Insider tips for the week of November 2, 2020

A simple way to start the college conversation with your teen – Bestselling author Jacques Steinberg and Eric Furda, dean of admissions at UPenn, have developed a practical exercise for parents and students to undertake together. They recommend using simple index cards to begin the process of looking inward at the specific attributes of a college that might have the most appeal, with the goal of laying the groundwork for a mature conversation that may involve some discomfort but provide a beneficial amount of transparency. Learn how to do the exercise, and give it a shot with your student.

3 reasons why good grades won’t pay for college – Michelle Kretzschmar addresses the important distinction of good grades getting you into college but not necessarily lowering the cost of college. Take a few minutes for this helpful read.

What to know about early action and early decision – The various ways to apply to a college can be confusing, and US News and World Report helps explain the differences. A key difference is that early decision is binding, while early action is not.

Dangers of getting too much feedback on college essays – Ethan Sawyer and his young daughter Zola do a terrific job of explaining the dangers of getting feedback from too many people on your college essay. In addition to adding unnecessary stress, the student’s voice, which is exactly what admissions officers are looking to hear, becomes lost. A fun video well worth the 2 minutes.