Sarah O'Neill Blog Pennsylvania

  By Sarah O’Neill Chester Co. Supreme Editing Applying to college can feel like an uphill journey, with multiple challenges to overcome before reaching the summit — an acceptance to your dream school. As a former English teacher, I was on the other side of this process, frequently receiving student requests for recommendation letters. While some were easy to write, others posed a dilemma: What if the student struggled in my class? What if they lacked daily enthusiasm or effort? These questions weighed heavily on me because, while I wasn’t legally obligated to write a letter, I knew my response could influence a student’s future opportunities. To avoid putting your teacher in a difficult position, set yourself up for success well in advance. Your goal should be to make it nearly impossible for a teacher to decline your request — rather, you want them to be eager to write you a strong letter. Who Should Write Your Recommendation Letters? Typically, students request recommendations f...

 By Sarah O’Neill Coatesville Supreme Editing Ready, Set, Interview: Your College Guide to Nailing the Conversation So, you’ve hit submit on all your Regular Decision (RD) applications, and now you’re waiting. What’s next? Twiddling your thumbs for the next few months? Hardly! It’s time to prep for those interviews that might be coming your way. Some schools, like Princeton and most of the Ivy League, make a point of interviewing candidates — especially if there’s an alumnus nearby ready to play 20 questions. Your interviewer could be a current student, a former student, or even someone from the admissions office. Regardless of who you meet, it’s time to shine. But why do colleges even want to interview you? Glad you asked: Reason #1: Your application looks stellar… but eerily similar to someone else’s. The interview makes your file more personal and memorable. Reason #2: There might be a question or two about your application that the admissions team would like you to clarify. T...

  Ah, it’s that time! Sandwiched between the carefree younger days and the college countdown, everyone dreads the year (before applying to college). But fear not! If you’re overwhelmed by SATs, GPAs, and acronyms that seem like secret codes, here’s a guide to help you prepare for college without losing your mind. 1. Embrace Your Inner Detective: The College Search Begins Think of this time as you are on a detective mission. You’re Sherlock Holmes (plus the large magnifying glass), and your task is to amplify the perfect college fit. Start by haunting college websites — check out virtual tours, read about their traditions (like Tufts University’s campus llama visits), and stalk their social media pages like CSI. Bonus tip: Create a “College Crush List.” It’s like a bucket list but with schools, you’re swooning over. Just remember: You’re looking for a healthy relationship, not a toxic one. No one wants to be ghosted by their dream school. 2. Turn Your Hobbies into Hustles (A.K.A. Re...

By Sarah O’Neill Chester County Supreme Editing As a college admissions consultant, I am often asked: does writing still matter? With the advent of bot-generated writing, everyone is up in arms. But, I am here to tell you that writing is still an asset, it is still a sought-after medium for original storytelling, and it is still valued in the college admissions community. Let’s talk about some contests that are still vital and up and running as you prepare to apply to college. Even if you are not a future Humanities major, if you can earn a Gold Key in Scholastic, you can enrich your resume and heighten your chances of being admitted to top schools by showing originality of thought and a multidimensional side of yourself. Scholastic Writing Contests and Categories From their Website: What is the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards? “The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. The Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization...