It might not feel like it where you are, but Spring is technically here! A look at the calendar (if not the snow on the ground) shows that summer isn't far behind. Granted, it might arrive after two and a half more months of homework, reading and exams -- but it will arrive! Traditionally, summer stretches endlessly in front of the weary student, offering uninterrupted time with no schedule, no responsibilities and no activities tied to school or schoolwork. The reality is

Everyone knows students have to compete for admission to selective colleges today. More high school seniors are applying to more schools, more international students want U.S. educations, yet the number of seats available at top colleges and universities has barely budged. But where college websites tend to make the process appear straightforward (fill out the application, submit a transcript, supply one recommendation), the reality is a little more complicated. Selective c

Some students want to get onto an Ivy League campus in the worst way. And so they do: they sign up for a summer program. These students spend one to three weeks sleeping in dorms and eating dining hall food, learning to make new friends, get along with roommates, survive independently, and embrace new ideas. But the parents who shell out a couple thousand dollars may not get what they thought they were paying for. Often these minimally selective programs aren’t affiliated

Maybe you're too young to recognize the quotation from singer Elvis Costello, but everyone concerned about getting into college knows the truth contained in this title. "Passion" has become almost a term of art for admissions officers. No longer simply denoting strong enthusiasm or excitement, it has come to mean an area of intense focus and achievement on the part of an applicant. Colleges are looking for students who demonstrate that they care deeply about something, whe

In years past, a student could assess his chances of admission to a certain college by comparing his class rank and test scores against well-known benchmarks. There were tacitly acknowledged cut-off scores below which the applicant could not expect to be admitted. That was a reach school. But even more important, there were scores above which you were virtually certain to get in. This was how you knew you had a safety school. Many public colleges and universities still op