With so many variables at play in the college admissions process, it is tempting to look for ways to gain an edge. For many students who feel trapped by average GPAs and test scores, and even for...
How Important is Volunteer Work?
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The Compass Academics Blog
Resources Designed for Academic Growth
SAT Adversity Score
The College Board’s announcement of their SAT Adversity Score expansion last month prompted a flurry of discussion surrounding its merits and/or deficiencies. There are certainly many factors that...
College Admissions Consultants
Desperate times call for desperate measures. The end justifies the means. Greed is good. Any of these famous quotes can be used to rationalize paying and charging ridiculous sums of money to gain an...
Power of the Yield Protection Myth
To paraphrase Nietzsche: Humans can tolerate suffering, but humans can't tolerate meaningless suffering. There is no doubt that many students are suffering right now with news of rejection from...
Admissions Demystified
What Does it Take to Get into College? Each year, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) publishes their industry report: “State of College Admissions.” This is a...
Activism and Academia
The Political Campus The recent mid-term election further illuminated the political spectrum of our country and college-aged voters turned out in record numbers. With the highest turnout in 25...
ACT, SAT, or Both?
Which college admissions test should you take? It is that time of the year when rising Seniors are considering taking their college placement tests at least one more time before they submit their...
Admissions Essay Tips
Overcoming college essay writer’s block The College Admissions Essay is a genre unto itself and, arguably, the most anxiety inducing component of college applications. In an era dominated by...
Leaving Money on the Table?
The higher cost of higher education It is not uncommon to hear that thousands of dollars in scholarship money goes unclaimed every year. Most experts agree this is a myth based on a dated...
Are AP Classes Worth It?
Should you take AP classes? A recent article in Inside Higher Ed discusses the pressure high school students feel to take as many AP courses as possible to be competitive for admission to their...