MBS College Coaching, LLC

06/12/2025

I had a student in the other day who heard about roommates in college. He was told not to do a “random choice” by college students. I responded that there are two different types of “random choice” - completely random where you fill out a form with your cleanliness choices, sleep preferences, music choices, etc. This is how I did it …. years ago. Now, you can still do that, but a student can also check out their new classmates online and try to get an idea of compatibility that way. Some students choose to live with someone they already know. All of those can work. But this is what I said to my student: You’re not going after having your freshman year roommate be your BFF. That’s too high a standard. What you want is neutral. If you end up being BFF’s that’s great! But what you don’t want to have happen is that you dread your roommate being in the room EVERY time you are about to enter. College is hard enough. Having a roommate who’s personality, living habits, music choices, and new friends start to grate on you a month is only makes it harder. So, consider carefully when finding a roommate!

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06/02/2025

It’s essay writing season! What to put in your Common App essay? What not to put? The Common Application’s essay instructions tell students to "What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response.” Admissions offices can find the “what” of you. The essay is your chance to tell them the “who” of you - what makes you you. Are you generous of your time or money? Are you a leader? Were you more of a follower but learned how to be a leader? Are you good in a crisis situation? Are you creative? Does family mean the world to you? Kids worry that they don’t have anything to say. But that’s the beauty of the CA essay - you don’t have to prove anything! And, the essay is not usually about a huge moment. The better essays are often about the smaller ones - the time you were a camp counselor and realized how good you were taking on new responsibilities when you helped a very homesick camper get over her sadness and have a great week at camp. The time you saved your family’s peach trees from the peach-stealing raccoons! These are actual examples of essays my students have written. Call, email, or text me and we can discuss how I can help your child find their colleges and write those essays!

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05/19/2025

The Common Application allows you to list up to 10 activities in the Activities section of the application. Is two too few? What if you have more than 10? What do colleges “like”? The answer to that last question is they “like” to see that a student has made a commitment to something or some things. Freshman year is a chance to try new clubs/sports/organizations in high school. Never played tennis? Go for it! Never been in a play or musical? Why not try? If the activity you choose doesn’t fit you, then don’t continue with it and try something new. Yes, it means you’d potentially have that new actvity on your list for only three years, but perhaps you end up being a captain or the committee chair of the new endeavor. That means you made a commitment to that new activity. Colleges don’t prefer that students “check boxes” of a long list of activities. I’ve had students say, “But I can’t do a lot of stuff at school because I have a job.” That job IS your commitment! You have to show up on time, be nice to your co-workers, be nice to clients, and do your job. My advice for all my clients is to make sure they’re doing something Greater Than Themselves - make sure you’re involved in something. It makes high school a little more enjoyable, you learn about yourself and others, and you’re doing something FOR others - whether it’s a team, a club, your employer, or a stranger. Questions? Call me at 217-494-2613 or email me at [email protected] and we can discuss some more!

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05/09/2025

Nursing programs

I just returned from the IECA (Independent Education Consultants Association) annual. meeting in Detroit. Over the course of three days, I listened, learned, discussed, and laughed as I incorporated significant new insights into my practice. One of these is to post on my page more often!

I’ll keep them short, but informative.

If you are interested in going into nursing, direct admit needs to be your primary route. With this admissions route, you are part of the nursing cohort from your first day. The other route is to be in what you could call “pre-nursing.” If you enter a program in pre-nursing it is much more difficult to to get into the nursing program since you’re competing against everyone in your class for a limited number of spots. Spaces are limited due to laboratory space and the clinical rotations - there’s only so much room. For example, the University of Iowa admits a certain number of students directly into their nursing program. Other students must meet minimum criteria once they are enrolled at Iowa and apply for “Standard admission" to the nursing program. Meeting these requirements doesn’t guarantee admission. If you are admitted through standard admission, it will take you an anticipated extra semester to complete the program. This is just one example.

Nursing programs also want to admit students who have shown “demonstrated interest.” They want to know that you’ve investigated what it’s like to be a nurse. How can you do this? Volunteer or work at a nursing home or daycare; work at a summer camp; job shadow a nurse (or two or three in different areas of nursing). Find out what it’s like to change soiled linens, see blood. Nursing programs are competitive and they don’t want a lot of attrition due to students realizing after they’ve started that nursing is not for them.

Contact me if you have more questions!
www.mbscollegecoaching.com
[email protected]

college admissions counseling

02/28/2023

As February turns to March tomorrow it’s time for the Regular Admissions admissions decisions countdown. By April 1, colleges and universities must release their admissions decisions. Most will do so the last week of March. While I remember waiting for a small or large envelope, kids today will get an email, then, if accepted, a large envelope. Good luck to all my current clients on their last few decisions!

06/20/2022

August is college move in month! While you hopefully won’t need this size truck, it still requires a lot of planning - what to take, what to leave home. But even more importantly is that your CHILD is moving out! It will bring moments of pure joy and heartache. You’ve been preparing for this for 18 years! They will be okay - but thank goodness for Zoom/Facetime/texts/Instagram, and good old phone calls!

06/05/2022

I attended a webinar by the Common App organization about the prompts used last year. Interesting presentation, and helpful insights I can use with the next cycle of clients. Contact me with questions!

05/27/2022

My son graduated from medical school last Saturday. He’s off to residency in OB/Gyn! I could not be more proud!
I helped him along the way with his college search, then his medical school and residency personal statements. It’s a lot of writing, but that’s what I do-help students write THEIR story. I can help yours too!

05/26/2022

Eggs from a client-each one unique on the outside! While my eggs were all the same on the inside, this is just a reminder that every student is unique and deserves to go to the college that fits them best. I can help with that!

07/11/2021

As those who are off to college campuses for the first time this fall, here’s some unsolicited advice. Your first year roommate does not need to be your best friend. If you were matched through Facebook, or a survey you completed, or even if you know each other, it might work out or it might not. College causes a lot of stress and creates other changes so the friend you thought you knew really well might not be the same person you thought her or she was. I advise my clients that your relationship with your new roommate is great if it’s neutral. The last thing you want to have happen is every time you grab the doorknob to enter your room you dread whether your roommate is in there. If your expectations are too high the likelihood of that happening is greater. If your expectations are that you will learn things from this other person (or persons - my youngest was in a quad room) and you will learn how to deal with another person you never knew or lived with before, then it will be a good situation.

06/02/2021

It’s that time of year - essays! I’ve started my group of high school juniors on the essay process. It’s their chance to illustrate to college admissions officers WHO they are not WHAT they are. What is a bunch of data points - GPAs, extra-curriculars. WHO is the essence of them - a leader, good under pressure, dedicated, creative - written in their voice. Email, message or text me if you’d like to know more!