Admissions Excellence

The University of California system comprises 10 campuses, with in-state tuition prices for Californian residents (that are US citizens). Yet the schools are highly sought after by out-of-state and international students. Think Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz and UC Davis (all of which I’m touring on this trip!), among others. The UC application is open (closes Nov 30) and is different from the Common Application. It requires a more detailed activity/awards list and 4 essays, but with it, you can apply to all schools (each for a fee of course). No recommendations, no test scores allowed -although they will give credit (and do value) APs and IB.

Let’s face it- California is highly appealing for its weather, cutting edge technology and liberal values.

Get stoked, dude, and apply!!
As they say…

As part of my professional development as an educational consultant, I make an effort to visit college campuses.

Today I toured Duke, home of the Blue Devils and one of the finest colleges south of the Mason-Dixon Line. With 6500 undergraduates and a 6% admit rate, Duke joins the Ivies and Stanford as one of the nation’s most selective institutions. Students can apply to the Trinity College of Arts & Science or the Pratt School of Engineering. West (main) campus is a gothic wonderland and connected to Georgian-style, (freshman) East campus by a highly efficient bus system. Large oak trees line the campus, providing shade and tranquility while nearby Duke Forest offers 8300 acres of trails for hiking/biking and opportunities for research.

Food service is highly lauded including off-campus options in gentrifying Durham, part of the 3-city Research Triangle (along with Raleigh and Chapel Hill). Duke spends over $1bn in research dollars annually!

Duke boasts a plethora of interdisciplinary programs and customizable journeys with numerous minors and certificate programs.

Beyond the books, athletics, arts and (Greek) social life, Duke students are often service-oriented, with 25% offering a hand locally or abroad through the well-funded Engage program.

Famous alumni include Melinda Gates, Richard Nixon, Tim Cook and Kyrie Irving.

PS. Did I mention that it’s HOT down here in summer?! 🥵