Stories & Insights
What we're reading, writing, and learning.
Field notes from a small advising practice — admissions wins, advisor essays, and the questions families ask us most. New entries each month.

College Admissions
From rural Indiana to Stanford EA.
How a first-generation applicant built a profile that spoke for itself.
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Boarding School
Choosing fit over name.
A family weighs Andover against a smaller school — and finds the right answer.
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Test Strategy
A 480-point SAT swing in 11 weeks.
What changed when we stopped chasing perfection and started chasing process.
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Guide
What we tell families during the first year of high school.
The questions that matter in ninth grade — and the ones that can wait until junior year.
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Reading
An admissions reading list, from our advisors.
Books, essays, and admissions reports our team returns to year after year.
Read the storyStay close to the conversation.
Quarterly notes from our advisors on admissions, planning, and the questions families ask us most.