Though the number of colleges is dwindling from a bigger picture perspective, students applying to postsecondary institutions know better than anyone just how many schools are out there. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2021 there were approximately 4,000 Title IV degree-granting institutions in the United States.
Common App Essay Prompt 1 Example and Guide 2024-2025
The 2024-2025 college application season is about to start, so we’re starting our series on our favorite thing: the Common App essay. For those of you just now learning about and exploring the Common App, it’s a unified college application portal that allows you to work on and apply to up to 20 colleges, but not all colleges exist in their system (cough UCs cough Georgetown cough MIT). One of the great so-called perks of the Common App is the Common App essay – one essay that gets sent to all the schools on your list. While most schools also require supplements, the Common App essay is something almost every school on your list will require, which means it needs to be perfect.
Summer Strategy Ideas for Stanford
Stanford is an elite research university founded in California with a mission to change the world. It’s one of the most competitive undergraduate universities in the world, and Stanford doesn’t get all that much easier once you get in. The 7,841 undergraduate students at Stanford know that they have to love working hard to thrive. They represent 76 countries and 49 states, and have access to 600+ student groups and 81 undergraduate student residences (the vast majority of Stanford students live on campus).
9th Grade College Strategy for Economics
Do you dream of navigating the complex world of economics? Maybe you have visions of becoming the next big financial guru, crunching numbers like a pro. Or perhaps you're fascinated by the intricate dance of supply and demand, seeing economic principles play out in everyday life. Whether you're drawn to the allure of Wall Street or just really, really love watching "The Big Short," we've got you covered! If you're here, chances are you're a freshman in high school and intrigued by the idea of studying economics in college. Fear not, because we're here.
10th Grade College Strategy for Computer Science
Computer science is so hot right now. For the last few years, computer science has been the most popular major across the board. There are many career opportunities with computer science and many interdisciplinary applications for it, too, so we get it.
The Best Majors at Tufts
Tufts is a school outside Boston. Not just a school, though, it’s a leading research university that pairs a serious academic powerhouse with a close and supportive community. The Tufts motto is Pax et Lux, or “Peace and Light,” which can sound pretty lighthearted or even angelic, but what it really speaks to is the bringing of peace and light into the serious world of world-class academics. Tufts does serious stuff, but it doesn’t take itself too seriously.
How to Get into U Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in, you guessed it, Chicago, Illinois. It is most famous for its quirky student body and rigorous academics. In many ways, it is an “anti-party” school and is a favorite amongst students who are looking for deep learning and lively debate in the heart of a major city.
Demonstrated Interest at Tufts
So you want to be a Jumbo, huh? Elephants are not normally credited with, you know, subtlety, and you might be tempted to take the “spraying water through your trunk” approach to demonstrated interest. Here’s the thing, though — demonstrated interest is not the secret weapon that you think it is, and it’s important that you know where to focus your energy as you knock out your applications.
How to Get into UNC Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, sometimes just called UNC, is a public research university. You have probably heard of their Basketball team, the UNC Tar-Heels… Come on, Michael Jordan went there. But there is a lot more going on at UNC. It’s one of the oldest public universities in the US. They offer over 70 courses of study for their about 20k undergrads. The school is also serious about research and is part of the North Carolina Research Triangle with Duke and NC State.
Applying to Vanderbilt as a Student Athlete
Vanderbilt is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee that has become extremely popular for crafting what many believe is the perfect college experience. Nashville is a music, culture, and food mecca, with tons of career opportunities for students as they look forward to what comes next. While pursuing their degree (or degrees, for that matter), the 13,700 students, about half undergraduate, have access to an innovative and fun college experience. Vanderbilt has become known for having some of the happiest college students of any campus in America, and they’re all about balance in the classroom and out.
9th Grade College Strategy for Business
Aeronautics at Rice University: Deep Dive
“Houston, we have a problem.” If you’ve ever thrown this phrase into your dramatic monologues, you might know that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is based in Houston, TX. Rice University is ALSO based in Houston, and they’re nationally known for their strength in STEM —and for their aeronautic engineering program, specifically.
The Best Majors at Northwestern
Northwestern is a top 10 university in the United States in Evanston, Illinois. Evanston is frequently named one of the best college towns in the country, with beaches along Lake Michigan, abundant arts and culture resources, and easy access to Chicago. Northwestern offers a big university experience and a small college environment all in one. There are six undergraduate schools, Arts & Sciences, Communication, Education & Social Policy, Engineering, Journalism & Marketing, and Music, and more than 100 majors and minors to choose from. The university is known for offering amazing research opportunities, and outstanding study abroad programs. But it is also a world-class institution for music education, so you have the best in STEM, the humanities, and the arts all in one place. This brings together diverse minds that don’t like to be put in a box, and students are encouraged to take a personalized journey.
10th Grade College Strategy for Engineering
If you dream of building buildings or fancy mechanical structures, inventing the next lightbulb, or creating the next life-saving medical device, you’re probably interested in studying engineering. Or maybe you don’t even know that you want to study engineering, but you think that you might be! No worries; you’re in the right place.
Summer Strategy Ideas for Kenyon College
Kenyon College is a small liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio, a town with only about as many residents as there are students at Kenyon. Seriously, it’s nearly a 1:1 ratio. Kenyon has become renowned, though, for being informed by a small town but not limited by it. The campus is so big, too, that there is nearly half-an-acre per student.
Applying to Cornell University as an International Student
Cornell is Ivy League, baby. This major research university in Ithaca, New York, home to over 16,000 undergraduate students, is unique as a super prestigious university and member of the Ivy League that offers educational tracks and opportunities, like the hospitality school and the agricultural programs, that no other top schools have. Truly, not a single other Ivy League or Ivy-adjacent school offers what Cornell does.
Demonstrated Interest at Middlebury
With class years totaling under 1,000 students annually, Middlebury is a small school that gets harder to get into as interest continues to rise. Every year, a few students go rabid over demonstrated interest. Why? Well, to be honest, there is no explanation capable of justifying catfishing your admissions counselor into friending you on Facebook — and the fact that you’re using Zucky Boy’s platform in the first place is all the proof we needed to know you’d gone feral. Nevertheless, we understand the urgency behind questions about demonstrated interest. It’s not totally clear what it is in the first place, and everyone wants to give themselves the best chance of getting accepted to their first-choice school.
Computer Science at Dartmouth: Deep Dive
Continuing our series on the reputation of individual departments within larger colleges, or “Is This a Good School for That?”, we’ll be looking into Computer Science at Dartmouth. Some simply know it as the feral cousin of the more reputable Ivies, but this New Hampshire liberal arts institution is notable for its computing legacy and prolific research.
9th Grade College Strategy for Political Science
There aren’t a lot of topics as popular with high school students as political science. We don’t know if it’s the idea that one day you could roam the halls of power or your fascination with why politics makes people act the way they do, but we hear from freshmen all the time who are passionate about poli sci and want to get a jump on the college process.
How to Get into Duke
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina. Duke offers its 6,500 undergrads great research opportunities, challenging academics, and a fun social experience. Duke is a favorite for students looking for a work-hard/play-hard college experience. So whether you are looking for so-called “Southern Ivies,” North Carolina Research Triangle schools, or even just really great basketball opportunities, Duke is a great choice.