Blog – College Dollars and Sense

College Application Season Is Scary Enough: How Parents Can Help Instead of Hurt

Distinctive College Consulting
Admissions
94 views

By Caroline Matas, Ph.D. It’s my favorite time of year. There’s (finally) a chill in the air. My daughter and I take walks through the park and crunch every possible fallen leaf underfoot. Pumpkins…

Should You Play a Sport?

Distinctive College Consulting
Activities
120 views

By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. My daughter recently said to me, “You are surprisingly athletic.” While certainly a loaded statement, to be honest, I’ll take this 70% compliment, 30% insult from…

It Doesn’t Look Like What You Remember: The Uncanny in Application Essay Writing

Distinctive College Consulting
Essays
100 views

By Adrian Cho, Ph.D. The wickie stands, numbly staring out at the turbulent ocean. Nothing about the lighthouse itself or its surroundings changes. The same impassive tower. The same grey horizon. He doesn’t…

Become a Better Reader in Just One Easy Step (Pick up a Book)

Distinctive College Consulting
Admissions
442 views

By Caroline Matas, Ph.D. Every student I work with receives the same exhortation as we talk through their summer plans. Between the summer classes, the sports camps, the internships, and the travel, please…

Should You Worry About Party Schools?

Distinctive College Consulting
Admissions
500 views

By Adrian Cho, Ph.D. The summer is upon us! A time of beach vacations, mountain getaways, Fourth of July barbecues, and the 2026 World Cup – in other words, parties. Some amount of revelry is not just…

Taking the Right Train of Thought in Your College Essays

Distinctive College Consulting
Admissions
434 views

By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. To tell a story is hard. Or is it, a story is hard to tell? Or maybe, hard it is to tell a story? These variations on the same theme reveal the difficulties you face when…

Performing Yourself: A Musician’s Guide to the Video Essay

Distinctive College Consulting
Admissions
710 views

By Adrian Cho, Ph.D. The note arrives before the thought does. A high E, fortissimo, shouting into the crowd: “Barabbam, oder Jesum?” In J. S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, Pontius Pilate asks the…

Making the Most of Your Summer–Your Way

Distinctive College Consulting
Admissions
737 views

By Caroline Matas, Ph.D. Have you ever heard Frank Sinatra’s song “My Way?” It’s kind of a dirge, and honestly I don’t really recommend it. I only listened to it for the first time when I learned…

The 3 Biggest Brag Sheet Blunders

Distinctive College Consulting
Admissions
725 views

By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D. Besides the bursts of pink cherry blossoms, the sugary gooeyness of Cadbury Crème Eggs, and the mulchy petrichor following drizzly afternoons, nothing says spring quite…

Beyond the Rankings: Building a Thoughtful College List

Distinctive College Consulting
Admissions
841 views

By Adrian Cho, Ph.D. Happy New Year, dear readers! As we begin 2026, the time comes to begin seriously considering the list of colleges you will build (if you are a junior). It’s not just about finding…