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    <title>College Admissions News &amp; Tips</title>
    <link>/blog</link>
    <description>The Savvy Applicant, a blog by Princeton College Consulting offers college expert application tips. Learn more about college admission news and trends here!</description>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <pubDate>Mon, 20 Oct 2025 21:27:05 GMT</pubDate>
    <dc:date>2025-10-20T21:27:05Z</dc:date>
    <dc:language>en-us</dc:language>
    <item>
      <title>Beyond Hard and Soft Skills: Preparing for the Jobs of Tomorrow</title>
      <link>/blog/beyond-hard-and-soft-skills-preparing-for-the-jobs-of-tomorrow</link>
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   &lt;td style="border: 1pt solid #000000;"&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;“The future was, very literally, in their own hands.” – &lt;em&gt;2001: A Space Odyssey &lt;/em&gt;by Arthur C. Clarke&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/td&gt;
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      <content:encoded>&lt;table style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 1px solid #99acc2;"&gt; 
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   &lt;td style="border: 1pt solid #000000;"&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;“The future was, very literally, in their own hands.” – &lt;em&gt;2001: A Space Odyssey &lt;/em&gt;by Arthur C. Clarke&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/td&gt;
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&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fbeyond-hard-and-soft-skills-preparing-for-the-jobs-of-tomorrow&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>Standing Out</category>
      <category>о</category>
      <category>Underclassmen</category>
      <pubDate>Mon, 20 Oct 2025 21:27:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/beyond-hard-and-soft-skills-preparing-for-the-jobs-of-tomorrow</guid>
      <dc:date>2025-10-20T21:27:05Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Future-Proofing Your Major: How Students Can Navigate a Changing Job Market</title>
      <link>/blog/future-proofing-your-major-how-students-can-navigate-a-changing-job-market</link>
      <description>&lt;table style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 1px solid #99acc2;"&gt; 
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   &lt;td style="border: 1pt solid #000000;"&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify; padding-left: 40px;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;For university leavers, these are worrying times. A mounting pile of data suggests that accessing the kind of entry-level jobs that traditionally put degree holders on a path to professional success is becoming even harder. One&lt;a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/jun/25/uk-university-graduates-toughest-job-market-rise-of-ai"&gt; &lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;report&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; published by the job-search site Indeed found that the market for young people fresh out of university is tougher than at any time since 2018. Another&lt;a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jun/30/uk-entry-level-jobs-chatgpt-launch-adzuna"&gt; &lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;analysis&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; found that the number of entry-level jobs on offer throughout the labor market has fallen. But the steepest drop-off appears to be in professional occupations, where the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) may be beginning to affect the bottom rungs of the white-collar career ladder. —&lt;i&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jul/02/the-guardian-view-on-the-graduate-jobs-crunch-ai-must-not-be-allowed-to-eclipse-young-talent" style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Guardian&lt;span style="text-decoration: none;"&gt; Editorial&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/td&gt;
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   &lt;td style="border: 1pt solid #000000;"&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify; padding-left: 40px;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;For university leavers, these are worrying times. A mounting pile of data suggests that accessing the kind of entry-level jobs that traditionally put degree holders on a path to professional success is becoming even harder. One&lt;a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/jun/25/uk-university-graduates-toughest-job-market-rise-of-ai"&gt; &lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;report&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; published by the job-search site Indeed found that the market for young people fresh out of university is tougher than at any time since 2018. Another&lt;a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jun/30/uk-entry-level-jobs-chatgpt-launch-adzuna"&gt; &lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;analysis&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; found that the number of entry-level jobs on offer throughout the labor market has fallen. But the steepest drop-off appears to be in professional occupations, where the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) may be beginning to affect the bottom rungs of the white-collar career ladder. —&lt;i&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jul/02/the-guardian-view-on-the-graduate-jobs-crunch-ai-must-not-be-allowed-to-eclipse-young-talent" style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The Guardian&lt;span style="text-decoration: none;"&gt; Editorial&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/td&gt;
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&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Ffuture-proofing-your-major-how-students-can-navigate-a-changing-job-market&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>Standing Out</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>о</category>
      <pubDate>Mon, 08 Sep 2025 20:49:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/future-proofing-your-major-how-students-can-navigate-a-changing-job-market</guid>
      <dc:date>2025-09-08T20:49:11Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
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    <item>
      <title>Jobs of the Future: Why Your Major Still Matters</title>
      <link>/blog/jobs-of-the-future-why-your-major-still-matters</link>
      <description>&lt;p style="text-align: justify; padding-left: 40px;"&gt;“Young people are having a harder time finding a job than they used to, and it’s been going on for a while, at least 10 years… When you think from first principles about what generative AI can do, and what jobs it can replace, it’s the kinds of things that young college grads have done… They read and synthesize information and data. They produce reports and presentations.” —David Deming, Professor of Political Economy at Harvard University&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p style="text-align: justify; padding-left: 40px;"&gt;“Young people are having a harder time finding a job than they used to, and it’s been going on for a while, at least 10 years… When you think from first principles about what generative AI can do, and what jobs it can replace, it’s the kinds of things that young college grads have done… They read and synthesize information and data. They produce reports and presentations.” —David Deming, Professor of Political Economy at Harvard University&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fjobs-of-the-future-why-your-major-still-matters&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>Standing Out</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>о</category>
      <category>Underclassmen</category>
      <pubDate>Sat, 26 Jul 2025 13:03:27 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/jobs-of-the-future-why-your-major-still-matters</guid>
      <dc:date>2025-07-26T13:03:27Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
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    <item>
      <title>Transitioning to College: Six Tips for a Productive First Year</title>
      <link>/blog/transitioning-to-college-six-tips-for-a-productive-first-year</link>
      <description>&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;“Your talents and abilities will improve over time, but for that, you have to start.”&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/span&gt;— Martin Luther King Jr.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;“Your talents and abilities will improve over time, but for that, you have to start.”&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/span&gt;— Martin Luther King Jr.&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Ftransitioning-to-college-six-tips-for-a-productive-first-year&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>GPA &amp; Standardized Testing</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>о</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <pubDate>Mon, 23 Jun 2025 18:27:21 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/transitioning-to-college-six-tips-for-a-productive-first-year</guid>
      <dc:date>2025-06-23T18:27:21Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
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    <item>
      <title>Is a Liberal Arts College the Right Fit For Me?</title>
      <link>/blog/is-a-liberal-arts-college-the-right-fit-for-me</link>
      <description>&lt;p style="text-align: justify; font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;span style="color: #666666;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;“The value of an education in a liberal arts college is not the learning of many facts, but the training of the mind to think something that cannot be learned from textbooks.”&lt;/em&gt; —Albert Einstein&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p style="text-align: justify; font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;span style="color: #666666;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;“The value of an education in a liberal arts college is not the learning of many facts, but the training of the mind to think something that cannot be learned from textbooks.”&lt;/em&gt; —Albert Einstein&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fis-a-liberal-arts-college-the-right-fit-for-me&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>Standing Out</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>о</category>
      <pubDate>Wed, 21 May 2025 20:11:02 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/is-a-liberal-arts-college-the-right-fit-for-me</guid>
      <dc:date>2025-05-21T20:11:02Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
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    <item>
      <title>I'm Waitlisted... Now What?: How to Increase Your Chances of Getting Off the Waitlist</title>
      <link>/blog/im-waitlisted...-now-what-how-to-increase-your-chances-of-getting-off-the-waitlist</link>
      <description>&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;So, you’ve heard back from one of your top schools, and it’s the news you’ve been dreading: you’re waitlisted. For many students and families, this can be an uncertain and frustrating moment—goal in sight, yet still just out of reach—but it’s not necessarily the end of the road. When supporting students to navigate this situation, I’ve found Theodore Roosevelt’s words especially instructive: &lt;em&gt;“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”&lt;/em&gt; You may not have secured an acceptance yet, but there are several concrete steps you can take to improve your chances. Read on to find out how.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;So, you’ve heard back from one of your top schools, and it’s the news you’ve been dreading: you’re waitlisted. For many students and families, this can be an uncertain and frustrating moment—goal in sight, yet still just out of reach—but it’s not necessarily the end of the road. When supporting students to navigate this situation, I’ve found Theodore Roosevelt’s words especially instructive: &lt;em&gt;“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”&lt;/em&gt; You may not have secured an acceptance yet, but there are several concrete steps you can take to improve your chances. Read on to find out how.&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fim-waitlisted...-now-what-how-to-increase-your-chances-of-getting-off-the-waitlist&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>Standing Out</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Acceptance Decision</category>
      <pubDate>Sun, 27 Apr 2025 21:45:30 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/im-waitlisted...-now-what-how-to-increase-your-chances-of-getting-off-the-waitlist</guid>
      <dc:date>2025-04-27T21:45:30Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
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    <item>
      <title>The Consulting Pyramid Part 2</title>
      <link>/blog/the-consulting-pyramid-part-2</link>
      <description>&lt;table style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 1px solid #99acc2;"&gt; 
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   &lt;td style="border: 1pt solid #000000;"&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;The great Chinese philosopher and author of the &lt;em&gt;Tao Te Ching&lt;/em&gt;, Lao Tzu, once said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Like the one step at the beginning of the journey, о application process can be framed as a step-by-step endeavour that begins with careful planning and organization. Each stage, from choosing schools to writing essays, is a piece of the larger puzzle. It’s important to recognize that, much like embarking on a long journey, the key to success lies not in trying to rush ahead but in taking deliberate and thoughtful steps toward your goals.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/td&gt;
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      <content:encoded>&lt;table style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 1px solid #99acc2;"&gt; 
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   &lt;td style="border: 1pt solid #000000;"&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;The great Chinese philosopher and author of the &lt;em&gt;Tao Te Ching&lt;/em&gt;, Lao Tzu, once said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Like the one step at the beginning of the journey, о application process can be framed as a step-by-step endeavour that begins with careful planning and organization. Each stage, from choosing schools to writing essays, is a piece of the larger puzzle. It’s important to recognize that, much like embarking on a long journey, the key to success lies not in trying to rush ahead but in taking deliberate and thoughtful steps toward your goals.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/td&gt;
  &lt;/tr&gt;
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&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fthe-consulting-pyramid-part-2&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Essays</category>
      <category>GPA &amp; Standardized Testing</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>о</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <pubDate>Wed, 19 Mar 2025 21:11:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/the-consulting-pyramid-part-2</guid>
      <dc:date>2025-03-19T21:11:53Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
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    <item>
      <title>The Consulting Pyramid Part 1</title>
      <link>/blog/the-consulting-pyramid-part-1</link>
      <description>&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;Oftentimes, when I meet with families and prospective applicants, I notice that students underestimate how much power they have to shape their own stories and take control of their journey of self-discovery early in high school. This brings to mind a quote by Chilean-American writer Isabel Allende: “You are the storyteller of your own life, and you can create your own legend, or not.”&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;Oftentimes, when I meet with families and prospective applicants, I notice that students underestimate how much power they have to shape their own stories and take control of their journey of self-discovery early in high school. This brings to mind a quote by Chilean-American writer Isabel Allende: “You are the storyteller of your own life, and you can create your own legend, or not.”&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fthe-consulting-pyramid-part-1&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>Standing Out</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>о</category>
      <category>Underclassmen</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <pubDate>Tue, 18 Feb 2025 16:44:30 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/the-consulting-pyramid-part-1</guid>
      <dc:date>2025-02-18T16:44:30Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
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    <item>
      <title>Four Criteria for College Admissions: Demystifying the Evaluation Process</title>
      <link>/blog/four-criteria-for-college-admissions-demystifying-the-evaluation-process</link>
      <description>&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;Many of us are familiar with the standard elements of a college application—such as your academic background, extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation. While these are all important components of an applicant’s profile, you might still wonder: What do admissions committees really look for when evaluating a candidate? While each university has its own assessment process, there are core criteria that every reader focuses on. In this article, we’ll explore the four key elements admissions committees consider when reviewing a student’s profile: character, academics, extracurriculars, and how these factors work together to create an authentic and compelling application.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;Many of us are familiar with the standard elements of a college application—such as your academic background, extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation. While these are all important components of an applicant’s profile, you might still wonder: What do admissions committees really look for when evaluating a candidate? While each university has its own assessment process, there are core criteria that every reader focuses on. In this article, we’ll explore the four key elements admissions committees consider when reviewing a student’s profile: character, academics, extracurriculars, and how these factors work together to create an authentic and compelling application.&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Ffour-criteria-for-college-admissions-demystifying-the-evaluation-process&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>GPA &amp; Standardized Testing</category>
      <category>Standing Out</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Underclassmen</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <pubDate>Sun, 12 Jan 2025 18:20:51 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/four-criteria-for-college-admissions-demystifying-the-evaluation-process</guid>
      <dc:date>2025-01-12T18:20:51Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
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      <title>AI and College Admissions: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly</title>
      <link>/blog/ai-and-college-admissions-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly</link>
      <description>&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;One of the most pressing topics in college admissions today is students’ use of artificial intelligence (AI) when writing their application essays and the potential consequences that come with it. As a parent, you may wonder: &lt;em&gt;Is AI the secret weapon for college applications? &lt;/em&gt;However, the answer isn’t black and white—it depends on how students use it. What truly matters is whether they rely on AI to generate generic essays or leverage it to enhance their creativity and craft engaging responses. In this article, we’ll explore the advantages and disadvantages of using AI and how students can harness this powerful tool to stand out in a competitive landscape.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;One of the most pressing topics in college admissions today is students’ use of artificial intelligence (AI) when writing their application essays and the potential consequences that come with it. As a parent, you may wonder: &lt;em&gt;Is AI the secret weapon for college applications? &lt;/em&gt;However, the answer isn’t black and white—it depends on how students use it. What truly matters is whether they rely on AI to generate generic essays or leverage it to enhance their creativity and craft engaging responses. In this article, we’ll explore the advantages and disadvantages of using AI and how students can harness this powerful tool to stand out in a competitive landscape.&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fai-and-college-admissions-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Essays</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>о</category>
      <pubDate>Sat, 07 Dec 2024 01:54:33 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/ai-and-college-admissions-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly</guid>
      <dc:date>2024-12-07T01:54:33Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Kickstart Your High School Journey: Tips for a Productive Year</title>
      <link>/blog/kickstart-your-high-school-journey-tips-for-a-productive-year</link>
      <description>&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;School is back in session, which means a whirlwind of new classes and activities to explore. As classwork resumes, extracurriculars ramp up, and college applications loom for juniors and seniors, the start of the school year can feel both exhilarating and overwhelming. With club fairs, elective choices, and volunteer opportunities, you might wonder, &lt;em&gt;How can I make the most of this school year? &lt;/em&gt;In this article, we’ll explore how high schoolers can start the year on the right foot by staying organized, creating a manageable study schedule, balancing their academic and extracurricular interests, and building strong relationships with their teachers and guidance counselors.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;School is back in session, which means a whirlwind of new classes and activities to explore. As classwork resumes, extracurriculars ramp up, and college applications loom for juniors and seniors, the start of the school year can feel both exhilarating and overwhelming. With club fairs, elective choices, and volunteer opportunities, you might wonder, &lt;em&gt;How can I make the most of this school year? &lt;/em&gt;In this article, we’ll explore how high schoolers can start the year on the right foot by staying organized, creating a manageable study schedule, balancing their academic and extracurricular interests, and building strong relationships with their teachers and guidance counselors.&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fkickstart-your-high-school-journey-tips-for-a-productive-year&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>GPA &amp; Standardized Testing</category>
      <category>о</category>
      <category>Athletes</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 Oct 2024 18:00:07 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/kickstart-your-high-school-journey-tips-for-a-productive-year</guid>
      <dc:date>2024-10-08T18:00:07Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Maximizing Your Child's Potential: A Parent's Guide to SAT/ACT Preparation</title>
      <link>/blog/maximizing-your-childs-potential-a-parents-guide-to-sat/act-preparation</link>
      <description>&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;As your child enters their sophomore or junior year of high school, you may find yourself at the crossroads of an important decision: when and how to help them best prepare for the SAT or ACT. We understand that navigating this process can feel overwhelming, especially as the pendulum is beginning to swing back in the other direction as some highly selective colleges and universities are once again requiring standardized test results for admission (for an up-to-date list of all institutions that are still test-optional or test-free, &lt;a href="https://fairtest.org/test-optional-list/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;click here&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.) In this article, we’ll explore how to decide which test to take, begin preparation for testing and build a manageable timeline, and what free resources are available to students studying independently.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;As your child enters their sophomore or junior year of high school, you may find yourself at the crossroads of an important decision: when and how to help them best prepare for the SAT or ACT. We understand that navigating this process can feel overwhelming, especially as the pendulum is beginning to swing back in the other direction as some highly selective colleges and universities are once again requiring standardized test results for admission (for an up-to-date list of all institutions that are still test-optional or test-free, &lt;a href="https://fairtest.org/test-optional-list/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;click here&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.) In this article, we’ll explore how to decide which test to take, begin preparation for testing and build a manageable timeline, and what free resources are available to students studying independently.&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fmaximizing-your-childs-potential-a-parents-guide-to-sat%2Fact-preparation&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>GPA &amp; Standardized Testing</category>
      <category>Standing Out</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>о</category>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Sep 2024 18:32:33 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/maximizing-your-childs-potential-a-parents-guide-to-sat/act-preparation</guid>
      <dc:date>2024-09-17T18:32:33Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>UChicago’s Summer Student Early Notification: A Game-Changer in College Admissions</title>
      <link>/blog/revolutionizing-college-admissions-uchicagos-summer-student-early-notification-0</link>
      <description>&lt;table style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 1px solid #99acc2;"&gt; 
 &lt;tbody&gt; 
  &lt;tr&gt; 
   &lt;td style="border: 1pt solid #000000;"&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;The impact of pre-college summer programs on &lt;span style="color: #006600;"&gt;admissions&lt;/span&gt; at prestigious institutions has long been debated. While many people believe that attending these programs will boost their chances of admission, this hasn’t typically been the case. The question is… will this begin to change now?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/td&gt;
  &lt;/tr&gt;
 &lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;table style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 1px solid #99acc2;"&gt; 
 &lt;tbody&gt; 
  &lt;tr&gt; 
   &lt;td style="border: 1pt solid #000000;"&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;The impact of pre-college summer programs on &lt;span style="color: #006600;"&gt;admissions&lt;/span&gt; at prestigious institutions has long been debated. While many people believe that attending these programs will boost their chances of admission, this hasn’t typically been the case. The question is… will this begin to change now?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/td&gt;
  &lt;/tr&gt;
 &lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Frevolutionizing-college-admissions-uchicagos-summer-student-early-notification-0&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>о</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <pubDate>Fri, 16 Aug 2024 13:15:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/revolutionizing-college-admissions-uchicagos-summer-student-early-notification-0</guid>
      <dc:date>2024-08-16T13:15:58Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Unlocking Success in College Admissions</title>
      <link>/blog/unlocking-success-in-college-admissions</link>
      <description>&lt;table style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 1px solid #99acc2;"&gt; 
 &lt;tbody&gt; 
  &lt;tr&gt; 
   &lt;td style="border: 1pt solid #000000;"&gt; 
    &lt;blockquote&gt; 
     &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 14px; color: #000000;"&gt;"The content of your character is your choice. Day by day, what you choose, what you think, and what you do is who you become." – Heraclitus&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; 
    &lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In the competitive realm of college admissions, it is your ability to &lt;a href="/blog/show-and-tell-let-your-character-do-the-talking-in-college-apps"&gt;reveal and demonstrate your character&lt;/a&gt; that becomes the silver bullet, helping you stand out while separating you from all the rest. In fact, almost every facet of your application should and will reveal elements of your character.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;So what does it mean when we say that the admissions process is a CHARACTER-BASED evaluation?&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;At a high level, there are three macro-level questions any college admissions committee is going to ask about your applications:&lt;/p&gt; 
    &lt;ol&gt; 
     &lt;li&gt;If we admit you, can you thrive academically?&lt;/li&gt; 
     &lt;li&gt;Are you likely to go on and do meaningful things with your life after college?&lt;/li&gt; 
     &lt;li&gt;Are you authentic?&lt;/li&gt; 
    &lt;/ol&gt; &lt;p&gt;So, let’s break these down one by one…&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2&gt;1. If we admit you, can you thrive academically?&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p&gt;This first question relates to your academic profile and will demonstrate your academic potential among other things. So what will they be evaluating?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h3&gt;Your 4-year curriculum choices:&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;The first thing most admissions committees will do is review your &lt;a href="/blog/ap-classes"&gt;transcript&lt;/a&gt;. From a &lt;strong&gt;character&lt;/strong&gt; perspective, colleges will be asking if you have challenged yourself to the fullest extent possible within the context of the curriculum offered by your high school. They will be looking for signs in your transcript that you &lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;value learning&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt; and your own &lt;a href="/blog/i-have-no-hobbies-what-should-i-do"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span&gt;personal growth&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; over simply getting good grades.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h3&gt;Your grades:&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;The key here is to find the right number of challenging courses to take that will enable you to excel in them. It is not useful to load up on taking the most difficult courses if it is going to stress you out and your grades suffer.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h3&gt;Your SAT or ACT scores (if you are planning to submit them):&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;So how does one’s character manifest through their ACT or SAT decisions? Imagine someone who takes either test and gets a very high score in the 98% percentile.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Question:&lt;/strong&gt; Should this person take the test again to improve their score? Or...might it send a more positive message to college admissions committees to declare victory and devote their time to other endeavors that will support and drive their personal growth?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2&gt;2. Are you likely to go on and do meaningful things with your life after college?&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;When admissions committees ask this question, they are evaluating your potential beyond the classroom and will be looking for you to demonstrate significant depth and substance in those activities you choose to pursue.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;So, what does that mean? Well, could you speak for 30-45 minutes about any one of your extracurricular activities? Just a few of the questions you should be able to answer are:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
    &lt;ul&gt; 
     &lt;li&gt;What do you do?&lt;/li&gt; 
     &lt;li&gt;Why do you do it?&lt;/li&gt; 
     &lt;li&gt;What challenges have you faced?&lt;/li&gt; 
     &lt;li&gt;How have you overcome them?&lt;/li&gt; 
     &lt;li&gt;What have you learned about yourself?&lt;/li&gt; 
     &lt;li&gt;How have you applied these learnings in other areas of your life?&lt;/li&gt; 
    &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;Whether it is through your personal statement, your supplemental essays, your interviews or letters of recommendation, you need to be able to demonstrate depth of thought and reveal your own character strengths while making insightful connections.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
    &lt;blockquote&gt; 
     &lt;div&gt;
      For example, we were preparing a student who wanted to study engineering. When we asked her why, she spent 30 minutes explaining her various experiences, how she approached them, what she learned from them and her logic and rationale for how she came to realize that she wanted to be an electrical engineer.
      &lt;img src="/hs-fs/hubfs/Electrical%20Engineer%20(female).png?width=175&amp;amp;height=175&amp;amp;name=Electrical%20Engineer%20(female).png" width="175" height="175" alt="Electrical Engineer (female)" style="height: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 175px; float: right; margin: 20px 0px 0px 10px;"&gt;
      &lt;br&gt;
      &lt;br&gt;She was able to demonstrate challenges she had faced along the way, how she overcame them and what she learned about herself from those experiences.&amp;nbsp; As we listened to her, we kept asking ourselves this question: Is she likely to go on and do meaningful things with her life? Ultimately, to us, the answer was clear — “if she is demonstrating this much depth and substance now, imagine what she will be doing in 5 years when she graduates from college.”
      &lt;br&gt;
      &lt;br&gt;Doing something meaningful doesn’t necessarily mean becoming a CEO, an award-winning author, or a researcher who discovers a cure for cancer.&amp;nbsp; It simply means, are you a person who when you pursue anything, do you approach it with thoughtfulness, care, diligence while pursuing deeper and deeper levels of immersion. In other words, will you make the most out of anything you do?
     &lt;/div&gt; 
    &lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2&gt;3. Are you authentic?&amp;nbsp;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;This question, as it relates to your character, looks at what you do, both in and out of the classroom and is about demonstrating your true motivations for making the decisions that you have made during high school. In other words, if questions one and two are about demonstrating your potential both in and out of the classroom, this question focuses on whether or not you are demonstrating a genuine desire to maximize your potential?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;We were approached by a local high school's guidance department regarding the applications of an accomplished &lt;img src="/hs-fs/hubfs/Valedictorian.png?width=250&amp;amp;height=170&amp;amp;name=Valedictorian.png" width="250" height="170" alt="Valedictorian" style="height: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 250px; float: left; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px;"&gt;valedictorian. Surprisingly, this student had been rejected by 14 out of 15 colleges, leaving the administrators baffled. Our assessment revealed several indications of inauthenticity throughout the application.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;One conspicuous sign was found in her transcript, where she had progressively taken more challenging English courses from 9th to 11th grade, consistently earning As. However, in 12th grade, she opted for regular English instead. This decision raised questions about her motivations. Considering her past performance and lighter extracurricular load, it became apparent that her motive for downgrading her English class was driven by the fear of losing the Valedictorian title if she didn't secure an "A" in the AP level course. This revelation suggested that her focus was more on winning a title rather than maximizing her own personal growth. Combined with other concerns in her applications, these red flags ultimately resulted in her rejections.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&lt;img src="/hs-fs/hubfs/WYWIC%20images/3%20Key%20Questions.png?width=655&amp;amp;height=225&amp;amp;name=3%20Key%20Questions.png" width="655" height="225" alt="3 Key Questions" style="height: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 655px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;So, as you embark on the voyage of college admissions, embrace the role that character plays and that is the compass that will guide your path. It will not only help you to stand out while empowering you to maximize your probability of admission, but also to embark on a transformative educational journey that will help shape your future success.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;If you’re ready to start thinking about and preparing for your future college admissions process, check out &lt;a href="/insiders-guide" style="color: #ff6600;"&gt;&lt;span&gt;the guide&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; that our college admissions experts put together that will help you stand out while navigating all the criteria admissions committees will be looking for.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/blog" style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Return to all blogs&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/td&gt; 
  &lt;/tr&gt; 
 &lt;/tbody&gt; 
&lt;/table&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;table style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 1px solid #99acc2;"&gt; 
 &lt;tbody&gt; 
  &lt;tr&gt; 
   &lt;td style="border: 1pt solid #000000;"&gt; 
    &lt;blockquote&gt; 
     &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 14px; color: #000000;"&gt;"The content of your character is your choice. Day by day, what you choose, what you think, and what you do is who you become." – Heraclitus&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; 
    &lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In the competitive realm of college admissions, it is your ability to &lt;a href="/blog/show-and-tell-let-your-character-do-the-talking-in-college-apps"&gt;reveal and demonstrate your character&lt;/a&gt; that becomes the silver bullet, helping you stand out while separating you from all the rest. In fact, almost every facet of your application should and will reveal elements of your character.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;So what does it mean when we say that the admissions process is a CHARACTER-BASED evaluation?&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;At a high level, there are three macro-level questions any college admissions committee is going to ask about your applications:&lt;/p&gt; 
    &lt;ol&gt; 
     &lt;li&gt;If we admit you, can you thrive academically?&lt;/li&gt; 
     &lt;li&gt;Are you likely to go on and do meaningful things with your life after college?&lt;/li&gt; 
     &lt;li&gt;Are you authentic?&lt;/li&gt; 
    &lt;/ol&gt; &lt;p&gt;So, let’s break these down one by one…&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2&gt;1. If we admit you, can you thrive academically?&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p&gt;This first question relates to your academic profile and will demonstrate your academic potential among other things. So what will they be evaluating?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h3&gt;Your 4-year curriculum choices:&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;The first thing most admissions committees will do is review your &lt;a href="/blog/ap-classes"&gt;transcript&lt;/a&gt;. From a &lt;strong&gt;character&lt;/strong&gt; perspective, colleges will be asking if you have challenged yourself to the fullest extent possible within the context of the curriculum offered by your high school. They will be looking for signs in your transcript that you &lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;value learning&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt; and your own &lt;a href="/blog/i-have-no-hobbies-what-should-i-do"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span&gt;personal growth&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; over simply getting good grades.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h3&gt;Your grades:&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;The key here is to find the right number of challenging courses to take that will enable you to excel in them. It is not useful to load up on taking the most difficult courses if it is going to stress you out and your grades suffer.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h3&gt;Your SAT or ACT scores (if you are planning to submit them):&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;So how does one’s character manifest through their ACT or SAT decisions? Imagine someone who takes either test and gets a very high score in the 98% percentile.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Question:&lt;/strong&gt; Should this person take the test again to improve their score? Or...might it send a more positive message to college admissions committees to declare victory and devote their time to other endeavors that will support and drive their personal growth?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2&gt;2. Are you likely to go on and do meaningful things with your life after college?&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;When admissions committees ask this question, they are evaluating your potential beyond the classroom and will be looking for you to demonstrate significant depth and substance in those activities you choose to pursue.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;So, what does that mean? Well, could you speak for 30-45 minutes about any one of your extracurricular activities? Just a few of the questions you should be able to answer are:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
    &lt;ul&gt; 
     &lt;li&gt;What do you do?&lt;/li&gt; 
     &lt;li&gt;Why do you do it?&lt;/li&gt; 
     &lt;li&gt;What challenges have you faced?&lt;/li&gt; 
     &lt;li&gt;How have you overcome them?&lt;/li&gt; 
     &lt;li&gt;What have you learned about yourself?&lt;/li&gt; 
     &lt;li&gt;How have you applied these learnings in other areas of your life?&lt;/li&gt; 
    &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;Whether it is through your personal statement, your supplemental essays, your interviews or letters of recommendation, you need to be able to demonstrate depth of thought and reveal your own character strengths while making insightful connections.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
    &lt;blockquote&gt; 
     &lt;div&gt;
      For example, we were preparing a student who wanted to study engineering. When we asked her why, she spent 30 minutes explaining her various experiences, how she approached them, what she learned from them and her logic and rationale for how she came to realize that she wanted to be an electrical engineer.
      &lt;img src="/hs-fs/hubfs/Electrical%20Engineer%20(female).png?width=175&amp;amp;height=175&amp;amp;name=Electrical%20Engineer%20(female).png" width="175" height="175" alt="Electrical Engineer (female)" style="height: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 175px; float: right; margin: 20px 0px 0px 10px;"&gt;
      &lt;br&gt;
      &lt;br&gt;She was able to demonstrate challenges she had faced along the way, how she overcame them and what she learned about herself from those experiences.&amp;nbsp; As we listened to her, we kept asking ourselves this question: Is she likely to go on and do meaningful things with her life? Ultimately, to us, the answer was clear — “if she is demonstrating this much depth and substance now, imagine what she will be doing in 5 years when she graduates from college.”
      &lt;br&gt;
      &lt;br&gt;Doing something meaningful doesn’t necessarily mean becoming a CEO, an award-winning author, or a researcher who discovers a cure for cancer.&amp;nbsp; It simply means, are you a person who when you pursue anything, do you approach it with thoughtfulness, care, diligence while pursuing deeper and deeper levels of immersion. In other words, will you make the most out of anything you do?
     &lt;/div&gt; 
    &lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2&gt;3. Are you authentic?&amp;nbsp;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;This question, as it relates to your character, looks at what you do, both in and out of the classroom and is about demonstrating your true motivations for making the decisions that you have made during high school. In other words, if questions one and two are about demonstrating your potential both in and out of the classroom, this question focuses on whether or not you are demonstrating a genuine desire to maximize your potential?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;We were approached by a local high school's guidance department regarding the applications of an accomplished &lt;img src="/hs-fs/hubfs/Valedictorian.png?width=250&amp;amp;height=170&amp;amp;name=Valedictorian.png" width="250" height="170" alt="Valedictorian" style="height: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 250px; float: left; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px;"&gt;valedictorian. Surprisingly, this student had been rejected by 14 out of 15 colleges, leaving the administrators baffled. Our assessment revealed several indications of inauthenticity throughout the application.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;One conspicuous sign was found in her transcript, where she had progressively taken more challenging English courses from 9th to 11th grade, consistently earning As. However, in 12th grade, she opted for regular English instead. This decision raised questions about her motivations. Considering her past performance and lighter extracurricular load, it became apparent that her motive for downgrading her English class was driven by the fear of losing the Valedictorian title if she didn't secure an "A" in the AP level course. This revelation suggested that her focus was more on winning a title rather than maximizing her own personal growth. Combined with other concerns in her applications, these red flags ultimately resulted in her rejections.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&lt;img src="/hs-fs/hubfs/WYWIC%20images/3%20Key%20Questions.png?width=655&amp;amp;height=225&amp;amp;name=3%20Key%20Questions.png" width="655" height="225" alt="3 Key Questions" style="height: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 655px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;So, as you embark on the voyage of college admissions, embrace the role that character plays and that is the compass that will guide your path. It will not only help you to stand out while empowering you to maximize your probability of admission, but also to embark on a transformative educational journey that will help shape your future success.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;If you’re ready to start thinking about and preparing for your future college admissions process, check out &lt;a href="/insiders-guide" style="color: #ff6600;"&gt;&lt;span&gt;the guide&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; that our college admissions experts put together that will help you stand out while navigating all the criteria admissions committees will be looking for.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/blog" style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Return to all blogs&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/td&gt; 
  &lt;/tr&gt; 
 &lt;/tbody&gt; 
&lt;/table&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Funlocking-success-in-college-admissions&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>Standing Out</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <pubDate>Wed, 29 Nov 2023 15:14:57 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/unlocking-success-in-college-admissions</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-11-29T15:14:57Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Building Your College List: A Guide for High School Students</title>
      <link>/blog/building-your-college-list-a-guide-for-high-school-students</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;As high school students gearing up for the exciting journey of college applications, it's essential to build a college list that aligns with your dreams and goals. The colleges you choose can have a significant impact on your future, so it's crucial to make informed decisions. Let's explore some valuable insights to help you compile the perfect college list.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;As high school students gearing up for the exciting journey of college applications, it's essential to build a college list that aligns with your dreams and goals. The colleges you choose can have a significant impact on your future, so it's crucial to make informed decisions. Let's explore some valuable insights to help you compile the perfect college list.&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fbuilding-your-college-list-a-guide-for-high-school-students&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>College Visits</category>
      <category>о</category>
      <pubDate>Fri, 17 Nov 2023 21:45:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/building-your-college-list-a-guide-for-high-school-students</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-11-17T21:45:00Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Unearthing Your Child's Passions: A Parent's Guide to о</title>
      <link>/blog/unearthing-your-childs-passions-a-parents-guide-to-college-prep</link>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;6 Strategies for Nurturing Your Child's Passion&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;As parents, one of our most important roles is to help our children discover their passions and chart a course toward a purposeful future. The journey to college applications is a significant milestone, and understanding our children's passions is the key to setting them on the right path. In this blog post, we'll explore six strategies that can help you identify and nurture your child's passions as they prepare for college.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;h2&gt;6 Strategies for Nurturing Your Child's Passion&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;As parents, one of our most important roles is to help our children discover their passions and chart a course toward a purposeful future. The journey to college applications is a significant milestone, and understanding our children's passions is the key to setting them on the right path. In this blog post, we'll explore six strategies that can help you identify and nurture your child's passions as they prepare for college.&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Funearthing-your-childs-passions-a-parents-guide-to-college-prep&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Underclassmen</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <pubDate>Fri, 10 Nov 2023 18:45:02 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/unearthing-your-childs-passions-a-parents-guide-to-college-prep</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-11-10T18:45:02Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Nurturing Future College Success: A Guide for Parents of Middle-Schoolers</title>
      <link>/blog/nurturing-future-college-success-a-guide-for-parents-of-middle-schoolers</link>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;It's never too early to lay the groundwork for a successful future.&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;As parents of middle-school students, the journey toward college might seem distant, but it's never too early to lay the groundwork for a successful future. We understand the complexities parents face and have introduced a unique "&lt;a href="/counselor-on-retainer"&gt;Counselor on Retainer&lt;/a&gt;" service to provide guidance and clarity. We'll explore the importance of understanding your child's capacity and desire early on and how it can shape their path toward college.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;h2&gt;It's never too early to lay the groundwork for a successful future.&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;As parents of middle-school students, the journey toward college might seem distant, but it's never too early to lay the groundwork for a successful future. We understand the complexities parents face and have introduced a unique "&lt;a href="/counselor-on-retainer"&gt;Counselor on Retainer&lt;/a&gt;" service to provide guidance and clarity. We'll explore the importance of understanding your child's capacity and desire early on and how it can shape their path toward college.&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fnurturing-future-college-success-a-guide-for-parents-of-middle-schoolers&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>о</category>
      <category>Underclassmen</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <pubDate>Sat, 21 Oct 2023 20:20:41 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/nurturing-future-college-success-a-guide-for-parents-of-middle-schoolers</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-10-21T20:20:41Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>5 Key Principles for Mastering College Admissions Interviews</title>
      <link>/blog/5-key-principles-for-mastering-college-admissions-interviews</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Interview Question: &lt;/strong&gt;"&lt;em&gt;So Why are you interested in attending our college/university?"&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Interview Question: &lt;/strong&gt;"&lt;em&gt;So Why are you interested in attending our college/university?"&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2F5-key-principles-for-mastering-college-admissions-interviews&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>Standing Out</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>о</category>
      <category>Interviews</category>
      <pubDate>Mon, 02 Oct 2023 17:07:43 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/5-key-principles-for-mastering-college-admissions-interviews</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-10-02T17:07:43Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>How To Write The "Why Major" Essay (Updated)</title>
      <link>/blog/how-to-write-the-why-this-major-essay</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“Why do you want to study your chosen major?" &lt;/em&gt;is one of the most common supplemental essay prompts. It's a fair question and one that you should be able to answer in an authentic and engaging essay.&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“Why do you want to study your chosen major?" &lt;/em&gt;is one of the most common supplemental essay prompts. It's a fair question and one that you should be able to answer in an authentic and engaging essay.&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-write-the-why-this-major-essay&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Essays</category>
      <pubDate>Mon, 02 Oct 2023 00:22:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/how-to-write-the-why-this-major-essay</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-10-02T00:22:15Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Finding the Right Fit College</title>
      <link>/blog/finding-the-right-fit-college</link>
      <description>&lt;div&gt;
 &lt;span&gt;Danielle &amp;amp; Adam (Marriage &amp;amp; Martinis)&lt;/span&gt;
 &lt;span&gt;|&lt;/span&gt;3/20/2023
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;div&gt;
 &lt;span&gt;Danielle &amp;amp; Adam (Marriage &amp;amp; Martinis)&lt;/span&gt;
 &lt;span&gt;|&lt;/span&gt;3/20/2023
&lt;/div&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Ffinding-the-right-fit-college&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Visits</category>
      <pubDate>Mon, 25 Sep 2023 13:59:37 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/finding-the-right-fit-college</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-09-25T13:59:37Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>College Admissions: Do You Know Your Chances To Get Into College? (updated)</title>
      <link>/blog/how-to-increase-your-chances-of-getting-into-your-top-choice-colleges</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/hs-fs/hubfs/chance%20wheel.jpg?width=156&amp;amp;height=156&amp;amp;name=chance%20wheel.jpg" width="156" height="156" alt="chance wheel" style="width: 156px; float: right; height: auto; max-width: 100%; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/what-are-my-chances-of-getting-into-colleges"&gt;If you do not know your chances of getting into your top choice colleges&lt;/a&gt;, you absolutely should! Shrouded in mystery, о admission process can produce so much stress and anxiety because it often seems unfair, illogical and sometimes even downright random. This is not true, but to a certain extent, оs want it like this.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/hs-fs/hubfs/chance%20wheel.jpg?width=156&amp;amp;height=156&amp;amp;name=chance%20wheel.jpg" width="156" height="156" alt="chance wheel" style="width: 156px; float: right; height: auto; max-width: 100%; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/what-are-my-chances-of-getting-into-colleges"&gt;If you do not know your chances of getting into your top choice colleges&lt;/a&gt;, you absolutely should! Shrouded in mystery, о admission process can produce so much stress and anxiety because it often seems unfair, illogical and sometimes even downright random. This is not true, but to a certain extent, оs want it like this.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-increase-your-chances-of-getting-into-your-top-choice-colleges&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Underclassmen</category>
      <pubDate>Thu, 07 Sep 2023 23:45:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/how-to-increase-your-chances-of-getting-into-your-top-choice-colleges</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-09-07T23:45:00Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>How the Supreme Court Ruling is Affecting College Application Essays</title>
      <link>/blog/how-the-supreme-court-ruling-is-affecting-college-application-essays</link>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;A Sea Change in College Admissions: How the Supreme Court Ruling is Affecting Application Essays&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;It’s not often that decisions handed down by the United States Supreme Court directly impact how colleges conduct their recruitment and admissions processes. Having said that, this past June, the Supreme Court’s ruling against race-conscious admissions policies at both the University of North Carolina and Harvard University turned the world of college admissions upside down.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;h2&gt;A Sea Change in College Admissions: How the Supreme Court Ruling is Affecting Application Essays&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;It’s not often that decisions handed down by the United States Supreme Court directly impact how colleges conduct their recruitment and admissions processes. Having said that, this past June, the Supreme Court’s ruling against race-conscious admissions policies at both the University of North Carolina and Harvard University turned the world of college admissions upside down.&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fhow-the-supreme-court-ruling-is-affecting-college-application-essays&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Essays</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Personal Statement</category>
      <pubDate>Thu, 07 Sep 2023 12:48:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/how-the-supreme-court-ruling-is-affecting-college-application-essays</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-09-07T12:48:38Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Problem with Multitasking (Updated)</title>
      <link>/blog/the-problem-with-multitasking</link>
      <description>&lt;blockquote&gt; 
 &lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;"What gets measured gets managed"&lt;/span&gt; - Peter Drucker, father of management thinking&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;/blockquote&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color: transparent;"&gt;Because colleges use GPAs (in context) to sort through applications, many students are painfully aware of their grade average down to a hundredth of a point.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;Here's a secret though: colleges care very little about hundredths of a point.&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;Measurements are only valuable at the appropriate level of perspective. Through grades, admissions committees are trying to assess your ability to be successful at your college. Therefore, they want to understand your level of academic achievement in a broader context.&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;In a basketball game, finishing with a score of 104 to 103 is important. One team wins and one team loses. College admissions just isn't that kind of competition. Students should focus on earning strong grades, but colleges are looking for those of you interested in more than numbers. They care about the level of depth and substance of your intellectual and other pursuits.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, this can easily be misinterpreted. By thinking it is the number of advanced courses and extracurricular activities that constitute depth, students are taking on more than they can chew. Facing the prospect of serious sleep deprivation, it is logical for us to try and multitask our way through it all.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;h2&gt;Multitasking is a Misnomer&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;Most of us feel we are good at multitasking, but science says otherwise. In fact, according to productivity expert, Dave Crenshaw, multitasking doesn’t even really exist.&amp;nbsp;He argues that when we refer to multitasking we are actually talking about background tasking or switch tasking.&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;div&gt;
 &amp;nbsp;
&lt;/div&gt; 
&lt;div&gt;
 &lt;strong&gt;Background tasking&lt;/strong&gt; -&amp;nbsp; performing a task while something mindless or mundane occurs in the background. Examples include: exercising or cooking while you listen to music or throwing in a load of laundry while you are talking on the phone. Background tasking can improve productivity overall.
&lt;/div&gt; 
&lt;div&gt;
 &amp;nbsp;
&lt;/div&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Switch tasking&lt;/strong&gt; - attempting to do multiple attention-requiring tasks at the same time. In the 21st century, this is often related to our phones or other devices. If you are trying to study or write an essay, every time a text message or DM comes in it doesn’t feel like a big deal. We answer and keep going with our work.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;blockquote&gt;
 Multitasking is a myth. In reality, it’s rapidly switching from one task to another, and then back again. And every time you make that switch, you pay a ‘tax’ on both your time and your energy. For that reason, it’s almost always more efficient to monotask: Focus on one thing and move on when you’re done, so you don’t pay unnecessary switching taxes.”
&lt;/blockquote&gt; 
&lt;div&gt;
 —DR. SAHAR YOUSEF, COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENTIST, UC BERKELEY 
 &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
 &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="color: #006600; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 30px; background-color: transparent;"&gt;Measure Switch Tasking&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;/div&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;Because it adds up to lost time, more stress and sub-optimal performance, the savviest students (and adults) work to avoid switch tasking as much as possible. It is not easy. We have been trained to receive a dopamine hit every time we get a new notification on our phone, but it can be done.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;The first step is to become more conscious of the issue. Try to assess the level of switch tasking in your life and then ask yourself, what actions do I want to take (am I willing to take) to protect my own time, well-being, and ultimately, GPA?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;For proof of the switching "taxes", take 5 minutes to watch &lt;a href="https://davecrenshaw.com/myth-of-multitasking-exercise/" style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;this video&lt;/a&gt; and then &lt;br&gt;try&lt;span style="font-size: 24px;"&gt; &lt;a href="https://davecrenshaw.com/downloads/multitasking-exercise.pdf" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;"&gt;this exercise&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/span&gt;with a friend.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;h2&gt;5 Ways to be Productive Without Multitasking&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;ol&gt; 
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://asana.com/resources/what-is-timeboxing"&gt;Timeboxing&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp;is a goal-oriented time management strategy that helps you focus and get work done quickly. When you create a timebox, you’re setting an expectation for how long a task should take. Each task should get its own timebox, to ensure you’re only focusing on that one piece of work during the timebox. Then when the timebox begins, ignore all distractions until the box is over.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt; 
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href="https://asana.com/resources/what-is-time-blocking"&gt;Time blocking&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;is similar to timeboxing, but instead of assigning each task a timebox, you group similar tasks together and complete them all in a time block. With time blocking, you’re protecting your focus time from unwanted stimuli, notifications, and distractions.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt; 
 &lt;li&gt;Use Do Not Disturb (or Focus Time) features to protect your focus time. This is a great way to align your attention with your intentions. If you know you need to get a project done but you frequently get distracted by notifications, use do not disturb to allow yourself to get in the flow.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/li&gt; 
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;The &lt;/span&gt;Pomodoro Technique&lt;span&gt; might be for you if interspersed breaks are motivating for you. A pomodoro is a 25-minute work session, after which there’s a five-minute break. After 4 pomodoros, you take a longer 15-minute break. To get you started, here's an &lt;a href="https://pomofocus.io/"&gt;online Pomodoro Timer&lt;/a&gt; to boost your productivity.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt; 
 &lt;li&gt;Setting &lt;a href="https://zenhabits.net/purpose-your-day-most-important-task/"&gt;MITs &lt;/a&gt;(most important tasks) takes the idea of prioritizing to the next level. &lt;span&gt;With MITs, you can clarify which tasks are most important for the day and get those done.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt; 
&lt;/ol&gt;  
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in more personalized guidance on how to manage о planning and preparation process, PCC is here for you. &lt;a href="/contact-us"&gt;Get in touch with Princeton College Consulting today&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a class="cta_button" href="/cs/ci/?pg=b4a0fe77-2dec-4c8f-976a-60ab9268e809&amp;amp;pid=2405229&amp;amp;ecid=&amp;amp;hseid=&amp;amp;hsic="&gt;&lt;img class="hs-cta-img " style="border-width: 0px; /*hs-extra-styles*/; " alt="SCHEDULE A FREE COLLEGE&amp;nbsp;CONSULTATION" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2405229/b4a0fe77-2dec-4c8f-976a-60ab9268e809.png"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;blockquote&gt; 
 &lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;"What gets measured gets managed"&lt;/span&gt; - Peter Drucker, father of management thinking&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;/blockquote&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color: transparent;"&gt;Because colleges use GPAs (in context) to sort through applications, many students are painfully aware of their grade average down to a hundredth of a point.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;Here's a secret though: colleges care very little about hundredths of a point.&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;Measurements are only valuable at the appropriate level of perspective. Through grades, admissions committees are trying to assess your ability to be successful at your college. Therefore, they want to understand your level of academic achievement in a broader context.&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;In a basketball game, finishing with a score of 104 to 103 is important. One team wins and one team loses. College admissions just isn't that kind of competition. Students should focus on earning strong grades, but colleges are looking for those of you interested in more than numbers. They care about the level of depth and substance of your intellectual and other pursuits.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, this can easily be misinterpreted. By thinking it is the number of advanced courses and extracurricular activities that constitute depth, students are taking on more than they can chew. Facing the prospect of serious sleep deprivation, it is logical for us to try and multitask our way through it all.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;h2&gt;Multitasking is a Misnomer&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;Most of us feel we are good at multitasking, but science says otherwise. In fact, according to productivity expert, Dave Crenshaw, multitasking doesn’t even really exist.&amp;nbsp;He argues that when we refer to multitasking we are actually talking about background tasking or switch tasking.&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;div&gt;
 &amp;nbsp;
&lt;/div&gt; 
&lt;div&gt;
 &lt;strong&gt;Background tasking&lt;/strong&gt; -&amp;nbsp; performing a task while something mindless or mundane occurs in the background. Examples include: exercising or cooking while you listen to music or throwing in a load of laundry while you are talking on the phone. Background tasking can improve productivity overall.
&lt;/div&gt; 
&lt;div&gt;
 &amp;nbsp;
&lt;/div&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Switch tasking&lt;/strong&gt; - attempting to do multiple attention-requiring tasks at the same time. In the 21st century, this is often related to our phones or other devices. If you are trying to study or write an essay, every time a text message or DM comes in it doesn’t feel like a big deal. We answer and keep going with our work.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;blockquote&gt;
 Multitasking is a myth. In reality, it’s rapidly switching from one task to another, and then back again. And every time you make that switch, you pay a ‘tax’ on both your time and your energy. For that reason, it’s almost always more efficient to monotask: Focus on one thing and move on when you’re done, so you don’t pay unnecessary switching taxes.”
&lt;/blockquote&gt; 
&lt;div&gt;
 —DR. SAHAR YOUSEF, COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENTIST, UC BERKELEY 
 &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
 &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="color: #006600; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 30px; background-color: transparent;"&gt;Measure Switch Tasking&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;/div&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;Because it adds up to lost time, more stress and sub-optimal performance, the savviest students (and adults) work to avoid switch tasking as much as possible. It is not easy. We have been trained to receive a dopamine hit every time we get a new notification on our phone, but it can be done.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;The first step is to become more conscious of the issue. Try to assess the level of switch tasking in your life and then ask yourself, what actions do I want to take (am I willing to take) to protect my own time, well-being, and ultimately, GPA?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;For proof of the switching "taxes", take 5 minutes to watch &lt;a href="https://davecrenshaw.com/myth-of-multitasking-exercise/" style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;this video&lt;/a&gt; and then &lt;br&gt;try&lt;span style="font-size: 24px;"&gt; &lt;a href="https://davecrenshaw.com/downloads/multitasking-exercise.pdf" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;"&gt;this exercise&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/span&gt;with a friend.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;h2&gt;5 Ways to be Productive Without Multitasking&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;ol&gt; 
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://asana.com/resources/what-is-timeboxing"&gt;Timeboxing&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp;is a goal-oriented time management strategy that helps you focus and get work done quickly. When you create a timebox, you’re setting an expectation for how long a task should take. Each task should get its own timebox, to ensure you’re only focusing on that one piece of work during the timebox. Then when the timebox begins, ignore all distractions until the box is over.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt; 
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href="https://asana.com/resources/what-is-time-blocking"&gt;Time blocking&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;is similar to timeboxing, but instead of assigning each task a timebox, you group similar tasks together and complete them all in a time block. With time blocking, you’re protecting your focus time from unwanted stimuli, notifications, and distractions.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt; 
 &lt;li&gt;Use Do Not Disturb (or Focus Time) features to protect your focus time. This is a great way to align your attention with your intentions. If you know you need to get a project done but you frequently get distracted by notifications, use do not disturb to allow yourself to get in the flow.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/li&gt; 
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;The &lt;/span&gt;Pomodoro Technique&lt;span&gt; might be for you if interspersed breaks are motivating for you. A pomodoro is a 25-minute work session, after which there’s a five-minute break. After 4 pomodoros, you take a longer 15-minute break. To get you started, here's an &lt;a href="https://pomofocus.io/"&gt;online Pomodoro Timer&lt;/a&gt; to boost your productivity.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt; 
 &lt;li&gt;Setting &lt;a href="https://zenhabits.net/purpose-your-day-most-important-task/"&gt;MITs &lt;/a&gt;(most important tasks) takes the idea of prioritizing to the next level. &lt;span&gt;With MITs, you can clarify which tasks are most important for the day and get those done.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt; 
&lt;/ol&gt;  
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in more personalized guidance on how to manage о planning and preparation process, PCC is here for you. &lt;a href="/contact-us"&gt;Get in touch with Princeton College Consulting today&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a class="cta_button" href="/cs/ci/?pg=b4a0fe77-2dec-4c8f-976a-60ab9268e809&amp;amp;pid=2405229&amp;amp;ecid=&amp;amp;hseid=&amp;amp;hsic="&gt;&lt;img class="hs-cta-img " style="border-width: 0px; /*hs-extra-styles*/; " alt="SCHEDULE A FREE COLLEGE&amp;nbsp;CONSULTATION" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2405229/b4a0fe77-2dec-4c8f-976a-60ab9268e809.png"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fthe-problem-with-multitasking&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>GPA &amp; Standardized Testing</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Underclassmen</category>
      <pubDate>Fri, 25 Aug 2023 19:32:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/the-problem-with-multitasking</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-08-25T19:32:53Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>College Essay Advice: How to Write the 'Why This College' Essay (updated)</title>
      <link>/blog/college-expert-advice-how-to-write-the-why-this-college-essay</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;You’re applying to many colleges. So, when you encounter a college essay prompt asking you why you want to attend X college specifically, it can be difficult to pinpoint just what sets it apart from the other, say, seven, ten, &lt;em&gt;or more&lt;/em&gt; colleges on your list.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;You’re applying to many colleges. So, when you encounter a college essay prompt asking you why you want to attend X college specifically, it can be difficult to pinpoint just what sets it apart from the other, say, seven, ten, &lt;em&gt;or more&lt;/em&gt; colleges on your list.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fcollege-expert-advice-how-to-write-the-why-this-college-essay&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Essays</category>
      <pubDate>Wed, 23 Aug 2023 20:10:14 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/college-expert-advice-how-to-write-the-why-this-college-essay</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-08-23T20:10:14Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Show and Tell: Let Your Character Do the Talking in College Apps</title>
      <link>/blog/show-and-tell-let-your-character-do-the-talking-in-college-apps</link>
      <description>&lt;table style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 1px solid #99acc2;"&gt; 
 &lt;tbody&gt; 
  &lt;tr&gt; 
   &lt;td style="border: 1pt solid #000000;"&gt; &lt;h2&gt;Picture this:&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p&gt;It’s the end of August and you’ve finally received your much anticipated school schedule. You scan the list hoping to see some classes you know your friends are in or hoping to have earned a slot in that AP you’d worked so hard to get into.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/td&gt;
  &lt;/tr&gt;
 &lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;table style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 1px solid #99acc2;"&gt; 
 &lt;tbody&gt; 
  &lt;tr&gt; 
   &lt;td style="border: 1pt solid #000000;"&gt; &lt;h2&gt;Picture this:&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p&gt;It’s the end of August and you’ve finally received your much anticipated school schedule. You scan the list hoping to see some classes you know your friends are in or hoping to have earned a slot in that AP you’d worked so hard to get into.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/td&gt;
  &lt;/tr&gt;
 &lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fshow-and-tell-let-your-character-do-the-talking-in-college-apps&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Essays</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Letters of Recommendation</category>
      <category>о</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <pubDate>Thu, 17 Aug 2023 16:56:10 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/show-and-tell-let-your-character-do-the-talking-in-college-apps</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-08-17T16:56:10Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>I have no hobbies, what should I do as an extracurricular activity?</title>
      <link>/blog/i-have-no-hobbies-what-should-i-do</link>
      <description>&lt;table style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 1px solid #99acc2;"&gt; 
 &lt;tbody&gt; 
  &lt;tr&gt; 
   &lt;td style="border: 1pt solid #000000; vertical-align: middle;"&gt; &lt;p&gt;It’s 9 o’clock on a Saturday; the regular crowd shuffles in…&#x1f3b5;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/td&gt;
  &lt;/tr&gt;
 &lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;table style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 1px solid #99acc2;"&gt; 
 &lt;tbody&gt; 
  &lt;tr&gt; 
   &lt;td style="border: 1pt solid #000000; vertical-align: middle;"&gt; &lt;p&gt;It’s 9 o’clock on a Saturday; the regular crowd shuffles in…&#x1f3b5;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/td&gt;
  &lt;/tr&gt;
 &lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fi-have-no-hobbies-what-should-i-do&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>Standing Out</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>о</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <pubDate>Wed, 05 Jul 2023 15:15:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/i-have-no-hobbies-what-should-i-do</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-07-05T15:15:00Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>How do I decide... Early Action or Early Decision?</title>
      <link>/blog/early-action-or-early-decision</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Selective colleges seek to admit students that are highly interested in attending their college partly because their &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-us-news-calculated-the-rankings"&gt;“ranking”&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; is based on how many admitted students accept their offer. Most colleges have three “times of application.” Early Decision, Early Action, or Regular Decision. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Selective colleges seek to admit students that are highly interested in attending their college partly because their &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-us-news-calculated-the-rankings"&gt;“ranking”&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt; is based on how many admitted students accept their offer. Most colleges have three “times of application.” Early Decision, Early Action, or Regular Decision. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fearly-action-or-early-decision&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Acceptance Decision</category>
      <pubDate>Wed, 21 Jun 2023 17:16:55 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/early-action-or-early-decision</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-06-21T17:16:55Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Beating the Summer Slide: Strategies to Maintain Learning Momentum</title>
      <link>/blog/beating-the-summer-slide-strategies-to-maintain-learning-momentum</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Remember that classic scene in "The Karate Kid" where Mr. Miyagi teaches Daniel the seemingly pointless tasks of "wax on, wax off," "paint the fence," and "sand the floor"?&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;Remember that classic scene in "The Karate Kid" where Mr. Miyagi teaches Daniel the seemingly pointless tasks of "wax on, wax off," "paint the fence," and "sand the floor"?&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fbeating-the-summer-slide-strategies-to-maintain-learning-momentum&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <pubDate>Tue, 06 Jun 2023 13:03:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/beating-the-summer-slide-strategies-to-maintain-learning-momentum</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-06-06T13:03:00Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>8 Things Savvy College Applicants Do During Summer (updated)</title>
      <link>/blog/8-things-savvy-college-applicants-do-during-summer</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img alt="8 Things Savvy College Applicants Do During Summer" src="/hubfs/Princeton_College_Consulting_Sept_2016/Images/college-1-1.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 8px;" title="8 Things Savvy College Applicants Do During Summer"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt; After a grueling junior year filled with AP courses and standardized tests, there is no doubt that soon-to-be high school seniors have earned some rest and relaxation. At the same time, it is impossible to deny that the season of college applications have begun, and that savvy applicants will take advantage of the summer.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Do these 8 things over the summer to increase your chances of admission to your top choice colleges and minimize stress later this fall.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img alt="8 Things Savvy College Applicants Do During Summer" src="/hubfs/Princeton_College_Consulting_Sept_2016/Images/college-1-1.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 8px;" title="8 Things Savvy College Applicants Do During Summer"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span&gt; After a grueling junior year filled with AP courses and standardized tests, there is no doubt that soon-to-be high school seniors have earned some rest and relaxation. At the same time, it is impossible to deny that the season of college applications have begun, and that savvy applicants will take advantage of the summer.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Do these 8 things over the summer to increase your chances of admission to your top choice colleges and minimize stress later this fall.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2F8-things-savvy-college-applicants-do-during-summer&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Essays</category>
      <category>GPA &amp; Standardized Testing</category>
      <category>Standing Out</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>College Visits</category>
      <category>Underclassmen</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <pubDate>Mon, 05 Jun 2023 11:39:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/8-things-savvy-college-applicants-do-during-summer</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-06-05T11:39:38Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Boost Your Teen's College Admissions: Why Strong Writing Skills Matter</title>
      <link>/blog/why-strong-writing-skills-matter</link>
      <description>&lt;p style="text-align: left;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p style="text-align: left;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fwhy-strong-writing-skills-matter&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Essays</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Underclassmen</category>
      <category>Personal Statement</category>
      <pubDate>Fri, 12 May 2023 20:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/why-strong-writing-skills-matter</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-05-12T20:00:00Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>4 Things to Remember When Writing Your Essays (updated)</title>
      <link>/blog/4-things-to-remember-when-writing-your-essays</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;W&lt;span style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;ith&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; the common application personal statement and individual colleges’ supplemental essays, students applying to 10 -12 colleges (a reasonable number) may have to write 20 or more essays to complete their applications. This can be an unbelievable source of stress while trying to keep up with AP Lit, soccer practice, finding a date for homecoming and of course, saving the world. The good news is that the Common Application has released their &lt;a href="https://appsupport.commonapp.org/applicantsupport/s/article/What-are-the-2023-24-Common-App-essay-prompts"&gt;2023-2024 Personal Statement prompts&lt;/a&gt; so you can get started now.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;div&gt;
 &lt;br&gt; 
 &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;While you may be dreading writing your &lt;span style="color: #444444;"&gt;college application essays&lt;/span&gt;, finishing your “personal statement” over the summer is a really good idea. Approach this one essay right, and you can significantly improve your chances of admission to your top choice colleges.&amp;nbsp; Here’s how:&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Analyze your Context.&lt;/strong&gt; Understand your essay as part of your whole application. The rest of your application is the context in which your essay appears. Ask yourself what you want о to know about you that they may not otherwise learn in the application. They will learn quite a lot and infer more from your name, address, parents’ education and occupation, transcript, activity list, letters of recommendation and supplemental essays. &amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src="/hs-fs/hubfs/Piles%20of%20essays%20300175.png?width=300&amp;amp;height=175&amp;amp;name=Piles%20of%20essays%20300175.png" alt="Piles of essays 300175" width="300" height="175" style="height: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 300px; float: right; margin: 13px 0px 0px;"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Understand your Audience.&lt;/strong&gt; “The college” is really a euphemism for an admission committee made up of real people. The first readers of your essay are probably recent graduates of о who are overworked and underpaid. They are not english teachers, they have to read thousands of personal statements before yours and they cannot afford to spend much more than 15 minutes reviewing your whole application file. And they are only going to do that if they like what they see.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; 
 &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;W&lt;span style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;ith&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; the common application personal statement and individual colleges’ supplemental essays, students applying to 10 -12 colleges (a reasonable number) may have to write 20 or more essays to complete their applications. This can be an unbelievable source of stress while trying to keep up with AP Lit, soccer practice, finding a date for homecoming and of course, saving the world. The good news is that the Common Application has released their &lt;a href="https://appsupport.commonapp.org/applicantsupport/s/article/What-are-the-2023-24-Common-App-essay-prompts"&gt;2023-2024 Personal Statement prompts&lt;/a&gt; so you can get started now.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;div&gt;
 &lt;br&gt; 
 &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;While you may be dreading writing your &lt;span style="color: #444444;"&gt;college application essays&lt;/span&gt;, finishing your “personal statement” over the summer is a really good idea. Approach this one essay right, and you can significantly improve your chances of admission to your top choice colleges.&amp;nbsp; Here’s how:&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Analyze your Context.&lt;/strong&gt; Understand your essay as part of your whole application. The rest of your application is the context in which your essay appears. Ask yourself what you want о to know about you that they may not otherwise learn in the application. They will learn quite a lot and infer more from your name, address, parents’ education and occupation, transcript, activity list, letters of recommendation and supplemental essays. &amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src="/hs-fs/hubfs/Piles%20of%20essays%20300175.png?width=300&amp;amp;height=175&amp;amp;name=Piles%20of%20essays%20300175.png" alt="Piles of essays 300175" width="300" height="175" style="height: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 300px; float: right; margin: 13px 0px 0px;"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Understand your Audience.&lt;/strong&gt; “The college” is really a euphemism for an admission committee made up of real people. The first readers of your essay are probably recent graduates of о who are overworked and underpaid. They are not english teachers, they have to read thousands of personal statements before yours and they cannot afford to spend much more than 15 minutes reviewing your whole application file. And they are only going to do that if they like what they see.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; 
 &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2F4-things-to-remember-when-writing-your-essays&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Essays</category>
      <category>Standing Out</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Personal Statement</category>
      <pubDate>Fri, 12 May 2023 16:07:45 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/4-things-to-remember-when-writing-your-essays</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-05-12T16:07:45Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>How Much is Too Much? Providing Support Without Overstepping</title>
      <link>/blog/providing-support-without-overstepping</link>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;How Much is Too Much?&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;h2&gt;How Much is Too Much?&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fproviding-support-without-overstepping&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Essays</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>о</category>
      <pubDate>Fri, 21 Apr 2023 18:33:20 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/providing-support-without-overstepping</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-04-21T18:33:20Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Making an impression: Tips for quiet students</title>
      <link>/blog/making-an-impression-tips-for-quiet-students</link>
      <description>&lt;blockquote&gt; 
 &lt;h2&gt;"Opportunities don't happen. You create them." - Chris Grosser&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;/blockquote&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;blockquote&gt; 
 &lt;h2&gt;"Opportunities don't happen. You create them." - Chris Grosser&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;/blockquote&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fmaking-an-impression-tips-for-quiet-students&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>Standing Out</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>College Visits</category>
      <pubDate>Thu, 30 Mar 2023 18:36:22 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/making-an-impression-tips-for-quiet-students</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-03-30T18:36:22Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>How to Ensure Strong Letters of Recommendation with Brag Sheets</title>
      <link>/blog/how-to-ensure-strong-letters-of-recommendation</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Letters of recommendation are essential to your college application, especially since SAT/ACT scores have become optional. Your application is a way to share who you are from your point of view. Recommendation letters are the only way universities will hear from others about who you are. What the teachers and the counselors say about who you are will confirm how you describe yourself in the rest of your application. &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;Letters of recommendation are essential to your college application, especially since SAT/ACT scores have become optional. Your application is a way to share who you are from your point of view. Recommendation letters are the only way universities will hear from others about who you are. What the teachers and the counselors say about who you are will confirm how you describe yourself in the rest of your application. &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-ensure-strong-letters-of-recommendation&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Letters of Recommendation</category>
      <pubDate>Tue, 28 Mar 2023 19:48:51 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/how-to-ensure-strong-letters-of-recommendation</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-03-28T19:48:51Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>How predicting your future resume can impact your college choice</title>
      <link>/blog/predicting-your-future-resume-can-impact-your-college-choice</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color: transparent;"&gt;With college admissions decisions continuing to roll in and with the May 1st commitment date less than two months away, you will be making important decisions of which college to attend&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color: transparent;"&gt;With college admissions decisions continuing to roll in and with the May 1st commitment date less than two months away, you will be making important decisions of which college to attend&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fpredicting-your-future-resume-can-impact-your-college-choice&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>Standing Out</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Acceptance Decision</category>
      <pubDate>Wed, 15 Mar 2023 12:13:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/predicting-your-future-resume-can-impact-your-college-choice</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-03-15T12:13:00Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>How many and which colleges should I visit?</title>
      <link>/blog/how-many-and-which-colleges-should-i-visit</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;When building a college list or making decisions of which colleges to visit, and we see this all the time,many students will rely on what their friends tell them and even make decisions randomly without doing the proper research.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;When building a college list or making decisions of which colleges to visit, and we see this all the time,many students will rely on what their friends tell them and even make decisions randomly without doing the proper research.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fhow-many-and-which-colleges-should-i-visit&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>College Visits</category>
      <pubDate>Mon, 13 Mar 2023 20:15:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/how-many-and-which-colleges-should-i-visit</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-03-13T20:15:00Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Beyond the brochure: Finding the perfect college fit</title>
      <link>/blog/beyond-the-brochure-finding-the-perfect-college-fit</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;As I started thinking about how I wanted to approach writing this post, a famous quote from the movie “The Imitation Game” with Benedict Cumberbatch came to mind:&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;As I started thinking about how I wanted to approach writing this post, a famous quote from the movie “The Imitation Game” with Benedict Cumberbatch came to mind:&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fbeyond-the-brochure-finding-the-perfect-college-fit&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>College Visits</category>
      <pubDate>Fri, 10 Mar 2023 12:49:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/beyond-the-brochure-finding-the-perfect-college-fit</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-03-10T12:49:00Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>How to make extracurricular activities count for college admissions</title>
      <link>/blog/depth-over-breadth-how-to-make-your-extracurricular-activities-count-for-college-admissions</link>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;Depth over breadth: How to make your extracurricular activities count for college admissions&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;By now you already know that it’s not just about academics. Having a 4.0 GPA doesn’t guarantee you admission to any college, nor do perfect SATs. While you are onto something, you need to rethink your approach in answering the question, “What do selective colleges look for in extracurricular activities?”&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;h2&gt;Depth over breadth: How to make your extracurricular activities count for college admissions&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;By now you already know that it’s not just about academics. Having a 4.0 GPA doesn’t guarantee you admission to any college, nor do perfect SATs. While you are onto something, you need to rethink your approach in answering the question, “What do selective colleges look for in extracurricular activities?”&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fdepth-over-breadth-how-to-make-your-extracurricular-activities-count-for-college-admissions&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>Standing Out</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <pubDate>Tue, 07 Mar 2023 18:28:21 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/depth-over-breadth-how-to-make-your-extracurricular-activities-count-for-college-admissions</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-03-07T18:28:21Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Fine Line Between Challenging Yourself and Overloading</title>
      <link>/blog/the-fine-line-between-challenging-yourself-and-overloading</link>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;College Placement vs. Honors or Advanced Placement Level&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;One of the more frequent questions we get from parents and students is: Is it better to stay at the College Placement (CP) or Honors level in my high school courses and get an A or step up to the Honors or &lt;a href="https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/choosing-courses"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Advanced Placement&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (AP) level and get a B? Of course, the short answer is it is better to step up and get an A but that is probably not the answer you were looking for here.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;h2&gt;College Placement vs. Honors or Advanced Placement Level&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;One of the more frequent questions we get from parents and students is: Is it better to stay at the College Placement (CP) or Honors level in my high school courses and get an A or step up to the Honors or &lt;a href="https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/choosing-courses"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Advanced Placement&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (AP) level and get a B? Of course, the short answer is it is better to step up and get an A but that is probably not the answer you were looking for here.&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fthe-fine-line-between-challenging-yourself-and-overloading&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>GPA &amp; Standardized Testing</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>о</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <category>Curriculum</category>
      <pubDate>Tue, 21 Feb 2023 18:20:57 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/the-fine-line-between-challenging-yourself-and-overloading</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-02-21T18:20:57Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Navigating the Future: Understanding Your Child’s Capacity &amp; Desire</title>
      <link>/blog/navigating-the-future-understanding-your-childs-capacity-and-desire</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Navigating the Future: Understanding Your Child’s Capacity and Desire&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Navigating the Future: Understanding Your Child’s Capacity and Desire&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fnavigating-the-future-understanding-your-childs-capacity-and-desire&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>GPA &amp; Standardized Testing</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <category>Curriculum</category>
      <pubDate>Mon, 13 Feb 2023 22:04:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/navigating-the-future-understanding-your-childs-capacity-and-desire</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-02-13T22:04:00Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Learn How to Secure a University Research Opportunity</title>
      <link>/blog/learn-how-to-secure-a-university-research-opportunity</link>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;Breaking into University Level Research: A Guide for High School Students&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;As a high school student, the prospect of conducting research at a university can seem daunting. However, with the right approach and preparation, securing these opportunities is achievable for motivated and passionate students. Getting started well in advance is the key. Whether you are interested in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or the humanities, there are many opportunities available to high school students who are interested in pursuing research.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;h2&gt;Breaking into University Level Research: A Guide for High School Students&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;As a high school student, the prospect of conducting research at a university can seem daunting. However, with the right approach and preparation, securing these opportunities is achievable for motivated and passionate students. Getting started well in advance is the key. Whether you are interested in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or the humanities, there are many opportunities available to high school students who are interested in pursuing research.&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Flearn-how-to-secure-a-university-research-opportunity&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>Standing Out</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Ivy League</category>
      <category>Letters of Recommendation</category>
      <category>Underclassmen</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2023 20:49:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/learn-how-to-secure-a-university-research-opportunity</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-02-06T20:49:00Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Stay in the Game: Navigating Deferrals and Waitlists</title>
      <link>/blog/navigating-deferrals-and-waitlists</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 16px; color: #333333;"&gt;While being deferred or waitlisted can be disappointing and in many respects can feel like a rejection, it is important to understand what being deferred or waitlisted means.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 11px;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;A student can be deferred after applying Early Decision or Early Action and a deferral simply means that your application will be moved from the early pool and reconsidered with the regular applicant pool.&amp;nbsp; Typically, a student who is deferred may still have a very strong application but the admissions committee feels they need to see a bit more from that student. Waitlisting typically occurs after the regular decision pool of applicants have been reviewed and the student is placed on a waiting list for a spot to open up in the class.&amp;nbsp; While it does not feel good to be deferred or waitlisted, it does mean that that student’s application was strong enough to be seriously considered for admission because if it weren’t, the student would have been denied.&amp;nbsp; With deferrals and waitlists you are still very much in the game but what you do from that point forward can make a significant difference.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 16px; color: #333333;"&gt;While being deferred or waitlisted can be disappointing and in many respects can feel like a rejection, it is important to understand what being deferred or waitlisted means.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 11px;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;A student can be deferred after applying Early Decision or Early Action and a deferral simply means that your application will be moved from the early pool and reconsidered with the regular applicant pool.&amp;nbsp; Typically, a student who is deferred may still have a very strong application but the admissions committee feels they need to see a bit more from that student. Waitlisting typically occurs after the regular decision pool of applicants have been reviewed and the student is placed on a waiting list for a spot to open up in the class.&amp;nbsp; While it does not feel good to be deferred or waitlisted, it does mean that that student’s application was strong enough to be seriously considered for admission because if it weren’t, the student would have been denied.&amp;nbsp; With deferrals and waitlists you are still very much in the game but what you do from that point forward can make a significant difference.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fnavigating-deferrals-and-waitlists&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Acceptance Decision</category>
      <pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2023 21:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/navigating-deferrals-and-waitlists</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-02-02T21:00:00Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>How many AP Courses should I take in high school?</title>
      <link>/blog/ap-classes</link>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color: #333333;"&gt;How many AP Courses should I take in high school?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color: #333333;"&gt;How many AP Courses should I take in high school?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fap-classes&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>GPA &amp; Standardized Testing</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2023 19:44:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/ap-classes</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-01-26T19:44:00Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Are Summer Programs Worth It For College Admissions?</title>
      <link>/blog/summer-programs-are-they-worth-it</link>
      <description>&lt;div&gt;
 &amp;nbsp;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;div&gt;
 &amp;nbsp;
&lt;/div&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fsummer-programs-are-they-worth-it&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Underclassmen</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2023 01:14:59 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/summer-programs-are-they-worth-it</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-01-26T01:14:59Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Importance of a Strong Personal Statement Essay: Don't Leave Your Future to Chance</title>
      <link>/blog/the-importance-of-a-strong-personal-statement</link>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;The personal statement is your chance to shine.&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;h2&gt;The personal statement is your chance to shine.&lt;/h2&gt; 
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fthe-importance-of-a-strong-personal-statement&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Essays</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Personal Statement</category>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2023 23:27:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/the-importance-of-a-strong-personal-statement</guid>
      <dc:date>2023-01-25T23:27:19Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Admissions Fox</title>
      <link>/blog/admissions-fox</link>
      <description>&lt;div&gt;
 &amp;nbsp;
 &lt;img src="/hs-fs/hubfs/Fox%20or%20Hedgehog-1.jpeg?width=294&amp;amp;name=Fox%20or%20Hedgehog-1.jpeg" alt="Fox or Hedgehog-1" width="294" style="width: 294px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;div&gt;
 &amp;nbsp;
 &lt;img src="/hs-fs/hubfs/Fox%20or%20Hedgehog-1.jpeg?width=294&amp;amp;name=Fox%20or%20Hedgehog-1.jpeg" alt="Fox or Hedgehog-1" width="294" style="width: 294px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fadmissions-fox&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>GPA &amp; Standardized Testing</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Extracurricular Activities</category>
      <category>Curriculum</category>
      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Sep 2021 17:36:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/admissions-fox</guid>
      <dc:date>2021-09-06T17:36:12Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Write Your Way Into College Alumni Interview - Lilia G</title>
      <link>/blog/interview-lilia</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Finterview-lilia&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Essays</category>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <category>Personal Statement</category>
      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Sep 2021 17:03:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/interview-lilia</guid>
      <dc:date>2021-09-06T17:03:40Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>ACE Your Personal Statement - Part II</title>
      <link>/blog/ace-your-personal-statement-part-ii</link>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/h2&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;h2&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/h2&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Face-your-personal-statement-part-ii&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Essays</category>
      <category>Personal Statement</category>
      <pubDate>Sun, 23 May 2021 20:30:30 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/ace-your-personal-statement-part-ii</guid>
      <dc:date>2021-05-23T20:30:30Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Why Colleges Want You to Sleep More</title>
      <link>/blog/why-colleges-want-you-to-sleep-more</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Fwhy-colleges-want-you-to-sleep-more&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Admissions</category>
      <pubDate>Fri, 30 Apr 2021 18:14:32 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/why-colleges-want-you-to-sleep-more</guid>
      <dc:date>2021-04-30T18:14:32Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>ACE Your Personal Statement - Part I</title>
      <link>/blog/finding-gold</link>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  
&lt;img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=2405229&amp;amp;k=14&amp;amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%2Fblog%2Ffinding-gold&amp;amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.princetoncollegeconsulting.net%252Fblog&amp;amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "&gt;</content:encoded>
      <category>College Essays</category>
      <category>Personal Statement</category>
      <pubDate>Sun, 14 Mar 2021 14:07:46 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>/blog/finding-gold</guid>
      <dc:date>2021-03-14T14:07:46Z</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Princeton College Consulting</dc:creator>
    </item>
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