“IT IS BEAUTIFUL, AND I CANNOT WAIT TO ENJOY THE PALM TREES WHEN I LOOK OUT MY WINDOW.” YOU CAN DO THAT IN LOTS OF SCHOOLS


"THE CITY IS ONE OF THE MOST VIBRANT IN THE WORLD.” DUH…


“WHEN I STEPPED ON CAMPUS, I FELT AT HOME.” BORING.


“Why do you want to attend this university?” is the question, and the answer is not easy. It takes research, and that may be the best thing you can do for yourself- know before you go. Many times this question may be hidden within another question so make sure you are answering the prompt, directly, without a floral introduction to the meat of your answer. Your essays help colleges evaluate your interest in their school. They want to know why you decided to apply to their particular school and if what they offer matches what you want. They are assessing whether you’re a good fit for their community and whether you’ll be able to contribute to and enrich the school’s learning environment inside and outside of the classroom. Will you attend, get involved, be engaged, graduate in 4 years, and be an active alumnus?


Lee Norwood is a member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association, Higher Education Consultants Association, NACAC Charactor Collaborative and she is on faculty with the CounselMore Business Development Academy. She speaks at industry conferences on topics like “Meeting Gen Z Where They Are” and “Growing Your Business” and she has been featured on podcasts with CollegeScoops, ThirdFloor Views, Tests And The Rest, and others.If you are interested in our process, our team, reviews and outcomes, just look at our website www.annapoliscollegeconsulting.com


By Abigail Rollins June 1, 2026
The internet is losing its mind over a tip for college-bound families: a recent video revealed that students can get colleges to pay for their campus visits.
By Stephen Turban, Lumiere Education May 20, 2026
Many students are looking for research opportunities and ways to volunteer with researchers, but often don’t know where to look for them. In this article, we outline 15 research volunteer opportunities for high school students. These opportunities are all free, and while some have an application process, others are always open to volunteers.
By Stephen Turban March 9, 2026
The Concord Review is the most prestigious journal for high school students in the social sciences. As William Fitzsimmons, long-time Dean of Admissions at Harvard College, put it “A simple fact that an essay has been published by The Concord Review is something that’s impressive to the committee, just as the committee can be impressed when a scientist or mathematician does well in an international competition.” The Concord’s Review’s prestige comes from its high level of selectivity (currently less than 5%), focus on quality, and long track record of winners going on to top universities. In 2010, 10% of all students published in the journal had gone to Harvard College . As the Concord Review describes , many authors will attach their Concord Review in their application. Of students who have been published, they have “gone on to Brown (35), University of Chicago (36), Columbia (31), Cornell (21), Dartmouth (24), Harvard (152), Oxford(17), Pennsylvania (30), Princeton (76), Stanford (86), Yale (123).” So, what is the Concord Review and how can you build a paper that is accepted? In this guide, we’re going to go through what the Concord Review is, what it looks for in papers, and what you need to do to stand a chance.
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