Summer is almost here. At this time of year, we help our clients plan their children's summers. Some of our tips: Preschoolers: All day day camp, run outside of nursery school, is a terrific way for your child to develop new relationships, skills and confidence as they socialize, play, and learn. Activities like arts and … Continue reading Productive Summers for Your Student
Easiest Route to Ivy League May Be Playing Rich Kids Sports
The Atlantic has an insightful new article that exposes how powerful the advantage of playing a "rich kids sport" can be for getting into top colleges: The Cult of Rich Kid Sports. These rich kid sports are water polo, squash, crew, lacrosse, and skiing, activities that require money to learn how to play. At Harvard, … Continue reading Easiest Route to Ivy League May Be Playing Rich Kids Sports
“Side Door” Acceptances into Elite Colleges
William Rick Singer is the college consultant who helped some rich and famous people cheat their way into elite colleges. Singer's "side door method" helped those unable to scale the ivy walls via merit (front door) or donations, influence and connections (back door). The San Francisco Chronicle concisely sums up Singer's modus operandi: * Administrators of … Continue reading “Side Door” Acceptances into Elite Colleges
Trends in College Admissions
Paragraph Trends in College Admissions An Eventful Year Are SAT Subject Tests (SAT IIs) on their way out? Today, few institutions require the tests, and many require them only of STEM and engineering applicants. What this means is that for many students, 11th grade is not the nightmare it used to be. For more information: Are … Continue reading Trends in College Admissions
Harvard Admissions Secrets Revealed
Does Harvard set a quota on how many Asian-American students are accepted and are acceptance standards for Asian-Americans higher than for other racial groups? A case seen as a referendum on affirmative action is taking place in Boston, with possible repercussions on admissions not only at Harvard but at all colleges. For an excellent discussion … Continue reading Harvard Admissions Secrets Revealed
New York City’s Leading Private School Consultant for 20 Years
New York City's Leading Private School Consultant for 20 Years We are proud to announce that in 2019 Abacus Guide Educational Consulting will celebrate our 20th year helping students find and get into top New York City and Westchester schools. It's a been a very satisfying journey for everyone involved. As NYC's leading private school … Continue reading New York City’s Leading Private School Consultant for 20 Years
Specialized Science High Schools’ and Harvard’s Admissions Controversies
Lisa Belkin does a great job summarizing elite schools' admissions controversies that have recently been in the news: Two school admissions policies made news last week for opposite reasons — Harvard University, because it is accused of admitting too few Asian-American students, and New York’s most selective public schools, because the city’s mayor thinks it … Continue reading Specialized Science High Schools’ and Harvard’s Admissions Controversies
Is It Worth Paying a NYC Tester to Discuss Your Preschooler’s IQ Test Results?
Manhattan testers often offer a fee-based service: interpreting your child's IQ test results. Many concerned parents, often first-time parents, eagerly sign up. For example, if a child's IQ test scores are uneven, a nervous mom may want to understand how this could have happened. Parents worry if their children have deficits. IQ tests like the … Continue reading Is It Worth Paying a NYC Tester to Discuss Your Preschooler’s IQ Test Results?
NYC Private School Interviews: How to Ace the Admissions Interview
From a client today: We had a busy day yesterday! We had our parent interview at <well-known Manhattan private school> and we were soooooo glad to have been prepped by you. It went very well! Hooray! At Abacus Guide, we prep parents and middle and high school students for private school interview success. If you're … Continue reading NYC Private School Interviews: How to Ace the Admissions Interview
Going to a NYC Private School Costs More than an Ivy League College
Sophia Hollander of The Wall Street Journal broke news today with her story about how New York City private school annual tuition has risen to $40,000. Private School Tuition Bill Tops $40,000 As I told Hollander in a phone call, given that demand for top school slots outstrips supply, I am not surprised that tuition bills … Continue reading Going to a NYC Private School Costs More than an Ivy League College