What happens if I'm waitlisted?

After you have received all of your decisions, you should reflect upon the choices you have and decide a plan of action. It may be that you feel that the school(s) that waitlisted you are not worth pursuing; if that is the case, you should ask to be taken off the waitlist.

More than 500 colleges and universities accept The Common Application. The Common App's website had technical difficulties these past few weeks.

How to Choose a Teacher for a Recommendation Letter

It's always best to choose someone who really knows you, someone who has, perhaps, seen both your strengths and your weaknesses. Then, your teacher can attest to your strengths and maybe even write about times when you've overcome your weaknesses. If you choose someone who knows you on a superficial level just because you think they're considered to be the best teacher at your school, then you might not get the same in-depth recommendation letter that someone who knows you well can write.

Why Weekends are Crucial: Social Scenes Across Campuses

Heels are donned. Flasks are filled. The studious atmosphere maintained throughout the week is temporarily exchanged for the bustling sights and sounds of pounding music and open bars.

The Costs of Applying (and How to Avoid Them)

Between sending test scores and application fees, the cost of applying can add up even before you’re accepted to a school. Luckily, a little bit of research and some time with your guidance counselor can help you work around these fees—or get rid of them altogether.

The College Campaign of 2010: Uncommon App

I first attempted the Common Application essay one August evening at the end of the summer. I was staying with my father at a family friend’s house for the night. I reclined in an unfamiliar chair and tried to think about what I wanted to say to the world (or, barring that, the Brown admissions committee).

Weekly News Round-Up: Nude Selfies, SAT Essay Blues, and The British Invasion 2.0

This week in college admissions news, The Atlantic ponders the meaning of happiness (and asks why colleges care), the SAT essay section weathers a critique, and the Common App gets clarified.

Crafting the perfect college list can be a daunting part of the application process.

Varsity Recruiting Q & A

Varsity recruiting season is in full swing. In recent weeks, high school athletes have been shadowing varsity athletes across campuses nationwide. In this Q&A, three Ivy League coaches provide their perspectives on official recruiting visits and offer a few tips to prospective student-athletes.

The SAT essay posed a challenge to some students last weekend. Slate claims that the test's essay section teaches high school students bad writing.

Jesse G. Sanchez standing next to his mother.

The First Generation Admissions Experience

Three Harvard College students—Jesse G. Sanchez, Daniel M. Lobo, and Cody R. Dean—discuss their experiences applying to college as the first in their families to do so.

University Hall at Brown University, pictured in 2007.

The College Campaign of 2010: Falling in Love (with Brown University)

There comes a time in every college applicant’s life when they realize their dream school. Well, maybe it doesn’t happen to everyone, but it sure happened to me.

Q&A: The Creative Supplement, Mental Health, and More

Is it risky to send in a creative writing supplement? If I have a mental illness, how should I factor that in when deciding what schools to apply to? What do Ivy League schools look for in an applicant other than grades and test scores?

An Introduction to the Academic Index

With varsity recruiting season in full swing, high school athletes across the country are committing to play for their dream schools. But for athletes being recruited to the Ivy League the process is slightly different.

Weekly News Round-Up: Obama Okays Affirmative Action, Bard Shakes up College Apps

This week in college admissions news, the Department of Education and Justice announced their support of college admissions offices considering race, while Bard College introduced a potentially revolutionary new admission policy. In other news, publications are still bad at ranking.

The College Campaign of 2010: So Many Colleges, So Little Time

Mid-April 2009 found my mother and me poring over college brochures, checking train times, and calling up relatives. Really, it was mostly my mom. I was too busy reading admission statistics in three-inch thick college guidebooks to bother with the minutiae of interstate transportation. Our plan was to take the Amtrak between cities for a few days, stopping at all the colleges I wanted to visit.

Q&A: Sending Scores, Organizing Essays, and More

When should I start working on my essays? If I have a low AP score, do I still have to report it? Do you have any organizational tips for college applicants?

College Dining: More Than Just Food

Few prospective students know more about how colleges conduct dining life than the general reputation of their food.

By Now: September Checklist

It may be hard to believe, but summer has officially ended and the college admissions cycle is in full swing. Hopefully, you’ve started to make some headway on your applications, but exactly how far along should you be?

The College Board just released the 2013 national average SAT scores have just been released. The College Board also plans to send information packets and fee waivers to low-income, high-scoring students.

Weekly News Round-up: Tech, Waivers Leveling the Playing Field (Or Not, Say SAT Scores)

It's a big week in college admissions news. Obama's education secretary gets snarky, rich kids steal scholarship money from poor kids (who get application fee waivers from The College Board), and above all... AVERAGE NATIONAL SAT SCORES ARE HERE.

Andrew Ho

Andrew Ho, an associate professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education whose research has focused on measuring student and school proficiency and on standardized testing metric.