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ILUMIN Blog

Helpful tips about college admissions, test preparation and just being a better student, leader and person from ILUMIN Education.

What 10th Grade Students Should Do Now to Prepare for a Competitive Application Process

Elton Lin

Although sophomores may still be a few years away from college applications, it’s never too early to start preparing for the admissions process! From standardized testing and curriculum to extracurriculars and good study habits, there are many areas sophomores can tackle now to prepare them for both a strong academic year and well-built applications further down their high school career.

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What 9th Grade Students Should Do to Get a Strong Start to the School Year

Elton Lin

Ninth graders: congratulations on your first year of high school! There’s a new stage of your academic journey ahead of you. While it may seem far too early, being fresh out of middle school, to be thinking about college, ninth grade is actually the perfect time to start laying the foundation for a rock-solid college application.

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Webinar Transcript: Live Q&A with Emory University Senior Associate Dean of Undergraduate Admissions

Elton Lin

I am thrilled to introduce Mr. Giles Eady, the senior associate dean at Emory University (located in the vibrant city of Atlanta, Georgia). Emory is renowned for its commitment to outstanding academics, groundbreaking research, and fostering a community that encourages the pursuit of knowledge and the development of ethical leaders. Giles brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective to the admissions process, guiding aspiring students on their journey to joining the Emory family.

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Webinar Transcript: Live Q&A with Northeastern Assistant Director of Admissions

Elton Lin

Good evening everyone – glad that everyone could make it today to listen to Wendy a little bit from Northeastern!

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Schools Without Required Supplemental Essays (Updated for 2023-24)

Elton Lin

Students put blood, sweat – and, most importantly, time – into writing their college application essays. Therefore, having fewer essays to write means a faster and easier college application process.

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Congratulations and Best Wishes to Our 2023 Admits!

Elton Lin

We at ILUMIN wanted to give our warmest congratulations to our seniors this past year! They poured so much time and effort into their academics, extracurriculars, and applications alike, and their hard work is clearly recognized not only by us, but also by all the schools who sent them offers of admission. Now, we send our best wishes for their success as they prepare for the first year of their college careers!

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Pros and Cons of Applying as an Undeclared Major

Elton Lin

Many students, even high school seniors preparing their college applications, don't quite know which major they want to pursue. Maybe there are too many majors that interest them, making it difficult to boil their choices down. Maybe your student wants to pick a major that sets them on a career path, but they haven't committed to their intended career yet!

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Skills To Build Before Back-To-School

Elton Lin

Now that it's August, summer is drawing to a close, and the brand new school year is slowly approaching. While there's no need for students to stress about their incoming courseload and extracurriculars just yet, there are certainly some simple ways students can prepare themselves for the new year!

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How to Determine Good Fit Schools

Elton Lin

What does it mean for a school to be a good fit for an individual student?

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Webinar Transcript: College Essay Series: Supplemental Essays

Elton Lin

Good evening, everyone. I’m glad everyone could make it today. This will be the last of our essay series [this year] for webinars – and [of] giving students a sneak peek of topics to come. Hopefully, you've started already. Hopefully, you're finding time to chip away at your essays. (If not, and you're watching this in the fall… good luck to you as well!)

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