And while you are on the College Prowler site, be sure to check out the many other scholarship opportunities!] REMEMBER: If you don't apply, you won't get money! (And scholarships are NOT just for high school seniors!!!)

In other news, an "on point" article on college rankings, as appeared a couple of years ago in The New York Times, is just as relevant today. Che...

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Shofar, So Good!

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, September 24, 2014, In : College Planning 

As Jews the world over usher in the year 5775 (where does the time go?), The College Whisperer pauses to reflect, to refresh, and to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

Next year in college!


Don't leave college admissions to prayer alone!

Call College Connection (516-345-8766) after the holidays for the competitive edge in this most selective college market.

College Matching ~ Application Enhancement ~ Essay Development 
Admission Strategies ~ Scholarship & Financial Aid Sou...

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For The Love Of Money!

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, September 23, 2014, In : College Admissions 

Typically, when we mention "money" here at The College Whisperer, we're talking scholarships -- free money for college. Where to search for it and how to get your hands on it. After all, financial freedom beats student debt every time!

Today, however, we are constrained to blog about the megabucks that is the world of college applications and admissions. A tale of collusion and conspiracy, piracy and profiteering, patting you on the back with one hand, while picking your pockets with the ot...

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Ten Things The College Admissions Office Won't Tell You

Posted by College Connection on Monday, September 15, 2014, In : College Applications 

Just when you thought it was safe to get into the college admissions game... [Cue the theme from Jaws!] What you know. What you think you know. What they tell you and, sometimes, what they don’t tell you. Let the college applicant beware! 

1. Your Application Is Incomplete. Yes, most colleges have so-called “Application Checkers” which allow you to see (though not always in real-time) what, if anything is missing from your application. Test scores. High school transcript. Supplements. Re...

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To The College Fair -- Or Not!

Posted by College Connection on Friday, September 12, 2014, In : College Planning 

A few years ago, a reader inquired as to whether it was worth going to the National College Fair. A number of errant links (they tend to break or disappear over time) aside, the advice on the Fair is certainly as valid today as it was then, and well worth repeating.

L.B. of North Merrick, NY writes: 

There's a College Fair coming up at the Nassau Coliseum. Is it worth attending, for college-bound students and/or their parents?

The College Whisperer responds:

A definite maybe. ;-)

In days of old...

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Are You Going To The Long Island College Fair?

Posted by College Connection on Friday, September 12, 2014, In : College Planning 

National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Long Island College Fair

Sunday, October 5, 2014

11 AM - 3 PM

Nassau Coliseum

Uniondale, NY

For more information, click HERE

For student registration, click HERE

- - -
At COLLEGE CONNECTION, We've Got Your Back. And Your Best Moves Forward!

Find Us on the web at 
College Connection
Check out The College Whisperer blog
College Connection on Twitter icon_sm_twitter.gif Follow Us
The College Whispereron Facebook icon_sm_facebook.gif Like Us On Facebook

...
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Your Sherpa Guide To College Admissions

Posted by College Connection on Saturday, September 6, 2014, In : College Admissions 

M.S. of East Williston, NY writes: 
Do I really need a college planning counselor for my child? Aren’t the resources available through her high school guidance counselor, the colleges, and the Internet, sufficient? It all seems so expensive. 

The College Whisperer
™ responds:
 
Back in the day, when the earth was young, and college applications were written by hand and mailed to one or two schools along with a check for $15, a visit to your guidance counselor, along with a thumb-through of the...
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School's Open: Strive Carefully!

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, September 2, 2014, In : College Planning 

Wow, another school year begins. [Where did the summer go?]

That means a full and hopefully rigorous courseload for high school seniors, aside from dealing with the trials and trbulations of the college application and admissions process.

Yes, senior year is a whole lot more than planning for prom and putting together that high school yearbook. After all, colleges to which you will apply shall see what courses you are taking, your mid-year grades, and the activities you're engaged in this year ...

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Expect The Unexpected!

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, August 28, 2014, In : College Planning 

Summer draws to a close, and college application season is now upon us.

Along with the usual angst and anxiety that accompanies the madness of the application and admissions process, the twists and turns, minefields and detours, you must be prepared for the unexpected.

Be forewarned that Murphy's Law ("whatever can go wrong, will go wrong") is in full force and effect!

But what could possibly go wrong? 

Famous last words...

Last year, it was the foibles and follies of Common App. Log in fails. For...

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Please Release Me, Let Me Go (To College)

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, August 21, 2014,

As if applying and getting in to college weren't challenging enough, the law can even stand in your way.

Yes, there is a federal law, commonly known as FERPA (short for Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), intended to protect student information from prying eyes, that could, if you are not diligent, actually keep school records out of the hands of college admissions officers.

As silly as it may seem, even though you are applying to colleges, your high school cannot send transcripts or re...

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A High School Resume Speaks Volumes

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, August 12, 2014, In : College Applications 

While the "common" section of the Common App no longer provides for the upload of a formal Resume, most colleges continue to welcome same, and many, including those on Common App, provide the opportunity to upload a Resume, either via the Common App Writing Supplement, or their own proprietary applications.

READ, Common App members and others welcome your resume.

If you would like a sample high school resume, simply email us at info@CollegeConnect.info, and we will wisk one off to you. Feel fre...

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Nothing Beats Up Close And Personal

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, August 7, 2014, In : College Planning 

L.N. of Manhasset, NY writes:

My son will be a junior in high school this year, and we are considering enrolling him in an online college planning course. The price seems right ($299), and a set of CDs is also available for an additional sum. Any thoughts?

The College Whispererresponds:

Good for you for wanting to start college planning early. Too many high school students, waiting until the start of their senior year, wish they had gotten a head start in their junior year!

With respect to the...


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Common App Goes "Live"

Posted by College Connection on Saturday, August 2, 2014, In : College Applications 

"It is life, but not as we know it!" - Dr. Leonard McCoy, Star Trek

The Common Application is up and running (for now). Are you ready to start your college applications?

Before the Common App gets to you, you need to get to us!

COLLEGE CONNECTION. The cure for the Common App.


- - -
Plan. Prepare.
PREVAIL! 

The College Whisperer™ is the Trademark of COLLEGE CONNECTION,Official Sponsor of College Admission Success. The road to college begins at COLLEGE CONNECTION! Whether you are applying to colleg...

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Prelude To The Common App: A Primer On "Getting Started"

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, July 9, 2014, In : College Applications 

If there is a single question The College Whisperer is asked most about the college application process, it is, "Where do I begin?"

My typical response is, "At the beginning, of course!" ;-)

Seriously, though, getting started down that long and winding road to college admissions, as it is with many things in life, is often the most difficult part of the journey.

So, what will follow below is a basic (very basic, as in, just to give you a push) primer -- a "To Do" list, if you will -- to set y...
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The College Whisperer™ 4.0

Posted by College Connection on Monday, June 16, 2014, In : College Planning 
Pssst! Got College Plans? Then you need this guy. . . The College Whisperer™ - That warm and fuzzy teddy bear who comforts you from angst, anxiety, and stress.
The College Whisperer™ - That ferocious pit bull, tenacious in getting you into the right college, and helping you find the money to pay for it.
The College Whisperer™ - At six pounds four ounces (weight may vary)



If this is how applications, admissions, paying for college,...
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As Exciting As Watching Paint Dry

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, May 21, 2014, In : College Planning 

Helping students get into colleges that are the best fit for them is Job 1 at College Connection. And right alongside is an endeavor of near-equal import: helping students find the money to actually pay for the colleges they've worked so hard to get into!

Most kids are excited, though somewhat nervous, about the college application and admissions process. Once they start getting into it -- Common App, personal essays, supplements, and all -- most find that what they thought would be an ordeal ...
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Who's Got Your Back?

Posted by College Connection on Friday, April 18, 2014, In : College Planning 

As we stare down the barrel of yet another college application and admissions season [where does the time fly?], The College Whisperer asks the age-old question: Who's Got Your Back?

Yes, who is looking out for you on that long, winding, sometimes treacherous, and too often nerve-wracking road to college? Well, let's see.

College Board? Sorry. The folks who would have you take a test to get in to the shower may say they're looking out for your best interests (after all, to say otherwise migh...

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The World According To Common App

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, April 3, 2014, In : College Applications 

Or why moving to Iowa (or Bangladesh) may actually improve your chances of getting in to your college of choice!


Common Application: Inside the Numbers
Of course, the numbers don't tell the whole story. While the folks at Common App pat themselves on the back, touting the many successes of this online college portal, for CA4, as the 2013-14 version was called, failure may have actually been their thing.

Failure to launch. Failure to load. Failure to upload Supplements. Failure to permit log on. Failure to paginate. Failure to produc...

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The Waitlist

Posted by College Connection on Saturday, March 29, 2014, In : College Admissions 

The waitlist, more often than not, is that great void known as the Black Hole of college admissions, where applications go to die.

You, as the applicant, must get your applications in by deadline, or else. You must file for financial aid and scholarships by dates certain, or else. You must notify colleges of your acceptance decisions by May 1, or else.

Colleges, on the other hand, are not so much bound by deadlines. Apply Early Action, expecting a definitive answer sometime bet...


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Educate America First!

Posted by College Connection on Monday, March 24, 2014, In : College Admissions 

Recently, I spent the better part of a day assembling furniture that was “Made in China.” Leaving aside the fact that the instructions were clearly lost in translation, and the pictures of the nuts, bolts and assorted parts looked nothing like the content of the carton (not even the ones that were left over after final assembly), I got to thinking about why we can’t – or simply won’t – make things like tables, chairs, and dressers here in this country.

Could it be, as we are told...


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On The Air

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, March 19, 2014, In : College Planning 

Seth Bykofsky, better known as The College Whisperer, takes to the airwaves on Long Island Money & Business (WLIE 540 AM) to discuss college admissions and the application process.

Click HERE to join the conversation. Click HERE to read The College Whisperer blog. Click HERE to get started down the road to college admission success!

- - -   
Plan. Prepare. Prevail!  

          FREE College Planning Workshop, March 26th

 When college applications get to you, you need to get to us! 

Contact us ...


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Learning Disabilities: Taboo, No More

Posted by College Connection on Friday, March 14, 2014, In : College Planning 

It wasn't long ago that high school students, diagnosed with a Learning Disability -- such as ADHD or Dyslexia -- would go out of their way to avoid any reference to their educational challenges when applying to college. Indeed, many students, throughout their elementary and secondary school careers, would not even seek out professional help, this for fear of being labeled as "LD."

My, how things have changed, and dare I say, for the better.

In this age of transparency and candor -- not to ment...

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FREE College Planning Workshop, March 26

Posted by College Connection on Saturday, March 8, 2014, In : College Planning 
Jump Start Your College Applications!

When
:
 Wednesday, March 26, 2014,  7:30 PM - 9:30 PM

Where: Ethical Humanist Society -- Auditorium
             38 Old Country Road
             Garden City, New York 11530

WhyBecause getting in to college has become more competitive than ever, and the application process increasingly complex. You need to be in the know and prepared to go!

College ConnectionOfficial Sponsor of College Admission Success™, hosts a free College Planning Workshop. Open to stud...
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Workshops, Forums, And Fairs. Oh My!

Posted by College Connection on Monday, March 3, 2014, In : College Planning 

When it comes to planning for college, and getting a jump start on those college applications, there are few things -- well, other than that pint of Forbidden Chocolate ice cream -- that can help ease the journey and lighten that burden than college planning workshops, community forums (often in your own school or local library), and, of course, those college fairs that help you sort out which colleges are "best" for you.

Here's a sampling of what's coming up on Long Island and in our own back...

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Take Your College Applications Seriously

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, February 25, 2014, In : Just for Fun 

The college application and admissions process and the entire collegiate industrial complex? Not so much!



Going to college is a great experience. Shouldn't getting there be at least half as much fun?
- - -

Plan. Prepare. Prevail!  

Before college applications, the Common App, CSS Profile, FAFSA, financial aid forms, and the whole college application and admissions process get to you, you need to get to us! 

Whether applying to college, paying for college, planning for college, or just thinking a...


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"He Once Sat In The Front Seat While His Daughter Learned To Parallel Park The Car..."

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, February 11, 2014, In : College Planning 

One-upping The Most Interesting Man In The World...

The College Whisperer
™ is Seth Bykofsky. [Or is it the other way around? No matter! :-)]

Born on the cusp of a new century (1 B.C.), his mother, Frances, was first runner-up to Miss Alternate Universe, while his father, Irving, served as counsel to the Czars. Orphaned at a tender age by the tragic sinking of the Titantic, Bykofsky was home-schooled until the age of 13, at which time he was summarily expelled. 

Joining the French Foreign Legio...
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Beware Monkeys Throwing Darts!

Posted by College Connection on Friday, January 31, 2014, In : College Admissions 

Ever wonder how college admission decisions are really made? Think the difference between getting in and that rejection letter is skewed toward grades? Could it have been too few hours in the soup kitchen, or that college essay that echoed so little emotion, it wouldn't even have brought a tear to John Boehner's watery eyes?

And who's making those decisions, anyway? A committee (so no one individual will have to own it)? A college admissions officer, barely out of college herself? A monkey thr...
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Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, January 30, 2014, In : College Planning 

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...” 
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Turn college dreams into college reality, with the help of College Connection and The College Whisperer

“You'll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You'll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. S...


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What High School Juniors (and Sophomores) Should Be Doing Now

Posted by College Connection on Monday, December 9, 2013, In : College Planning 

While applying to college -- let alone actually going -- may seem far away, now is the time to start planning, preparing and gearing up, way before the madness of the senior year of high school. 

So, what can high school juniors (and, in many instances, sophomores), and their parents, start to do now to get ready for the college application and admissions process? 

Well, here is a short "To Do" list to get the ball rolling: 

-Check out the college planning calendar to get an idea...


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"It's Not The End Of The World. . ."

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, December 3, 2013, In : College Admissions 

For all those with "end of the world" anxieties, here are just a few things that the college-bound shouldn't worry about:

-You missed the Early Action deadline. "It's not the end of the world..." There are literally hundreds of colleges and universities with regular decision deadlines yet to come, not to mention (though we always do) the legion of schools with rolling admissions.

-Your Common App essay lacks formatting and pagination. "It's not the end of the world..." No worries here. If y...


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It's Complicated!

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, November 14, 2013, In : College Planning 

That's what is being said about applying to college, getting in to college, paying for college.

It's complicated!

What once was accomplished with relative ease, and without undue burden upon either psyche or pocketbook, has now de-evolved into a seemingly endless charade of convoluted online protocols, mind-numbing contortions of clicks and spinning wheels, and "brother can you spare about $160,000 to help put my kid through college."

It's complicated!

Heck, it used to be easy. Then again, what w...
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Dates To Remember

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, October 23, 2013, In : College Prep 

SAT 
Test Dates
Registration
Deadline
Late Reg
Deadline
Details
DEC
7
Nov 8Nov 25Register
Jan
25
Dec 27Jan 14Register

ACT Test
Dates

Registration
Deadline

Late Reg
Deadline

Details

DEC
14
Nov 8
Nov 9-22
Register
FEB
8
Jan 10
Jan 11-24
Register

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Until There's A Cure For The Common App. . .

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, October 10, 2013, In : College Planning 

Are you and your parental units confused, frustrated, or overwhelmed by the college application and admissions process? Do you break out in a cold sweat at the mere mention of the Common App? Is having to write that college essay a fate worse than a sudden outbreak of acne?

You, and your unsuspecting parents, may be suffering from that dreaded and most feared malady known as CAS (College Application Syndrome), and not even know it. And yet, you need not suffer the debilitating side effects of ...


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Meet The College Whisperer™ October 16th

Posted by College Connection on Monday, October 7, 2013, In : College Planning 

FREE College Planning Workshop [And who doesn't like FREE?]


When: Wednesday, October 16, 7 PM - 8:30 PM

Where: Harborfields Public Library, 31 Broadway, Greenlawn, NY

Why: Because getting in to college has become more competitive than ever, and the application process increasingly complex. You need to be in the know and prepared to go!

Harborfields Public Library hosts a free College Planning Workshop. Open to students and parents alike, this forum will explore such topics as choosing a college t...
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Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Submit Your College Applications. . .

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, October 3, 2013, In : College Applications 

If you thought last year's Common App made submitting college applications second in difficulty only to a quadruple backward flip off the uneven parallel bars while sticking the landing from 1000 feet above the ground (Check out,
 So, You Think You Submitted The Common App. . .), read on... 

For anyone attempting to submit a college application through the new and congenitally defective 
Common Application, please read the following --

As you watch that spinning wheel spin (with due respect to th...

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In Defense of The New Common App. Really?

Posted by College Connection on Friday, September 20, 2013, In : College Admissions 

In response to public comment to The College Whisperer's recent blog post, Oops! Common App Has Done It Again!!!, that which has been said -- not to mention all that has been left unsaid -- bears, we believe, repeating.

Below is the commentary, verbatim, for your consideration, pro and con. Your further comments, on either side of the argument (or on the fence, for those who, like Switzerland, choose to remain neutral), are most welcome.

Allow me to simply say here, and for the record, that ...
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Long Island Medium vs. The College Whisperer™

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, September 18, 2013, In : College Planning 

In the grand quest to find the college that's the right fit for you, to gain a foothold (if not the upper hand) in the application and admissions process, to develop that winning college essay, and, once accepted, to find the money to pay for it all, who would be best suited to guide, coach and de-stress students and parents alike -- the Long Island Medium or The College Whisperer?

We asked a panel of experts, comprised of noted academics, intellectuals, rocket scientists, and the intern fr...
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Big Fish

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, September 3, 2013, In : College Planning 

No, not the retelling of a life's tale. The stuff that a movie fantasy and new Broadway musical are made of. The meshing of imagination and whimsy, with reality and truth. 

Then again, perhaps this is just such a story. The exuberance and optimism of youth. That dreamlike romanticism of life, embraced by every teen who sets out to conquer the world, to triumph over mediocrity, determined not only to dream those dreams that are larger than life, but to make those dreams come true.

Yes, Big Fish....
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SAT "Question of the Day" Goes The Way of Pony Express

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, August 13, 2013, In : College Planning 

As if the portended changes to the SAT were not enough for us to ponder, let alone digest, word from the once great test-master that the SAT Question of the Day will soon fall by the wayside. 

Much like the VCR and the landline, College Board, the arch nemesis of students and parents alike, will cease to send out SAT Question of the Day emails come month's end. Instead, they will rely upon Twitter (@SATQuestion) and a free mobile app.

Ahh, progress. . .

And so, as we tearfully say hasta la vista...
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Prelude To The Common App: A Primer On "Getting Started"

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, July 16, 2013, In : College Applications 

If there is a single question The College Whisperer is asked most about the college application process, it is, "Where do I begin?"

Our typical response is, "At the beginning, of course!" ;-)

Seriously, though, getting started down that long and winding road to college admissions, as it is with many things in life, is often the most difficult part of the journey.

So, what will follow below is a basic (very basic, as in, just to give you a push) primer -- a "To Do" list, if you will -- to set ...
Continue reading ...
 

College Admission: More Than The Sum Of Its Parts

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, June 25, 2013, In : College Admissions 

The College Whisperer is often asked, "What is the most important factor in deciding college admission?" Grades? Test scores? The essay? Is it making the right choice of colleges to apply to in the first place? And what about cost? That should be considered in the mix, right?

Kinda like asking, "What's the most important ingredient in Grandma's out-of-this world soup?" Leave one out, or put in too much or too little of another, and it doesn't quite taste the same, does it?

Clearly, getting i...
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Keep Calm And Carry On. It's Only College!

Posted by College Connection on Friday, April 5, 2013, In : College Admissions 

There are many women The College Whisperer knows -- and many more he does not -- who are tough as nails. Smart. Courageous. Undaunted by the most pressing challenges of our times.

Take Linda Flanagan. Ms. Flanagan is a freelance writer (frequently, at The Huffington Post), researcher, and editor, specializing in national security issues. Most recently she was Executive Editor for the HELP Commission, a federal body mandated to produce recommendations to reform foreign assistance. Before tha...

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Appy Days Are Here Again!

Posted by College Connection on Friday, March 8, 2013, In : College Planning 


In a world where there is an App for virtually (pun intended) everything, it's no stretch to find Apps slowly creeping into the already cramped and convoluted world of college applications and admissions.

Yes, there are Apps to match students to colleges. Apps for scholarships. Even Apps to help you on the SAT (Number 2 pencil App not included).

And now, from the folks who brought you Naviance, The Musical comes Naviance, The App. Hold on to your iPhones, iPads and iWhatHaveYous, ladies a...


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Common App Limps Boldly Into The 20th Century

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, March 7, 2013, In : College Applications 

No, that was not a mistake. We meant to say 20th Century, though we are now a decade and then some into the 21st.

For all of the complaints about Common App's cumbersome and convoluted three step process for submitting the Supplements, then paying, and then -- oooooops! Nearly forgot -- submitting the common portion of the application [Read, So You THINK You Submitted The Common App...], the folks at Common App have apparently caught on.

Indeed, in an email announcement to counselors and membe...
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College Admissions - The Exciting Game Without Any Rules

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, January 3, 2013, In : College Admissions 

For those of us old enough to remember the movie, Bang The Drum Slowly, or, for that matter, the crafty card games of The Sting, TEGWAR is a familiar, if but somewhat unsettling, word.

Yes, TEGWAR -- The Exciting Game Without Any Rules -- where a good old game of Poker turns into a time-honored way of separating suckers from their money.

Oddly enough (and quite the perfect segue, really), that brings us to college admissions. A process where suckers, if not (yet) to be separated from their mon...
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Look Ma, No College Application Fee!

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, November 22, 2012, In : College Applications 

While most of us know just how expensive college has become, it is not until we are embroiled in the long and tedious application and admissions process that many of us begin to realize just how expensive simply applying to college can be.

Aside from the cost of sending SAT and/or ACT scores to each college you apply to, there is typically a fee, ranging in price from $25 to more than $100, for each college you submit an application to. Holy cow! You can go broke even before you are accepted!

T...
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After The Storm, Getting College Applications Back On Track

Posted by College Connection on Monday, November 5, 2012, In : College Applications 


The wind howled. The rain belted the windows. Trees fell, and with them, power lines. Lives disrupted. Homes and businesses lost. And, not to be forgotten in the midst of our struggles for find gas for our cars and more than solace from the folks at LIPA, high school students anxious to complete and submit their college applications -- with Early Action deadlines looming!

If the angst and anxiety brought on by the college application and admissions process weren't enough, add to them a devasta...


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So, You Think You've Completed The Common App

Posted by College Connection on Monday, September 10, 2012, In : College Applications 

As the frenzy to complete and submit college applications before deadline (be it Early Decision, Early Action or Regular Decision) heightens, that finger drawers perilously close to the dreaded "submit" button.

With the Common App serving as the very foundation of your foray into college admissiondom, you scrutinize every word, each digit, all the dotted "i"s and crossed "t"s. You pore over your personal statement, short answers and supplemental essays, making sure they give voice to the very ...


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Ten Things The College Admissions Office Won't Tell You

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, September 4, 2012, In : College Admissions 

1. Your Application Is Incomplete. Yes, most colleges have so-called "Application Checkers" which allow you to see (though not always in real-time) what, if anything is missing from your application. Test scores. High school transcript. Supplements. Recommendations. Colleges will not even review your application until it is deemed complete, and it is entirely up to you to make sure it is -- as in, "signed, sealed and delivered."

2. You Missed The Application Deadline. A candidate for Early Act...
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Stack College Odds In Your Favor

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, August 28, 2012, In : College Applications 

The College Whisperer's colleague, Allen Grove of About.com's Guide to College Admissions posted a top ten list of sorts to improve your chances of getting into college:

A winning college application is about more than strong grades or high test scores. To get admitted to the country's most selective colleges, applicants will need to put together an application that shines in all areas. Click on the tips below to learn about some of the features of a strong application.

  1. Take challenging ...

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No Stone Unturned

Posted by College Connection on Monday, August 13, 2012, In : College Planning 

Just the other day, The College Whisperer -- also known as "Current Occupant" in certain postal circles, received a piece of unsolicited mail. Not email, mind you, but actual snail mail, at bulk rate, no less.

Keeping with my practice of opening every piece of mail that crosses my desk -- and actually reading it -- I sliced off the top of the envelope and pulled out what I soon realized was an invitation to take a survey. Innocuous, and otherwise destined for the circular file, until I saw, tu...

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Game On!

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, August 1, 2012, In : College Applications 

Live from the Common App. . .

The Common Application is now live at www.CommonApp.org. Are you ready?

Yes, the mainstay of the college application season, home to the apps (and sundry supplements) of "456 Common Application members in 46 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in France, Germany, Italy, Scotland, and Switzerland," will see you now. Let the insanity begin!

Registered? Committed your Login and Password to memory? (Don't be a wise guy. Write it down!) Personal stateme...


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Please Listen Carefully As Our Menu Items Have Recently Changed. . .

Posted by College Connection on Monday, December 19, 2011, In : College Admissions 

Ever notice how every company, from the largest corporation in America to the smallest Mom and Pop store on Main Street, has relinquished control of their telephone to the relentlessly annoying and endlessly mind-boggling automated answering systems?

"For billing, press 6." "To check the status of your order, press 7." "For repairs and technical support, press 9."

Assuming you have figured out the correct menu item (which, by the way, has never really changed), you are, more often than not, no ...
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Getting Into College Isn't Rocket Science*

Posted by College Connection on Monday, November 28, 2011, In : College Admissions 

*It's actually more difficult!

Rocket Science.
More appropriately, aerospace engineering. The time-honored term used to describe a task or idea as being easy as compared to rocket science, which is perceived as a very difficult field. Usually used as a statement such as "It's not rocket science!"

So, why even attempt to make a connection between, say, the science of putting a man on the moon and the college application and admissions process?

Let's put it this way. The former deals with the desi...
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So, You THINK You Submitted The Common App. . .

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, October 20, 2011, In : College Applications 

As the frenzy to file college applications before deadline (be it Early Decision, Early Action or Regular Decision) heightens, that finger drawers perilously close to the dreaded "submit" button.

With the Common App serving as the very foundation of your foray into college admissiondom, you scrutinize every word, each digit, all the dotted "i"s and crossed "t"s. You pore over your personal statement, short answers and supplemental essays, making sure they give voice to the very essence of hear...
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Meet The College Whisperer™

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, October 4, 2011, In : College Planning 

Just Who Is The College Whisperer?

The College Whisperer
 is Seth Bykofsky. [Or is it the other way around? No matter! :-)]

Born on the cusp of a new century (1 B.C.), his mother, Frances, was first runner-up to Miss Alternate Universe, while his father, Irving, served as counsel to the Czars. Orphaned at a tender age by the tragic sinking of the Titantic, Bykofsky was home-schooled until the age of 13, at which time he was summarily expelled. 

Joining the French Foreign Legion and rising t...
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Early Decision and the Ties That Bind

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, September 21, 2011, In : College Applications 

As college-bound high school seniors seriously begin work on their college applications -- inclusive of the Common App -- two questions invariably arise: "What is the difference between 'Early Decision' and 'Early Action,' and should I apply under either?"

"Early Decision," simply put, is binding. The end all of decisions. You will go to no other college. If they accept you, you must go. This is it!

You may only apply "Early Decision" to one college, and you, your parents, your high school and,...
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The Calm Before -- And During -- The College Admissions Storm

Posted by College Connection on Friday, August 26, 2011, In : College Planning 

Earthquakes. Hurricanes. Locust. [Would you believe a noisy Cicada, falling from a nearby tree? Oh, we hate when that happens!]

All enough to unsettle even those with nerves of steel. And yet, even these natural disasters (not to mention those man-made ones that come our way, seemingly on a daily basis), hardly compare to the terror struck in the hearts of bold men, brave women and unflappable 18 year olds by the onset and ensuing deluge known as the college application and admission process.

F...
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Thoughts On College Planning, Redux

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, August 25, 2011, In : College Planning 

Some advice is well worth repeating. These mental meanderings, from a prior post by The College Whisperer, among them:

A Sherpa's Guide to College Admissions

Excerpted from TheCollegeWhisperer.com

 

M.S. of East Williston, NY writes:

Do I really need a college planning counselor for my child? Aren't the resources available through her high school guidance counselor, the colleges,...


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The College Planner

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, June 21, 2011, In : College Planning 

Could it be that yours truly, The College Whisperer, should be shouting from the mountaintop rather than whispering on the Internet?

If you're planning to apply to college, you need a college planner!

Couldn't be simpler, right?

You retain the services of a financial planner to guide your investments prudently, safely, and with an eye toward capital preservation and long-term growth.

You enlist the services of a wedding planner to make sure everything is perfect on that most special day.

Why, you...
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College Chit Chat Live On Twitter @GetCollege

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, November 11, 2010, In : Just for Fun 

The College Whisperer
, renowned for his wit and witticism on all things college, will host an open forum (sponsored by College Connection, the one-stop source for college planning, counseling and support) on Twitter (@GetCollege), answering your questions about college applications, the admissions process, personal statements and essays, the how and where of finding and getting the big bucks you need to pay for college, and, really, any aspect (well, almost ;-) of college life.

When: Friday, N...
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The Cure for the Common App

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, October 21, 2010, In : College Applications 

COLLEGE CONNECTION

Planning ~ Guidance ~ Support

College Matching ~ Admission Strategies ~ Application Enhancement 
Essay Development ~ Scholarship and Financial Aid Sourcing


DON'T JUST APPLY TO COLLEGE. GET IN!

CALL TODAY 516-345-8766


Empowering Students. De-Stressing Parents.

FREE, no obligation telephone consultation.

www.CollegeConnect.info

COLLEGE CONNECTION
Helping To Successfully Navigate The Road To College

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Don't Even Think About Submitting That College Application. . .

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, October 13, 2010, In : College Planning 

. . .Until You Speak With A COLLEGE CONNECTION Counselor!


Overwhelmed!

That’s what parents and high school students alike tell us about the college application and admissions process.

It’s the perfect storm. The confluence of conflicting deadlines, endless paperwork, constant pressure, and information overload.

Wondering which college is right for you or your child? Has the Common Application left you asking yourself, “where do I start?” Is the personal statement cause for terminal wr...
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How Much Is That College Coach In The Window?

Posted by College Connection on Monday, September 27, 2010, In : College Planning 
S.K. of Jericho, NY writes:

My daughter, a high school senior with a 4.0+ GPA (weighted), nearly perfect SAT and ACT scores, and a resume of community service and extracurricular activities second to none, is in the process of applying to college. Hopefully (fingers crossed), she is Ivy bound. With the selection process so extremely complex and competitive, we reached out to a college coach who "specializes" in the Ivies, only to find, to our dismay, that she charges $950 per hour and upwards...
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The College Essay: Striving To Distance Yourself From The Madding Crowd

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, September 14, 2010, In : College Admissions 

Two high school seniors, college bound. One from an affluent school district on Long Island. The other from a small town nestled in the foothills of the Adirondacks. Both with stellar academic records, sufficiently proficient SAT and ACT scores, exemplary extracurricular activities, and abundant community service.

What distinguishes these two students, one from the other, in the eyes of the all and powerful college admissions officer at XYZ University?

Demographics, yes. All things being equal ...
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A Sweet, Joyous and Peaceful New Year

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, September 8, 2010, In : Just for Fun 

As Jews the world over usher in the year 5771 (where does the time go?), The College Whisperer pauses to reflect, to refresh, and to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

Next year in college!


Don't leave college admissions to prayer alone!

Call College Connection (516-345-8766) after the holidays for the competitive edge in this most selective college market.

College Matching ~ Application Enhancement ~ Essay Development
Admission Strategies ~ Scholarship & Financial Aid Sourci...

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Common Application, Common Mistakes

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, August 3, 2010, In : College Applications 
For those who may not have noticed, or are new to the game of college admissions (which probably accounts for 99.9% of those reading The College Whisperer's blog), the Common App has changed for the next class of applicants.

Some of the changes are obvious -- such as the reformatting of choices available in reporting SAT and/or ACT scores -- while others are more nuanced, making them all the more likely to lead to mistakes by the applicant, with often unintended, and, sometimes undesirable ...

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So Many College Websites, So Little Time

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, June 17, 2010, In : College Planning 
The Internet is a tangled web, indeed, particularly when it comes to the plethora (SAT word ;-) of college websites, each professing to be the best, to offer the most, and to be the last word in all things college.

Some college websites are great. Others less so. And everyone has an opinion on where to click when researching colleges, developing admission strategies, looking for college planning advice, or hunting down scholarship money.

Higher ed journalist, speaker, consultant, author of The ...
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College Admission Boot Camp?

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, In : College Admissions 
J.R. of Great Neck, NY writes:

I saw an ad in The New York Times for what is being billed as a college application boot camp -- an intensive 4-day "event" where students may complete their college applications with "leading admission pros." The cost is $14,000 for the 4 days, not including food or lodging.

My daughter will be a high school senior this fall, and I was wondering whether a boot camp such as this would be a wise investment?

The College Whisperer responds:

The Few. The Proud. The Angs...

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