By now, most of you are wrapping up your summer and you’ll be heading back to school soon for your sophomore year.

Most of you will probably be returning to the same school you went to last year so hopefully you’ll feel more confident about your “place” in the school.

Remember, with the beginning of a new year comes new expectations.

You’re no longer the wide-eyed, clueless freshman who doesn’t know anyone or anything. In fact, you’re a seasoned, salty, sophomore who knows just enough t...

Depending on what types of programs you are applying to, class selection can play a major role. 

Which classes should you choose over the next three years to position yourself well in the eyes of service academy and ROTC selection boards? I’d like you to think about these decisions across 3 dimensions.

Dimension #1: How challenging are your classes (we refer to that as “rigor”);

Dimension #2: Do your “class choices” tell a story about you (we refer to that as “alignment”);

Dimension #3: ...

Why is writing so important?

With the elimination of the essay section of the SAT, the rise of ChatGPT, and Duke’s recent announcement that they no longer “grade” Common Application essays, one might think that quality writing is no longer necessary.

I strongly disagree. 

I believe strong writing skills are more important than ever, and students who can demonstrate their writing ability will be rewarded.  

In fact, if there is one skill that you should strive to master before graduating from...