What You Should Know About College Rankings
Elton Lin
We’ve compiled some truths about college rankings that you should know before taking them at face value.
Read MoreILUMIN Blog
Helpful tips about college admissions, test preparation and just being a better student, leader and person from ILUMIN Education.
Does Applying to a Different Major Help
Elton Lin
Majors are not equal—or at least, their numbers aren’t. Most colleges see a greatly uneven size distribution between the numbers of students per major, and so these colleges are forced to reject more applicants who declare majors that are particularly competitive at their respective institutions, on account of limited major department resources and space. This trend has bred the common idea that students can more easily get into colleges if they declare less competitive majors, those with lower demand—but the truth is not quite that simple.
Read MoreWhat 9th Grade Students Should Do to Get Off to a Good Start
Elton Lin
Many ninth grade students are already a few months into their high school career. Now that students have had time to feel out the differences that a high school environment brings—maybe they’re probing different social spheres, or navigating the larger class sizes and workload—it’s time to look forward and consider the first steps in your student’s college-focused four year plan.
Read More5 Stem Competitions High Schoolers Should Consider
Elton Lin
Students with a passion in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) work tirelessly in classes, but it can be difficult for STEM students to take their knowledge beyond the classroom to show colleges their proficiency in ways other than a letter grade.
Read MoreInterview with Jessica Schulman, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Brandeis University
Elton Lin
We recently had the chance to sit down with Jessica to learn more about the admissions process and how Brandeis has been adapting to the challenges of having students on campus socially distanced.
Read MoreInterview with Guillermo Vasquez, Freshmen Admissions Counselor at Uc Santa Barbara
Tony Flores
We sat down with Guillermo Vasquez, Freshmen Admissions Counselor at UC Santa Barbara to learn more about the admission process and how colleges are adapting to the challenges of COVID-19. Note that this interview took place in June of 2020 and some items have changed, including the UC system deciding to go test blind.
Read More7 Myths About Choosing College Majors
Elton Lin
There’s something anxiety-producing and distressing about being asked about your grades, your dream college, your college application list—but what’s often equally dreaded at family gatherings is being asked about your intended major.
Read MoreInterview with Kelli Gerrans, Admissions Counselor at Pepperdine University
Elton Lin
We’re excited to introduce Kelli Gerrans, an admissions counselor at Pepperdine University and the school’s Northern California representative, so those of you who are interested in Pepperdine University will definitely want to connect with Kelli.
Read MoreJunior Achievement Entrepreneurship Workshop & Incubator -- Deadline -- Oct. 25, 2020
Elton Lin
ILUMIN Education is partnering with Junior Achievement of Northern California to host a 12-week entrepreneurship workshop and incubator for aspiring teen entrepreneurs.
Read MoreNeed to Apply to Some More Schools? Here Are Some Schools Without Supplemental Essays
Elton Lin
Students put blood, sweat, and time into writing their college application essays. The Common App Essay is one of the heftier ones, but it can at least be sent to many schools at once; supplemental essays, on the other hand, are another breed entirely.
Read More