Preparing Your Teen for the Future Job Market: How To Help Them Build Durable Skills Now
By developing durable skills, your teen will be well-equipped to face the challenges of an ever-evolving job market.
The Five Most Important Features of a Successful Stanford Application
In our steady work helping students get admitted to Stanford (working with many of them starting in ninth grade), the Blue Stars counseling team has identified these five qualities as the most important features of a successful Stanford applicant and application.
Stress Management Tips for Teens (+ a Bonus Pro Tip!)
Faced with rigorous academics, activities, college deadlines, family, social media toxicity and adolescence, it’s no wonder teens are more stressed than ever.
Community Service Tips the Scales for College Applicants
A 2018 Businesswire survey of college admissions officers found that community service can be a deciding factor when colleges are considering applicants.
How to Help Your Teen Avoid the Debilitating Trap of Perfectionism
Here are a few suggestions that helped Jessica recognize and adjust the perfectionist tendencies getting in her way.
2023 Early Application Deadlines for Summer Programs – Don’t Miss Out on these Opportunities!
You might be wondering: is a summer program a good use of my child’s time and my financial resources?
The New Digital SAT: 7 Quick Takeaways
Given the admissions upheaval Covid introduced just a few years ago, it would seem the last thing our college-bound teens need is more change. Change is coming, however!
The Hidden Gems of College Admissions: National Liberal Arts Schools
A degree from a “Little Ivy,” as some of these smaller colleges are known, can be just as valuable – educationally and financially – as a degree from an Ivy League university.
Teens Can Improve Focus with the Pomodoro Technique
We are big fans of the Pomodoro Technique, a simple time management practice
College Rankings: What They Do – and Don’t – Measure
We're going "behind the curtain" of college rankings, looking most closely at the US News rankings, so parents and students know what rankings are – and aren't
The New Test-Optional Policy: When to Submit Scores vs. When Not to (Part II)
Blue Stars wants to help parents and students navigate the bumpy terrain in this open-ended landscape. In short, how does an applicant decide when to submit scores to test-optional schools vs. when to skip it?
The New Test-Optional Policy: Does It Help or Hurt Applicants? (Part I)
No event has been more disruptive to admissions in the last 50 years than the new test-optional policy adopted by the vast majority of colleges in response to the COVID-19 pandemic of the last two years.
Picking Your Major for the Right Reasons
But what if the activities your teen loves relate to a career in which their chances of success are slim?
Upcoming Summer & Extracurricular Program Deadlines
Attending summer programs offer amazing growth experiences and more clarity about possible future college majors and careers.
The Effect of the Pandemic on College Admissions
The college admissions process can be a puzzle, especially to parents whose children aspire to attend a top-tier institution. In the past year, it became even more vexing due to the pandemic
A Presentation on College Admissions by Dr. M at Futures and Fusion Academies
Join me, Dr. M, and the Futures Academy and Fusion Academy of San Mateo for a fun-filled day discussing everything college admissions.
Introducing New Blue Stars Counselor Jennifer Turfler
It is with great pride that Blue Stars introduces Full-Service Counselor Jennifer Turfler.
UC Permanently Bans SAT/ACT: 6 Takeaways for Navigating the New College Landscape
The University of California went from requiring the SAT/ACT to omitting them altogether from its admissions, at least until 2025, when it may introduce its own exam.
Blue Stars School Selection Program
She was especially enthusiastic about our school selection program, through which we guide applicants in deep study of their top-choice schools.
Creating a DIY Summer
So your teen didn’t get into a desired summer program this year? Don’t worry!
Stanford, Brown, Yale, and So Much More: Blue Stars 2021 Results!
I want to congratulate the students and parents we at Blue Stars had the privilege of getting to know this year as we all worked through uncharted territory.
