Heather Ricker-Gilbert

Many college-bound students are applying two months ahead of the traditional January admissions deadlines through early action or early decision.  The trend toward early application has been expanding and many colleges and universities now often fill a third or possibly even half of their upcoming freshman classes through early action or decision, according to…

The Independent Educational Consultants Association recently released its report on ‘What Colleges Look for in High School Students,’ based on an annual survey of nearly 2,000 independent educational consultants.  While grades and standardized test scores are near the top of what colleges look for, a number of significant changes and surprises are challenging the…

Several years ago, my family and I had the opportunity to live in Sydney, Australia, and Christ Church, New Zealand, where we discovered that many of the college students we met took time off before starting college. They traveled, or worked on sheep farms, in restaurants or in the tourist industry. In other words, these young…

The prom was fun, classes are coming to an end and  finals will soon be behind you. Sports teams have done well this year, and you are taking end-of-the year AP tests and the SAT. Summer vacation is ahead. It’s important to unwind, relax, have fun with your friends, play some video games…

High school is almost over and, as a senior, you’ve worked hard. By now, you have been accepted to a number of colleges where you applied early action or regular decision. Perhaps you have been waitlisted or denied admission by others. The deadline for your final college decision is Monday, May 1, so it is…

Now is the time for high school students to take charge of their college searches. Here are some tips to get started: ■ Determine what you are looking for in a college. Do you want an urban campus, a chance to ski, lots of options to study abroad, the opportunity to major in…

 One of the best ways to prepare for college is to read. Reading books, blogs, magazines and news articles may contribute to SAT and ACT test scores, since reading improves comprehension and vocabulary. So, as students look ahead to taking standardized tests in the coming months, reading should be part of their test prep. …

If you have someone on your holiday gift list who is a high school senior, or perhaps someone who is already a college student, I hope you may find these holiday gift ideas helpful for the young adults in your life: ■ A cookbook, such as “27 Easy College Cookbook Recipes” by Diana Bricker, “4 Ingredients:…

There are more than 3,500 accredited colleges and universities in the United States.  How do you differentiate among all these schools? Colleges all have slick, glossy brochures and professionally developed websites to entice students to visit and possibly attend one of these institutions of higher learning. But, there are distinct categories of colleges which…

College application deadlines are fast approaching for high school seniors. Early action and early decision have become popular options for college applicants. Here is a brief guide to help you understand the differences in the ways you can apply to college.   ■ Early action (Nov. 1 or 15)  Early action, offered…