Admissions Blogs

I love that Melody had questions about my post Middle School Students Taking High School Courses and spoke to admissions people to get more information.

In my first post, I mentioned that Dean J in UVA Admissions has a fantastic blog that you should follow called Notes from Peabody. You'll find that blog here: http://uvaapplication.blogspot.com/.

Just yesterday, Dean J's post recommended reaching out to her office with admissions questions, and she pointed out the importance of consulting someone who is an "insider" vs. an "observer." She told readers that they shouldn't hesitate to call or email when they've been unable to find the answers to their questions.  As she puts it, until the reading season starts and the admissions people get crazy busy, their job is to help students get the most current information they need.

Many schools have their own blogs, and I recommend you subscribe to all the ones that your student is considering submitting an application. Go to the schools website, click on admissions, and you will usually see an opportunity to sign up for a blog or follow them on Twitter. You can also google the school along with the words "admissions blog", and if they have one, it should pop right up.

I follow the admissions blog for the University of Georgia (http://ugaadmissions.blogspot.com), and today the post was all about the essay. Not only did they post all of the essay questions for this year so that you could get an early start, but they also posted an actual essay from a 2014 incoming freshman's application that they consider strong. Reading this short, creative piece is helpful for any student no matter where they plan to apply. (Hint: if you apply to UGA early action, you don't have to write any essays!)

Roaming around the internet, I discovered that The New York Times had a helpful blog called The Choice: Getting Into College and Paying For It.  I say "had" because it is no longer an active blog with new posts. The online archives, still exist, though, and it looks like a great resource for advice on the college application process. You'll find it here: http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/.