Ask the Experts
Our admissions experts offer families clear, candid, and actionable advice at any stage.
In our Ask the Experts column, we answer the questions students and parents are asking right now—from building a compelling extracurricular profile to navigating Early Decision strategy, crafting standout essays, selecting the right recommenders, and positioning for highly selective colleges.
Q&A with Sam: How Command Education Helps Students Stand Out to Brown Admissions Committees
Known for its open curriculum, emphasis on student-driven learning, and collaborative environment, Brown attracts students who are not only high achievers but also independent thinkers passionate about forging their own paths. From the Brown/RISD Dual Degree Program to the signature Program in Liberal Medical Education, Brown’s world renowned offerings and distinct pedagogical approach distinguish it […]
Q&A with Ibrahim: How Command Education Helps Students Make Summer Plans that Will Impress Ivy League Admissions Officers
Summer break is not just a time to kick back with friends or read mystery novels on the beach—for high school students, the summer months are a critical opportunity to deepen your knowledge, develop new skills, and develop an application profile that will wow admissions officers. Whether launching a passion project, volunteering, taking a class, […]
Q&A with Senior VP Grace: Command Education’s Unique College Admissions Expertise
Command Education’s pioneering approach to the college admissions process provides students with individualized, one-on-one guidance from a near-peer mentor. As recent graduates of Ivy League and other top colleges, our near-peer mentors are uniquely equipped to help students excel in the rapidly changing world of elite college admissions. At the same time, many parents want […]
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Q&A with Ethan: How Our Senior Mentors Help Students Develop Their Hook in Law
Unlike pre-med and other pre-professional programs, which have set curricular requirements for applicants, pre-law undergraduate programs and law schools accept students with an array of academic backgrounds and interests. One of the most common challenges for students interested in pursuing a career in law lies in choosing one of the many paths they may take […]
Q&A with Caleb: How Command Education Senior Tutors Help Low-Scoring Students Reach Their Goals
Sitting for the ACT or SAT for the first time can be daunting—the precise timing, comprehensive range of material, and pressure to perform can be a particularly anxiety-inducing combination for students who struggle with test-taking. And receiving a score far lower than anticipated often results in even greater stress and aversion to the test. However, […]
Q&A with Senior Designer Ashley: How Command Education’s In-House Marketing Team Supports Students!
Command Education Senior Mentors provide students with the one-on-one, personalized support they need to build compelling applicant profiles throughout their high school careers—but that is not all that Command Education does to support its students. While our students can expect consistent, unlimited guidance from their Senior Mentors, they can also rely on an entire team […]
Breaking Down Ivy Day 2026: A Conversation with a Command Education Director of Mentoring
Last week, students around the world refreshed their inboxes as Ivy League and top college admissions decisions were released in the annual tradition known as “Ivy Day.” As acceptance rates fluctuate, the political landscape shifts, and applicant pools swell, Ivy Day results can leave families with more questions than answers. Particularly for students earlier in […]
Q&A with Ibrahim: Passion Projects at Command Education
In the competitive landscape of elite college admissions, students and parents are often inundated with advice about how to stand out from the crowd. Increasingly, college consultants are touting the importance of independent projects for students’ applicant profiles, emphasizing their role in demonstrating a student’s commitment, creativity, and leadership skills. However, Command Education takes a […]
Q&A with Kailee: How Command Education Senior Tutors Motivate Students
For many students, standardized testing is one of the most daunting and anxiety-inducing aspects of the college admissions process. Beyond the intimidation that comes with taking the test, understanding how to select the right test for you, setting manageable yet ambitious goals, and strategizing for score improvements can all present challenges in their own right. […]
Q&A with Arthur: You’re Probably Not Bad at Math
“I’m not a math person.” If you’re a high school student, you have probably heard your friends say this—or you have said it about yourself. Math is an academic subject that can elicit dread, anxiety, and frustration, and many students who struggle in math classes convince themselves from a young age that they’re simply “not […]
Q&A with Fatima: What Can You Expect From Command Education Tutoring?
Stellar test scores lay the foundation for success in the world of elite college admissions, and Command Education’s expert Senior Tutors are committed to helping students earn their ideal scores. However, test-taking anxiety, hectic academic schedules, and general uncertainty about the test-taking process often leave students with doubts about whether tutoring is right for them. […]
Q&A with Aaron: How Command Education Prepares Families for the Changing SAT/ACT Landscape
In the last five years, the college admissions landscape has seen seismic changes, and some of the most significant have concerned standardized testing—from ever-evolving testing requirements to the digitization of the ACT and SAT to changing test lengths and rigor. Given that standardized tests remain an important part of the admissions process (and are returning to their pre-Covid prominence), adapting to […]
Q&A with Yibiao: How Command Education Helps Students Develop Their Music Hook
Should you attend a conservatory or aim for a music program at a top school? From choosing the right path to pursue their music dreams, finding the best fit program, building a portfolio, and preparing for auditions, going through the college admissions process as a music student can be complicated and daunting. Every admissions cycle, […]
Insider Advice from Senior Mentor Kelly: How to Wow Admissions Officers with Your Common App Essay
The Common App essay (also known as the Personal Essay or Personal Statement) is one of the most crucial components of the college application. As the most extensive opportunity for students to share their unique voice directly with admissions officers, a standout essay should showcase an applicant’s thoughtful introspection, creative perspective, and unique voice. But what exactly […]
Q&A with Command Education Senior Mentors: What Students Interested in STEM Should Be Doing This Summer
As you take down the holiday decorations, shovel snow from the driveway, and kickstart the new year, summer may feel like the distant future. But if you are a high school student interested in pursuing a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) major, the time to start planning your summer activities is now. Whether you dream […]
Q&A with Jesse: How Command Education Helps Students Earn Acceptance to NYU
Located in the heart of one of the world’s most dynamic cities, New York University offers students unparalleled opportunities to engage with diverse cultures, cutting-edge ideas, and global perspectives. NYU has become one of the most sought-after universities in the country, with admissions rates plummeting to historic lows in the last few admissions cycles. Given its growing selectivity, […]
Q&A with Jane: How Command Education Helps Students Get Into Harvard
With their single-digit acceptance rates, world-renowned programs, and distinguished faculty, Ivy League schools are some of the most desirable universities in the world. While many students and parents view these prestigious schools as a singular bloc, it is critical to recognize that each Ivy League institution has its own distinct culture, programs, offerings, and campuses—and […]
Q&A with Min: How to Stand Out to Harvard Business School
Top business schools like Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, and UPenn Wharton are among the most competitive graduate programs in the world. Given that they each receive nearly ten thousand applicants each admissions cycle, applicants must take a long-term and strategic approach to standing out and distinguishing themselves from other experienced and highly qualified […]
Q&A with Lauren: How Command Education Senior Mentors Help Students Earn Admission to Dartmouth
Dartmouth College offers one of the most unique and tightly-knit communities in the Ivy League. Nestled in Hanover, New Hampshire, Dartmouth is known for its small student body, strong undergraduate focus, and innovative D-Plan, which allows students to structure their own academic journeys through flexible, year-round scheduling. Given this distinctive culture and curricular approach, the university […]
Q&A with Sam: How Command Education Senior Mentors Make Students’ Columbia Dreams a Reality
Nestled in New York City’s Morningside Heights neighborhood, Columbia University is distinguished amongst its Ivy League peers for its urban campus, rigorous Core Curriculum, and its socially engaged and intellectually curious student body. Yet with a 3.85% admissions rate in the 2023–24 admissions cycle, Columbia is one of the most competitive universities in the nation. Standing out to Columbia admissions […]
Q&A with Kyle: How to Level Up Your Transcript—And Prepare for College Academics
Students often think about their transcript and GPA in light of one thing: the college admissions process. The stress of achieving and maintaining a 4.0, enrolling in AP and other advanced courses, and seeking out private tutoring stems in large part from students’ anxiety about standing out in the competitive admissions landscape. On the one […]
Q&A with Jin: What to Expect from a Tutoring Session at Command Education
Command Education Senior Tutors work one-on-one with students to not only create tailored lesson plans that align with their needs and learning styles, but also make learning enjoyable and exciting. Many students and parents want to know what this personalized approach looks like in practice—what will I do with my Senior Tutor? How will they make learning more […]
Q&A with Giovanni: How Students Can Improve Their Reading Comprehension
Reading comprehension is one of the most essential—and often insufficiently practiced—skills in a student’s academic toolkit. Whether you’re preparing for the ACT or SAT or simply trying to stay on top of schoolwork, strong reading skills are a critical foundation for academic success across disciplines. Owing in large part to learning gaps in their elementary and middle […]