Dr. Lowe’s Admissions Blog

21 May

Published on May 21, 2020 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  Written by – Admissions Expert, Dr. Lowe Now, more than ever, uncertainty surrounds the college admissions process. But you don’t have to navigate these uncharted waters on your own. Dr. Lowe and his team are here to support you and your child in this rapidly evolving landscape. Here are a few reasons why you can count on us: Experience. With so much changing in the college process, it’s more important than ever to have an Admissions Expert,...

07 May

Published on May 7, 2020 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  Written by – Admissions Expert, Dr. Lowe The Coronavirus pandemic continues to cause unprecedented changes in college admissions. Because schools remain shuttered, high schoolers now lack the in-person help they traditionally could receive from high school counselors to meet critical admissions deadlines and requirements. This situation is exacerbating the already difficult role that school counselors face in providing adequate help with college admissions. There are many high schoolers who have not met with their school counselors and their...

09 Apr

Published on April 9, 2020 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

It's April and all the Ivies and highly competitive colleges and universities have notified applicants of their decisions. Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, college admissions offices are in operation. For some of the Ivies and selective colleges, the admissions rates have slightly increased. The reality is that even with these small increases, it's still hyper-competitive to gain admissions to these top schools. For example, Harvard's admit rate was 4.9%, up from 4.6% last year. However, the 4.9% indicates that...

26 Mar

Published on March 26, 2020 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  By Admissions Expert, Dr. Lowe This week is decision time for many Ivies and highly selective colleges and universities! COVID-19 has closed down many K-12 school districts around the world for the rest of the school year. If you’ve been following the directions of well-known books and/or chats, by now you must realize that your current college admissions “playbook” or plan may be ineffectual.  What will high school juniors need to do as they continue their admissions...

19 Mar

Published on March 19, 2020 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

    By Admissions Expert, Dr. Lowe “To see the world in a grain of sand, And a heaven in a wild flower; Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour.” - William Blake Understanding facts of any situation is essential to one’s ability to analyze that situation for a positive outcome. So before getting into the ramifications of “the coronavirus” in college admissions, we’ll look at the pertinent facts. Let's first define the name of the...

12 Mar

Published on March 12, 2020 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  By Admissions Expert, Dr. Lowe You were certain that your son would be accepted. He had excellent grades. He played on a great sports team. His SSAT scores were off the charts. You made sure that his school principal knew him. His Math and English teacher recommendations were amazing (you even had a parent of a student at your target school write a recommendation). You thoughtthat your top-choice school board member's recommendation would help. You thought that you...

30 Jan

Published on January 30, 2020 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  By Admissions Expert, Dr. Lowe There can be confusion and assumptions with the use of the word guarantee. This can be particularly true when one associates the word “guarantee” with the word “admission.” In the college admissions industry, no one can guarantee admissions to any college or university. As an active member of several professional trade associations, including the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), the New York State Association for...

30 Dec

Published on December 30, 2019 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  By Admissions Expert, Dr. Lowe The results are out for the college class of 2024 for several Ivy League and highly selective colleges and universities. What we are discovering from parents who are calling us as to what happened is that students (and their parents) who believed that just a high GPA, top SAT scores, high grades and a manufactured application and personal statement would work have now discovered that it’s not all about that! Even though the...

21 Nov

Published on November 21, 2019 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  By Admissions Expert, Dr. Lowe Some people view DIVERSITY as a nebulous and intangible descriptor, a court-ordered societal mandate or, in some cases, even unconstitutional. In truth, our differences represent an invaluable asset and in the economic sense has been proven to provide an unlimited ROI. Every person is a unique individual. Yes, we have commonalities. But the differences make life challenging, interesting and a learning experience. These are the qualities that keep us moving forward, progressing and improving life. Some...

27 Sep

Published on September 27, 2019 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  Dr. Paul Lowe is managing director of Greenwich Admissions Advisors, a boutique firm that helps place students into top-flight schools. We had a chance to sit down with Dr. Lowe and discuss his firm and business philosophy. Generally, Lowe helps clients who are applying to elite universities, private schools and medical schools. For the consulting services provided, Lowe charges a flat fee that ranges from $5,000 to as to high as $250,000, depending on the type of...

19 Sep

Published on September 19, 2019 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  News 12 Senior Producer, Gwen Edwards & Admissions Expert, Dr. Lowe Dr. Paul Lowe recently discussed on News 12 Connecticut “Our Lives” The Three Major Changes in College Admissions: 2019-2020. These include - (1) The effects of the admissions scandal, Varsity Blues, on college admissions, (2) Landscape metric on college admissions, (3) The effect of technology on college applications and decisions. According to Dr. Lowe, this means that college decisions are not based on a simple formula...

14 Aug

Published on August 14, 2019 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  By Admissions Expert, Dr. Paul Lowe The College Board, the New York based nonprofit that oversees the SAT, plans to assign an adversity score to every student who takes the SAT to try to capture their social and economic backgrounds. This fall, 100 colleges and universities will join the 50 colleges (which include Harvard, Yale, Cornell and University of Michigan) already utilizing this new metric designed to place students’ SAT scores in the context of their socioeconomic...

20 Jun

Published on June 20, 2019 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  By Admissions Expert, Dr. Paul Lowe Dr. Lowe and his team of admissions advisors visit Ivy League, prestigious and elite colleges several times annually, where they have the unique opportunity of interacting one-on-one with directors of admissions and senior admissions personnel.  In May, I visited Harvard College. This is my third visit to Harvard College this year. During each visit, I have the opportunity to meet professors and admissions personnel and talk about the college.  I...

09 May

Published on May 9, 2019 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  By Admissions Expert, Dr. Paul Lowe In a previous PWM blog, “High School Guidance/Counselors/College Admissions: Big Caseloads and Little Time," I discussed the challenging demands of high school guidance and college admissions. Since then, a new report has indicated that public high school students lack quality college counseling. The Hechinger Report states that “many public high schools are scrambling to provide students with even basic information about college after years of belt tightening have drained them of counselors. As...

28 Mar

Published on March 28, 2019 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

    By Admissions Expert, Dr. Paul Lowe By now many people are aware of Operation Varsity Blues. Federal prosecutors allege that William “Rick” Singer touted his knowledge of “the secret of getting into college,” becoming “the mastermind of an enormous, elaborate scheme carried out over years, brazenly paying off coaches and test monitors, faking exam scores and fabricating student biographies – all to help wealthy parents cheat their children’s way into desirable colleges.” Hiring a high-end college admissions...

14 Mar

Published on March 14, 2019 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  By Admissions Expert, Dr. Paul Lowe In February, Dr. Lowe participated in the Washington International Education Conference located in Washington D.C. Dr. Lowe had the opportunity to meet and network with foreign embassy officials involved with the international education community and discuss boarding school and college admissions. He was also able to discuss the latest information on visa issuance and regulations governing international students in the United States with immigration law firms. During the conference, Dr. Lowe...

21 Feb

Published on February 21, 2019 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  By Admissions Expert, Dr. Paul Lowe Dr. Paul Lowe, Co-Managing Director of New Jersey Admissions Advisors, was invited to speak at 99 Hudson Sales Gallery on “How to Choose the Right Education for Your Child.” His seminar focused primarily on top/elite private school and Ivy League and highly selective college admissions. 99 Hudson Street is a premier luxury condominium complex scheduled to be completed in December 2019, developed by the world-renowned investment and development firm China...

08 Jan

Published on January 8, 2019 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  By Admissions Expert, Dr. Paul Lowe Over 20 years of being an admissions advisor, I receive calls from parents to retain our services for college admissions.  All of their children have guidance counselors and many are from suburban public schools in the NJ, CT NY RI and MA.  Students were applying to range of universities and BS/MD programs. Because of the increasing competition to get into top colleges, many families feel overwhelmed and stressed by the college...

29 Nov

Published on November 29, 2018 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  “Admissions is a competitive sport!  Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe   This time of the year, my firm is receiving calls from parents and students regarding college transfers.  Students who have completed their first semester freshman year (or some who are now sophomores) and have decided that for several reasons, they need to transfer! Why do students choose to transfer?   Did not do very well in high school and did not have many options when...

18 Oct

Published on October 18, 2018 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  Cheryl Plummer, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Greenwich Country Day School with Admissions Expert, Dr. Lowe   On October 5th, Dr. Lowe was invited to a Greenwich Country Day School presentation. The School, located in Greenwich, CT (in lower Fairfield County, 35 miles north of Manhattan) is entering a new chapter in its 92-year history - the opening of a new innovative high school in September 2019. Located two miles from the existing campus on...

21 Sep

Published on September 21, 2018 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

By Admissions Expert, Dr. Paul Lowe Over the last 2 years, I have had a 55% increase in Chinese clients who have hired our services specifically for Ivy League admissions. Each year, we place on average 20 Chinese clients in Ivy League and highly selective U.S. colleges and universities. Last year, we placed 45 Chinese students into Ivy League and highly selective U.S. colleges and universities. Chinese students are attending U.S. colleges and universities in record...

23 Aug

Published on August 23, 2018 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  By Admissions Expert, Dr. Paul Lowe The Common Application 2018-2019 was launched about three weeks ago and we are now receiving calls from very anxious and stressed parents because their children (rising seniors) just started the preliminary portions of the Common Application. The Common App is more than just about the main essay! Every section is devised so that the admissions officers get to know (or find ways to reject) a student. Statistically, it takes top colleges...

12 Jul

Published on July 12, 2018 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  By Admissions Expert, Dr. Paul Lowe Parents create spread sheets, talk with friends, read books, search websites, form groups to share tips and “sure-fire” methods, try to “chat” with admissions industry personnel, obtain letters of support from VIPs, take copious notes during college tours, and try to gather information from my workshops. For some parents, they discover, when it is too late, that what is really required to help their child with the hyper-competitive college admissions process...

07 Jun

Published on June 7, 2018 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  By Admissions Expert, Dr. Paul Lowe Many parents, students, guidance/college counselors, and even my fellow educational consulting colleagues are under the belief that college admissions is an exercise in determining the “right fit” and that gaining acceptance into the Ivies and highly selective colleges is just a game of chance and luck. I disagree! In participating in competitions these days, many students (K-12) are taught that everyone wins. With regard to the college admissions process, it is acceptable...

05 Apr

Published on April 5, 2018 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  By Admissions Expert, Dr. Paul Lowe On Wednesday, March 28th, the Ivies notified high school seniors of their admissions decisions. Thousands of students and parents were disappointed. Here is a list of the acceptance rates, number of students admitted, total number of applicants and rejection rates - Many of the applicants “looked perfect” on paper. Princeton reported that more than 14,200 of the 35,370 applicants had a 4.0 grade point average. Brown reported that 96% of its admitted students are...

08 Mar

Published on March 8, 2018 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  By Admissions Expert, Dr. Paul Lowe How long do you think it takes a top college to review your application? 24 hours, five hours or one hour? Try less than 8 minutes!!! Due to the ease of applying to multiple schools, the number of domestic and international students applying to elite schools, the number of applications to these schools continues to grow. Additionally, top colleges have also increased recruitment from rural areas in the U.S. Last year the number of...

26 Jan

Published on January 26, 2018 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

By Admissions Expert, Dr. Paul Lowe Did you ever wonder why parents pay as high as $60,000 a year for private high school?  Did you ever wonder why the private school admissions process in Manhattan is so hyper-competitive? I am always surprised in my college admissions seminars at parents who assume that it really doesn't matter where their kids attend school when their kid is interested in Ivy League colleges. As many parents suspect, the path to Ivy...

08 Dec

Published on December 8, 2017 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

    By Admissions Expert, Dr. Paul Lowe For years, elite colleges have tried to address a proportional decline of students arriving from areas beyond metropolitan and suburban areas. These colleges have been implementing additional measures to address diversity issues on college campuses. Increasingly, private elite colleges are seeking small-town and rural students.  One thing has not changed with regard to college admissions and diversity. Recent studies by the National Center for Education Statistics have shown that even with...

02 Nov

Published on November 2, 2017 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  By Admissions Expert, Dr. Paul Lowe The work of selecting students for admissions into colleges and universities is becoming more complex. Each year college admissions officers and their committees review thousands of applications and seek to predict the likelihood of those applicants to meaningfully contribute socially, culturally and personally to their specific college communities.  Ivy League and highly selective colleges use a team review process to holistically evaluate each applicant when creating a particular class during the...

28 Sep

Published on September 28, 2017 in Dr. Lowe's Admissions Blog by

  By Admissions Expert, Dr. Paul Lowe You may ask yourself, why is a college admissions advisor writing about reading? What does reading have to do with college admissions? Everything! One of the first things I ask my clients is what do you like to read outside the required reading at school. Even the best students have difficulty answering this question. Why is the need to reed important in the college admissions planning process? I just provided...