Most of the advice on college admissions is, to use the vernacular, a huge steaming pile. That’s largely because most of the people who spend time offering advice about admissions either a) have no idea what they’re talking about or b) lie.  Another group, maybe the largest, is best served by keeping you in the dark as to how the process works, so they use a bunch of jargon and flowery language to avoid answering your questions.  

I often make fun of admissions blogs in my speeches, especially the ones written by admissions deans and directors.  I mock how little information they contain and how they try to sneak in promoting their schools and how they almost entirely lack any entertainment value whatsoever.

One of my staff members suggested I start my own.  Actually, he said I was a huge jerk (he didn’t use a word quite that nice however), but he felt that would be a great asset for creating a more interesting blog, particularly if I was willing to be entirely, one might say brutally, honest about the process.  I tried it out, vowing to provide accurate insight into the process, while being totally upfront, one might say shameless, about plugging George Mason University.

A few years into this, I met the fine folks at My College Options®.  They seem to have roughly the same idea of supplying students and their families with straightforward, honest, and frank information about the process.  

But they get more traffic than my blog.  A lot more traffic.

So we made a deal.  Even though my primary job is admissions dean, I’ll periodically share a post trying to cut through all the hypocrisy and misleading information available on other sites.  In return, they promise to be tolerant of my writing style/personality.  We’ll see.

Of course, you may disagree with some of the things I post.  You’re welcome to your opinions, as wrong as they may be.  Fortunately, through the miracle of the internet, a vast array of incredibly talented people can share what they’re thinking about what I write. Unfortunately, the rest of you probably will as well.  

Looking forward to getting to know you and also shamelessly plugging George Mason University every chance I get – which won’t be hard since it is the best university.  Ever.  Be seeing you.

As someone who cannot resist laughing (loudly) at her own jokes, I regret to inform you of the following truth: Cute and funny does not cut it when it comes to getting in to college!

If you're drawing tips from Legally Blonde or any of the National Lampoon movies- stop and rewind now! Perfumed stationery and confessions of hilarious pranks are not going to translate well to an admissions committee that is trying to determine how you are going to positively contribute to their campus for the next four years. Remember my previous blog post “Get Up Close and Personal for a Great Essay”? The purpose of your college essay is to show admissions that you are an applicant with character and life experiences that have prepared you to become a successful graduate of their institution.

Andrew Flagel, Dean of Admissions at George Mason University, wrote a great blog article entitled “College Admission Essays: Can Funny Get You an Admission” with horror stories of applicant essays gone wrong- the culprit: a misguided sense of humor.