As an international student, you may have heard that American colleges and universities apply a holistic approach to the application process. But, what exactly does that mean? Colleges look at everything you accomplish in your high school years by assessing the rigor of your curriculum, your grades, standardized exams, essays, recommendations, and activities. How do you contribute to your school and your community? How do you balance your education with participation outside of school? How are you active outside of the classroom?

There are over 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. And while the media tends to focus on just a handful of schools, we at College Coach encourage students to think outside the box during their college selection process and explore a wide range of colleges. And for some students, this includes schools beyond the U.S., too! As such, we are highlighting an international college this week in our School Spotlight series.

School Spotlight: University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

There is a scholarship (or many scholarships) out there for everyone. Every student has some skill, interest, experience, or characteristic that may make them an attractive candidate for one scholarship or another. And while we often refer to scholarships as “free money,” scholarships don’t actually come for free. It takes work to thoughtfully consider your strengths and research the scholarships that might be most appropriate for you. While the effort that goes into finding and winning scholarships may be akin to a part-time job, we at College Coach want to make your job a little easier. This on-going scholarship series highlights a new scholarship each week. Check out the below, along with the other posts in the series, and you may discover a funding resource that will make covering that college bill a little (or a lot!) easier.

If you are a deserving college-bound (or current college) student from Washington, DC, this scholarship opportunity may be for you.

Scholarship: DC Leadership Scholarship 1000

Guest Post By Matt Symonds, Fortuna Admissions

A college friend once confided that her dad – at his emphatic insistence – wrote all of her undergrad admission essays. Given that she was a physics major with near-perfect grades at a top 10 undergrad institution, this parental intervention struck me as irrational (not to mention unethical).  Given the news we’ve all heard this week about parental overstepping to a criminal extent, I guess I shouldn’t have been shocked by my friend’s confession.

From rescuing to over-praising, we’ve been warned of the perils of helicopter parenting and its implications for children. Yet when a child expresses their intent to apply to a top business school, there’s plenty you can do to help without overstepping your bounds.

On the latest episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, host Elizabeth Heaton talks with her guests about admitted student days, how and when to arrange financing for college, and what to look for when hiring an independent counselor.

Last week, I was sitting in a movie theater watching Personal Statement, a documentary film about a group of students attending resource-challenged schools in Brooklyn—schools where each counselor was responsible for guiding over 600 students through the college admissions process. Top students in each school were called forth, not only to navigate their own college applications, but to provide guidance for other students who needed the help. Think about it: first-generation college students, students who had absolutely no familiarity with the world of admissions, were called upon to explain the process to their peers. There are students in our society who are not only pulling themselves up from their bootstraps, they’re manufacturing their own boots, too—boots for themselves and boots for their peers.

Think you’re either a good test-taker or you’re not? Wrong! While some students show a natural aptitude for standardized tests, it’s been documented time and time again that studying for the SAT or ACT does, in fact, improve scores. It follows that, if you intend to take the SAT or ACT this spring or summer, you should be preparing for that test now, or very shortly. But with the volumes of books, online tutorials, classes, and private tutoring available, it can be difficult to figure what kind of test prep is best. Enter former Tufts University and Regis College admissions officer, Kerrin Lyons.

There are over 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. And while the media tends to focus on just a handful of schools, we at College Coach encourage students to think outside the box during their college selection process and explore a wide range of colleges. As such, we are highlighting a new college each week in our School Spotlight series. Check out the college below, along with the other posts in our series, and you may just stumble upon your dream school!

School Spotlight: Fordham University
New York, NY 

• Are you a junior or senior attending high school in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, or Vermont?
• Is your high school a member of NEACAC, the New England Association of College Admission Counseling? (Ask your school counselor if you’re not sure!)
• Would you like the chance to earn $1,000 for college?

“I want to become a doctor! What do I need to do?”

This is one of the most common questions I hear from students and their families. There is a lot of information and myths about the pre-med path, and it can be challenging to figure out what is important to consider when researching colleges.