Advice for Parents Category
Reading Day
Dec. 11, 2009—Yesterday was the last day of classes for the fall semester. Today is Reading Day. Finals begin tomorrow, and continue throughout next week. For everyone, this is an intense time of year. How to capture the feel? People head in every direction. Papers, projects, and presentations were due this week and last—and were being completed...
Greetings from the Office of Student Financial Aid and Undergraduate Scholarships
Dec. 10, 2009—I hope this entry finds you having a great holiday season! I just wanted to provide a brief update regarding processing for both merit and need-based financial assistance. Please remember, visit our financial aid website should you have any questions regarding financial assistance at Vanderbilt. Also, you may send questions via e-mail to finaid@vanderbilt.edu. Ingram...
Stress Coping Tips (from someone who's been there)
Dec. 7, 2009—I’ve had a lot of experience with school and school-related stress. Throughout my undergraduate education, graduate education, and my time here at the OUA I have developed a few coping mechanisms. As many of you await our Early Decision I letters and most of you wrap-up semesters with final projects and exams, let me hand...
Gatekeepers
Nov. 18, 2009—When I was a high school student visiting colleges and universities I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was a first generation college student and just the idea of going to college was both overwhelming and exciting. During a visit to Indiana University (which I eventually attended for...
Conversations for the drive to move-in this weekend
Aug. 20, 2009—Got a long drive tomorrow for move-in weekend at the commons for first-year students? It's not too late to talk about . . .
Just be Yourself: The role of personality in coping with applying to college
Aug. 17, 2009—Thanks to many of you for the signs of support and interest in my doctoral research. I wanted to post some additional information about my research and what we found in hopes that it may be helpful to you and your family.
On My Way
Jul. 6, 2009—Good morning blog readers, friends, and people who were mysteriously sent here using Bing: This blog began several years ago as an experiment. It was not rolled out with fanfare, nor was it vetted through a massive team of consultants in suits. In fact, it was quite the opposite. I built a simple site on...
A Post for New Vandy Parents and Short Waitlist Update
Jun. 3, 2009—It is with humility that I attempt to offer advice to parents at least 4 times my senior in the parenting biz. I won't pretend that I know first hand what it is like to send your child off to college, but I have been a second hand observer to the process having worked for colleges almost a decade. The Southern journalist Hodding Carter once wrote, "There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: One is roots, the other is wings."
New "Insider's Guide to Financial Aid" Video Just Released
Mar. 5, 2009—Our Insider's Guide to Admissions video received such great feedback from students and parents that we've filmed a sequel. This short video outlines in simple terms the ins and outs of financial aid with Doug Christiansen, Vanderbilt's Associate Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions.
Stop Reading This Blog
Feb. 26, 2009—Seriously, stop it. Not to go all Billy Gates on you, but there's this little squared red X in the top right corner of your computer screen and I'm begging you to punch it in the face.
Would Da Vinci have Gotten the Small Envelope?
Feb. 18, 2009—A wonderful article appears this week in the Chronicle of Higher Education's Chronicle Review by W. A. Pannapacker of Hope College. In it, Pannapacker portrays the well known genius of Leonardo da Vinci set against the lesser known backdrop of growing biographical evidence that he was a chronic procrastinator.
Stupid Things Admissions People Say
Jan. 27, 2009—From time to time I'm asked to serve as a panelist for high schools hosting "junior nights." These are opportunities for students and their parents to come out and hear from college "experts." They're usually fun affairs for us, as we get to put down your employer's banner for a little bit, field questions and get a pulse for what's on people's minds. Not too long ago, I sat on one in Chicago and something happened there that has had me thinking for about a while now about the state of the whole admissions field and where our profession has gone wrong.