On a dark and stormy night in June 2006, I lost my father: healthy and fit, incredibly wise and incredibly loving, far from the stereotype of a heart attack victim who's suddenly gone at the will of a chunk of cholesterol floating down an artery and deciding to settle in somewhere very, very wrong. But it happened -- changing life as I knew it and beginning to shape who I am. When you list "half-orphan" pros and cons at your ninth...

I did NOT use a private admissions counselor, and...

If you have the chance to interview with an alum, take it. I interviewed with Duke University and the experience was lowkey...

Before you apply to schools, if financial ability is any kind of a factor for you in determining where to attend, look extensively at the school's...

Visit a ton of colleges and universities, if you are able. In your area, in parts of the country that you have extended family or other connections, in cities near your family's favorite vacation spot, et cetera. Google lists of best schools for your...

When you make campus visits, send emails a few weeks ahead of time to the heads of your future major's departments and introduce yourself. Ask for a meeting with them or another member of their department on the...