So I texted my nephew on Sunday to see if he wanted to come over for breakfast…I was making French Toast, one of my specialties. Ryan said he couldn’t, and proudly announced that he was at NACAC’s Long Island National College Fair at Suffolk Community College, Brentwood, NY. Like any loving aunt who has written a book about the college selection and application processes (College Apps: Selecting, Applying to, and Paying for the Right College for You), I told him to make sure to get his barcode scanned! Continue Reading
college planning course
College Applications: Letters of Recommendation
Welcome to Alyson Ryan for Sayville BOE!
My name is Trish Portnoy and I am here to help you apply to college. Luckily, I am an expert. I have helped over 1,000 high school students go through this process, and you, too, will be totally prepared to pick the right college for you…with a little help from your friends…you parents and guidance counselor! Continue Reading
College Applications: SAT & ACT Exams
Welcome to Alyson Ryan for Sayville BOE!
My name is Trish Portnoy and I am here to help you apply to college. Luckily, I am an expert. I have helped over 1,000 high school students go through this process, and you, too, will be totally prepared to pick the right college for you…with a little help from your friends…you parents and guidance counselor! Continue Reading
Congratulations, Arne Duncan! But Before You Go, Can You Please Answer My Question?
Congratulations, Arne Duncan, on your upcoming resignation as US Secretary of Education! We’re happy to hear that you plan to continue your professional journey as a change-agent for education in your hometown of Chicago. But please pardon my persistence, Arne, you still haven’t responded to my question and suggestions about programs to help high school seniors mindfully navigate the college research, application and selection processes. #AskArne Continue Reading
Thank You POTUS for the #CollegeScorecard…but was it really necessary? Students and families need more guidance, more structure, but no more data, please!
Last week President Obama introduced the College Scorecard, an online tool for students and parents researching and selecting colleges. Reviews of the site and its data have been mixed, as discussed in Jordan Weissmann’s post “The Government Just Made it Much Easier to Tell Which Colleges Are a Waste of Money” where he appreciates the information on the earning power of schools’ graduates. His view directly contrasts with J. Randall O’Brien’s Huffington Post article “President Obama’s New College Scorecard Receives an “F” where the university president criticizes salary information as an indicator of a college’s worth as it may discourage liberal arts or service majors by focusing on the lower earning power of these graduates. Continue Reading