Insights from Peer advisors &
the clients they have helped

What Is Holistic Admissions—and Does It Help or Hurt Me?

Each year students with near-perfect test scores and glowing transcripts are rejected from top colleges Meanwhile others with slightly lower scores are admitted If you've ever wondered how that happens the answer lies in a concept called holistic admissions But...

Pathways: Your Career Planning Companion from Middle School to Med School (and Beyond)

Choosing a career path doesn t begin at the end of high school it starts much earlier From middle school onward students and their families face dozens of questions What should we focus on Which extracurriculars matter Which advanced classes...

Should You Bet on Sports for College Admissions? A Realistic Guide for Parents and Students

If your student is a strong athlete it s tempting to think of that talent as the golden ticket to a top school But the numbers tell a different story Fewer than of high school athletes will play Division I...

Why You Should Start Your College Personal Statement This Summer

And How Pathways Can Help You Write Your Best Story Yet The personal statement it s just words but it s one of the most powerful parts of your college application This isn t just an essay It s your...

College Interviews: What They Are, Why They Matter, and How to Prepare

In the high-stakes world of college admissions interviews can feel like a mystery Not every college offers them not every student gets one and expectations vary widely Yet when they are offered interviews can play a meaningful role especially for...

Are you an independent educational consultant? Reasons for you to list your services on Pathways

Get discovered Build trust Grow your brand On your terms Pathways connects you directly with motivated students and families without lock-ins or upfront fees List your practice your way We help students find the right advisor for them you Students...

Reasons to be a Peer Advisor at Pathways

You did it Now help someone else do the same on your own terms Pathways lets you earn by sharing what you know Whether it s acing the SAT getting into your dream college or writing killer essays students want...

How to Kick Off a Pathways Advising Session the Right Way

Whether you're a seasoned professional or a high-achieving student offering peer guidance your first few minutes with a client set the tone for everything that follows Students and often parents are looking for clarity direction and confidence Here s how...

Test-Optional, Test-Flexible, Test-Blind—What Colleges Actually Mean

Over the past few years the rules of standardized testing in college admissions have changed dramatically Once a cornerstone of the application process the SAT and ACT are no longer required at thousands of colleges But with new terms like...

Share Your MCAT Success: Join Pathways as a Peer Advisor

Did you crush the MCAT It's time to pay it forward and get paid for it At Pathways we re building the next-generation advisory platform for students navigating high-stakes milestones like the MCAT BS MD admissions and med school planning...

15 College Admissions Terms Every Parent and Student Should Understand—Explained Simply

The college admissions process is filled with jargon that often sounds like a foreign language to families navigating it for the first time Whether you're a student beginning your college journey or a parent trying to provide guidance understanding these...

Sports vs. Academics: Which Path Gives You Better Odds for Elite College Admissions?

When evaluating strategies for college admissions many high-achieving families wonder whether it's better to focus on academics or athletics Here's a data-backed comparison Top colleges evaluate thousands of applicants with perfect GPAs high SAT scores and leadership in extracurriculars The...

Why College Readiness Is Still Deeply Unequal—And How Peer Advising Can Help

source LINKEDIN POST In a striking visualization of Texas public education data from each dot on the scatterplot represented a high school One axis plotted poverty concentration the percentage of students eligible for free or reduced lunch The other showed...

What We Learned from the 2025 College Admissions Cycle: Trends Every Family Should Know

As the dust settles on the admissions season a few clear patterns have emerged some familiar others new Whether you're a parent of a rising th grader or a senior preparing to submit applications this fall the lessons from this...

Join the Pathways Family: A Unique Opportunity for College Counselors!

Are you an independent or consulting college counselor seeking a more flexible and impactful way to guide students Pathways is building a dynamic network that combines the power of peer mentorship with expert professional advising and we want you to...

The Myth of the Athletic Shortcut: Why Elite College Sports Admissions Are Tougher Than You Think

Many families believe that being good at sports is a surefire way to get into a top-tier college But the truth is athletic recruitment is one of the narrowest and most competitive admission paths available Only of high school athletes...

The 25 Most Important Questions Parents Ask on the Road to Elite College Admissions

A guide for families with high-achieving students who want every advantage without the guesswork For parents of high-performing students the high school years aren t just about grades and report cards they re the foundation of a college journey that...

The Role of Advising in SAT/ACT Score Improvement

How Targeted Guidance Is Driving Real Gains for Students Nationwide Standardized tests like the SAT and ACT remain important benchmarks for college admissions especially as top-tier universities increasingly reinstate testing requirements post-pandemic In this competitive landscape advising can make a...

When Should You Start Studying for the MCAT?

When it comes to the MCAT timing is everything Start too late and you re in a scramble sacrificing comprehension for cramming Start too early and you risk burning out before test day As a peer advisor who has worked...

Rethinking College Counseling: Why Families Deserve Affordable, Flexible, and Personalized Guidance

By Team Pathways In a recent article titled Why Don t More Families Hire Independent Educational Consultants veteran college counselor Karen Oppenheim poses a fundamental question about the accessibility of professional college guidance Her answer For most families the cost...

Why the Pathways Model Is Redefining Student Advising

How an Open-Choice Community-Driven Platform is Giving Students Control Over Their Future In the world of academic advising most platforms follow a predictable playbook you re matched with a counselor often through a rigid algorithm or availability matrix and your...

Why Some Students Burn Out Before Medical School—and How to Avoid It

Why Some Students Burn Out Before Medical School and How to Avoid It Burnout isn t reserved for residents pulling -hour shifts or physicians managing overwhelming caseloads It starts much earlier often in the years leading up to medical school...

If you get into a BS/MD program, is it objectively better?

The answer depends on fit but let's unpack it data-first BS MD vs Traditional Pre-Med A Data-Driven Pros amp Cons Analysis BS MD Programs Pros AdvantageDetailsGuaranteed SeatYou secure a conditional or guaranteed seat in medical school reducing application stress saving...

BS/MD vs Traditional Pre-Med: What’s Right for You?

When I was a high school senior I thought getting into a BS MD program was the ultimate dream eight years one application cycle and a guaranteed seat in med school No MCAT Count me in Fast forward a few...

How Admissions Officers Review Your Application – Through the Eyes of a Former Admissions Officer

It s a quiet Tuesday morning in early January I ve just poured my third cup of coffee and the admissions portal is blinking unread applications As a former admissions officer at a highly selective university this is what my...

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