Why We Started a Blog

Why We Started a Blog

The college admissions process is special and unique to each family. Navigating it over the course of high school requires successful organization, planning, and diligence. We are honored to play a small role in the journeys of our students and families.With over 50 combined years of experience, our expert team at Wise World Prep has helped thousands of students maximize their potential to gain admission to their preferred colleges. We stay on top of trends, common questions, and useful bits of information that would benefit every student and his or her family regardless of whether or not they work directly with us.With that in mind, we created this blog to answer those questions, dispel misinformation, and provide valuable insight for high school students at various stages of the college admissions process.It’s important to us as educators not just to assist our students in accomplishing the goal of writing compelling applications, but also to empower them with skills they can use long after they’ve been admitted to find meaning and success in their endeavors.

Our Approach

There is much scrutiny—and deservedly so—surrounding the independent college counseling industry. Given the recent scandal that has damaged the reputations of several of America’s most elite institutions and called into question the equity gaps in higher education, faith in the process feels like it is at an all-time low.We are disheartened by the lengths that some people are willing to go to gain an unfair advantage in a process that is arguably already unfair. And for us as counselors who believe in each student’s unique talents, stories, and experiences, we feel an added passion to help students find their voice and express themselves as authentically as possible.What often differentiates the most successful college applicants from other equally gifted students is this sense of authentic self-expression—of investing themselves fully in the pursuit of passions that resonate most deeply in their core, and the ability to articulate why it matters to them. In our one-on-one counseling, and in the ideas we suggest in this blog, we hope to nurture this ability for all students.

Foster Writing Skills

For most students, writing their personal statement and supplemental essays will be their most intense writing experience to date. Crafting moving essays requires time and patience.Our students often work on their personal statements over several months with us before the essays are in a place that represents them and their ability at its fullest. Our goal in helping students through this practice is to make their college transition easier as they prepare for the level of excellence that will be expected of them by their professors.One of our motivations in creating this blog is to give students access to important tips that can help them along their writing journey. Most high school seniors would benefit from working directly with a trusted guide on revising their essays, but understanding the techniques involved as well as the way admissions officers read personal statements is helpful to students of all ages.

Promote Proactive, Professional Communication

Much of the admissions process is about conveying your story. That happens through your essays, interviews, other supporting materials, and the way that you communicate with the admissions office.

• Are you proactive?
• Are you the kind of student who sets up your own meetings with college representatives?
• Can you make a moving impression in an interview and follow up with a meaningful thank you note that differentiates you from other talented students? 
• Can you articulate clear and specific reasons to your teachers about why you enjoyed taking their classes that might help them write you strong letters of recommendation?

These are all attributes that we work hard to help our students develop, and we want to share our insight with a wider audience. Many families are surprised by how important the details of the process can be. Our hope is to shed light on them, equipping you to put together a better application and follow it up with effective, professional communication.

Encourage Deep Explorations of Passions

While most high school students will have a list of extracurricular activities to include on his or her resume, few go above and beyond what is expected and work on projects that make a significant impact on their community.We encourage our students to explore their passions deeper than the average high schooler, to pursue their interests in original ways, and to ask the question “why” over and over.Creating a compelling application is a byproduct of doing compelling work. It is easier to write about experiences that have truly left an impression—both internally and on others. Whether the interest is in community service, developing new technology, or in literary research, students should explore these interests as far as they can.One of our objectives of starting a blog is to help students identify opportunities and brainstorm ideas about how to make the best use of them.

Our Hopes for You

We are most fulfilled when students land at a college that fits their unique personality and interests well. Their excitement for what’s to come when they hear the final results is one of the best parts of being an admissions counselor.No matter where you are from, what you wish to study, or what colleges you are interested in, we hope our blog will help you navigate this special, sometimes challenging, other times illuminating, and oftentimes rewarding process of applying to college.  The expert admissions consultants at Wise World Prep have helped hundreds of students maximize their potential of being admitted to their top choice colleges and universities. Over 20 years, we have successfully guided students through each stage of the application process – from choosing competitive high school courses to building an appropriate college list to drafting winning essays to writing persuasive update and appeals letters. We would be happy to answer your questions and partner with you to create a successful admissions roadmap.Ready to get started? Schedule a complimentary 20-minute conversation today!Want to stay informed? Subscribe to our newsletter.See what others are saying about us.