Topic: College Selection and Application

What does Play-Doh have to do with Plato? A mother's battle with the college essay

My son and I knew these admission essays were important. But the advice on the bookstore shelves overwhelmed us. For students hoping to meet the last few application deadlines: Forget high-priced college consultants and turn instead to the real experts, the essayists themselves.

Commencement 2011: what 10 eminent speakers told graduates

Here are the Monitor's hand-picked highlights from the 2011 commencement season.

How to pick a college? 10 tips for seniors from their peers

It’s college application season; have you narrowed your choices wisely? And if you’re ultimately accepted to several schools, how will you know “the one”? Here are pointers from students who’ve recently survived the process.

Five mistakes to avoid on your college application

With college application deadlines looming, admissions officers offer their take on the most common mistakes students make.

Book review: Debt-Free U

Want to pay for an outstanding college education without loans, scholarships, or mooching off your parents?

Want higher SAT scores? Five ways to prep.

Options for boosting your SAT scores range from a free sample SAT test to $1,000 prep courses. Do they really help?

Teens rate their college chances online

Students eye cheaper colleges as crisis deepens

Nearly 6 in 10 are considering less prestigious schools in order to trim costs, a survey finds.

Ivy Leaguers are bright – but nice?

These are the people who rise to the top, partly on the backs of nicer people.

End the community service sham

You don't have to go to a village in the Himalayas to get into college.