We all do, sometimes.

Perhaps especially now. The end of February finds most of us, whether we're in school—or have kids in school—feeling exhausted and wrung out by winter. Too much darkness. Too much cold. Too few joys.

Spring is coming, the time to start looking ahead, the time to start planning for the future. And if your son or daughter is a junior in high school, it's absolutely time to be preparing for college. Yes: right now. 

Don't know where to begin? I can help. I'm happy to be your partner as we go through the confusing and difficult process of applying to college. I've helped many students get accepted to the college of their choice, and I'm here to help your daughter or son get that all-important acceptance letter, too. Don't go it alone: a college admissions coach is the best investment you can make right now in your child's future!

In the meantime, I've collected a few inspirational sayings that might help you get through to the warmth of springtime!

“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinion drowned your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” –Steve Jobs 

“Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresea, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.” –H. Jackson Brown Jr.

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” –Thomas A. Edison

“If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.” –Nora Roberts

“Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” –Christian D. Larson

So there you have it. Borrow a page from some of the great motivators: write these down, stick them up on mirrors in your house, on the refrigerator, in your child's workspace. And remember that I can help with motivation, too! Why not schedule a free Skype consultation with me tray to find out what I can do for you?

You're probably concerned about your GPA—and you should be! But it's more complicated than you may think. Some schools weight GPAs, others do not, and it's up to you to figure out how to make your school's process work for you.

A "weighted GPA" is based on the understanding that some high school classes are much harder than others. There's a feeling that these more difficult classes should carry more weight than the easier ones. If you get an A in AP English, it should count more than an A in remedial reading. So far, so good, right?

But it gets complicated. Colleges son't generally use these artificially inflated grades. The colleges to which you're applying absolutely want you to take challenging courses and so well in them, but they need to compare all applicants using the same four-point grade scale. 

So most high schools using weighted GPAs will also include unweighted grades on your transcript, and colleges will usually use the unweighted number.

Your selected colleges will also want to make sure that your GPA reflects grades in core academic courses, not the "fun" elective classes that guarantee good grades. So even if you have calculated a weighted and unweighted GPA, your college may have yet another way of calculating your GPA: it may just look at the core studies (English, math, social studies, foreign language, and science). 

So make sure that you take all of these numbers into consideration as you plan your last year of high school and apply to college!

So here it is. You've collected good grades and stellar recommendations. You've passed the tests and written a résumé to rock the Ivy League, and now you're sitting in front of your computer to write ... the essay.

Don't panic. In fact, the essay should be your favorite part of the college application process. Why? Because this is your opportunity to present who you really are. You're not a list of grades, or extracurricular activities, or places you've worked. You're a person, and admissions offices send letters to people, not lists.

Here are some ideas to help guide you:

• One of the questions you'll probably have is why you're interested in this particular college. Don't go on and on about the college—the admissions office already knows about it. Instead, talk about why you'll be a perfect fit for the school—how you see it helping you, and how you see yourself helping it.
  
• Use social media to your advantage. By now you've heard all the horror stories of college admissions directors who found pictures of potential students getting drunk—or worse—and tossed the application then and there. But you can use social media to your advantage by making it into a sort of portfolio, showcasing photographs of your volunteer work, your art, your play, your sports. Then refer to it in your essay. Not only will they get to see the portfolio, they'll see that you're savvy about your online image.
• Write about something that is uniquely you. The admissions office has seen all the generic essays already. In particular, stay away from the story of a pilgrimage to your grandparents' country of origin, an essay on a recent natural disaster (or indeed any recent news), and how you came to understand that your Parents Were Right. Don't think about what the admissions office is looking for: think about who you are. An essay can be as intimate or all-encompassing as you choose, but your choice of subject is just as important as the way you write it.

Want some more ideas for college essays? Look into my mentoring program that will help you with this and all your other college-related questions. Together, we'll reach your goal!

No matter where you live now, if you're considering attending college in the U.S., you have a lot to think about—far more than I can include in a simple blog post! But what I'd like to have you think about today is planning. Careful, detailed planning is what will make your educational experience in the States work for you, both during college and beyond.

Of course you know that you need to plan for your admissions process (that's why you're reading this blog!); but there's a lot more that you need to put on your to-do list.

Here are some items to keep in mind:

1. Every American college and university has a different admission process: it's definitely not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. So be sure to gather as much specific information about the application process as you can from the schools to which you are applying.
2. It can take a very long time to get your immigration to the United States approved, sometimes months. Check with the nearest American embassy, but count on it taking longer than you might expect.
3. If you are admitted to an American college or university, what are your post-graduation plans? Many students fail to think beyond school itself, but it's important to select classes and experiences that will help with your future CV. Internships, opportunities to co-author papers, research fellowships and conferences can all contribute to your future success.

Remember that I'm always available for a no-fee consultation via Skype. If you're thinking about applying to a college or university in the United States, why not make an appointment with me today?

There's a lot to think about.

If you're in high school right now, then you know that high school takes up a lot of your time and energy. Classes, clubs, sports, friends ... it's hard to think too far ahead. Hanging out is your main priority—these are the years you're going to remember, right?

Well, yes: but you don't want to remember them with regret! The worst expression in any language echoes the famous quote from On The Waterfront: "I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it."

Don't be a bum. Think about college now.

But just thinking about it isn't enough. What you may not realize is that getting into college is practically a whole job in itself. There are courses that you should be taking right now. There are organizations that you should join. There are essays to practice writing, and college admissions tests you should be getting ready for. There are lists of deadlines that you absolutely, positively must make. And that's before you even start to think about financial aid, applying for grants and scholarships, thinking about work-study and internship options.

Is it difficult? You bet. Can you do it? Absolutely—but it's a lot easier if you don't do it alone. Having a team behind you is the best way to become a "contender." There are a lot of people who want to see you succeed and will be glad to join your team: your parents or guardians, your teachers, and myriad other people who can be helpful; but you also need a team leader.

That's where I come in. I have a lot of experience helping kids just like you to get into college, and I can help your team work together to make sure it happens. Why don't you make an appointment for a free Skype consultation with me? I'd love to hear from you! Email me at Melissa@HelpGettingIntoCollege.com today!

It's a great time for international students, according to James Montoya, vice-president for higher education at the College Board. "The number of students crossing national borders to pursue higher education will likely triple in the next decade. The good news is that many American colleges and universities have recently expanded their international recruitment efforts, especially for 'full-pay' students. International students who will require institutionally based financial aid should not waste their time applying to those colleges and universities not offering financial aid to international students."

Just because it's a great time to be applying, however, doesn't mean that the process is easy. Here are a couple of questions that I've been hearing from prospective international students ...

How can I stand out?

• Emphasize your diverse background. Diversity is increasingly important to colleges in terms of both the student body makeup and the perspective that student from different cultural backgrounds bring to their studies and their environment.
• Highlight what makes you different. Why do you want to study in the United States? What gifts and assets do you bring with you? What do you plan to do with your education? These are all part of the story that makes you unique and interesting to college admissions offices. 
• If you do not require financial aid, make that very clear: it’s far more common for foreign students to need financial aid and it’s difficult to obtain.
• Take a practice ACT and SAT to see which test is right for you. 
  

What paperwork will I need?

The most common visa for full-time students attending a college or university is the F-1 student visa. To receive this visa, you will need to be able to prove that:

• you are proficient in English
  
• you have enough funds to support yourself and your studies
  
• you are healthy and have no communicable diseases 
  
• you are not a felon or a wanted criminal
  

There may be additional restrictions and requirements, and checking in with the Bureau of Consular Affairs is recommended.

Over the next couple of weeks I'll be talking more about international students and their application process to American colleges and universities. Ready to find out if you have what it takes? You can schedule a no-obligation Skype call with me by emailing Melissa@helpgettingintocollege.com.