The Progressive Corner

Calling All High School Seniors!
With early college application deadlines quickly approaching, can you confidently say that you or your high school senior son/daughter has a game plan? We invite you to join us for one of our free college applications information seminars on Thursday, September 6th,...

IvyZen is returning to the Bay Area!
Is your child a high-achieving student but you’re still worried about the increasingly competitive college admissions process? Do you want a second opinion on the advice that your son/daughter’s college counselors are providing? Or maybe you’re just generally lost in...

IvyZen is coming to Palo Alto!
Is your child a high-achieving student but you’re still worried about the increasingly competitive college admissions process? Do you want a second opinion on the advice that your son/daughter’s college counselors are providing? Or maybe you’re just generally lost in...

The Importance of a College Application Strategy
College Applications Strategy: Why It is Important to Have One The first thing that needs to be discussed before starting the college applications process is strategy. Much of what goes into the hard choices college admissions officers have to make—such as whether...

College Applications: Why top students fail
College Applications: Why Top Students Fail The college application process is undoubtedly a daunting one. Students spend all their pre-college years preparing themselves to go through unpredictable admissions processes with the hopes of getting into a top college....

What is progressivism? Why should I be progressive?
What is progressivism? Why should I be progressive? What is progressivism? What is progress? To some, this notion is appealing. “Yes, this world is full of wrongs and I must right them! Let us march onward in pursuit of social justice for all!” To others,...

Dead Weight: 7 Extracurricular Activities that aren’t as Great as They Tell You
If you’re serious about Ivy League admissions, you must take a strategic approach to your student’s extracurricular involvement. With over 40,000 high schools around the world and over 3.5 million students applying to US colleges every year, you can bet the...

A Columbia Success Story: How to Create a Creative Writing Theme for Your College Application
[Wow-Modal-Windows id=4] The Story Charles came to us a gifted student who was doing well at school. Starting his 10th grade at an academically rigorous boarding school, Charles was a good student with a 3.7 GPA (unweighted) and working towards strong SAT...

How to Create a Political Activism Theme: A Columbia, UPenn, Brown, UChicago Success Story
[Wow-Modal-Windows id=4] Brian is a student that is hard not to love. He’s very well spoken, confident, and knowledgeable about many political issues.When he told me that he was both Model United Nations and student council president at his school, I wasn’t surprised;...

A Caltech Success Story: How to Create a Number Theory Theme
[Wow-Modal-Windows id=4] I met Matthew through a referral from a previous student’s mother, and from the first time I met him, I knew that he was a math guy. In my initial consultation with him, I noticed how each of his answers were calculated and rational, and...