Fall in Portland. Leaves change color. School is in full swing. The college application process gears up. And, hundreds of college admissions representatives descend upon the metro area to share what their schools can offer prospective students. The fall is ripe with opportunities to continue college research, including the availability of interviews with college personnel. [...]

The green leaves of Portland are hinting yellow and red, which means school is in full swing. For seniors this marks the beginning of a busy fall, complete with the academic and social demands of school. Tacked onto this already busy schedule is the college search and application process. With college application season just around [...]

On Monday I visited Southern Oregon University. The tour was terrific. The guides were energetic. A doe and her fawns even pranced in front of the admissions office! What struck me most, however, was how few questions the tour participants asked and how basic those questions were. Considering the college visit is the most important [...]

In essence, students are charged with finding the best ranked colleges according to their criteria.

The results for Early Decision and Early Action Applications, including early merit (non-need based) scholarship offers are pouring in! Congratulations to my students on their hard work and early acceptances to the following colleges and universities: Chapman University, University of Colorado – Boulder, University of Denver, Emory University, Fordham University, Hampshire College, Loyola Marymount University, [...]

Here are some good questions to ask any potential independent counselor: Do you have counseling experience, credentials, or a master’s degree in counseling or a counseling related discipline? Do you have experience in a high school counseling office or as a college admission officer? Do you visit college campuses regularly—locally, regionally and/or nationally? Have you [...]

Should you hire an independent counselor? The first step in deciding whether to seek outside services is to assess your individual needs and evaluate the resources available in your own school. Does your school have counselors who spend a significant amount of time counseling students through the college admissions process? Have the school’s counselors received [...]