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Looking Back on the Future of College Admission
Two years ago, I was invited to speak on issues in the world of college admission post-pandemic, along with Femi Ogundele, Associate Vice...
Mark Moody
Oct 17, 20231 min read


National Conference 2023 in Baltimore: Big Takeaways and 3 College Visits
It's hard to explain the annual national conference of NACAC, the National Association for College Admission Counseling. Imagine 7,000...
Mark Moody
Oct 1, 20235 min read


Local News: Cutting through college prep stress
The friendly folks behind Saratoga Today weekly and the seasonal Simply Saratoga magazine were kind enough to feature me in a profile in...
Mark Moody
Sep 26, 20231 min read


2024 apps are open!
I hope that seniors are feeling refreshed and recharged from a restful and productive summer. The start of August has arrived, and that...
Mark Moody
Aug 3, 20232 min read


MSquared Seasonal Newsletter Archive
An updated collection of links to my newsletter history. Find articles I've shared and college counseling timelines and calendars. Late...
Mark Moody
Jun 10, 20231 min read


Lisa Damour on Teen Mental Health
Lisa Damour is an expert on the psychology and development of adolescents. She is making the rounds lately in support of her insightful...
Mark Moody
May 31, 20232 min read


Who reads your application to college? A series of insightful articles sheds light.
As the Fall 2023 entry admission cycle wraps up this spring, there has been a lot of attention given to the state of the admission...
Mark Moody
May 10, 20234 min read


"No One's Getting Into Stanford, So Do This Instead"--Perspective from coaches for teens
Cathy Chen and Meredith Herrera are educators, college counselors, and teen coaches in Silicon Valley. They have worked in college...
Mark Moody
May 4, 20232 min read


May 1
30 days hath September... That means Monday is May 1, aka May Day, aka National Candidate Reply Date for US college admission. If ...
Mark Moody
Apr 28, 20231 min read


How to become a "human being with immense potential."
I encountered this quote from Australian musician Nick Cave on the Marginalian, a philosophical, literary-minded site full of reflections...
Mark Moody
Apr 25, 20231 min read


The Secret of Great College Applicants: Genius, Joy, Ahlgren, Gretzky, Gladwell
Carl Ahlgren was a college counselor, who worked most recently at the Gilman School in Baltimore. Carl was wise and thoughtful-- it often...
Mark Moody
Apr 21, 20233 min read


"Teens ask for a kinder college admissions process:" Can we listen and help them find a better way?
There is a genuine mental health crisis among our teens. This article from the LA Times points out some of the source of anxiety in their...
Mark Moody
Apr 19, 20233 min read


Thoughts on a good life and good colleges
This headline from the Harvard Crimson crossed my media feed this week. I have two immediate responses: 1. Congratulations to the small...
Mark Moody
Apr 10, 20232 min read


Embrace your inner quirkmeister
Just a thought for this April weekend/ Passover/ Easter inspired by this quote I ran across. The best person to be is yourself. Follow...
Mark Moody
Apr 7, 20231 min read


Priority Practice SAT & ACT with Compass Prep
I'm a big fan of Compass Prep. They collect and share some of the most in-depth and reliable insights into the standardized testing...
Mark Moody
Apr 6, 20231 min read


College Board and Your Name: Enrollment VP Insight
Did you know that, for decades, one of the primary reasons that college brochures and emails find their way into the inboxes and...
Mark Moody
Apr 5, 20233 min read


Independent College Counseling in the Upstate NY Capital District
I have some exciting news to share! As of July 2023, MSquared Counseling's home base will be in Saratoga Springs, New York. One of the...
Mark Moody
Apr 3, 20232 min read


Curriculum Matters: Language and Math
An important aspect of my work is helping young people make good decisions about their high school courses. Each year of high school...
Mark Moody
Apr 1, 20238 min read


"Ivy Day" Bulletin: Why you should ignore rankings and seek quality and fit, redux
You may have heard lots of drama about Ivy Day-- this year, March 30, when the colleges in the Ivy League football conference, and some...
Mark Moody
Mar 30, 20233 min read


Teacher Recommendations: Making the Ask
In addition to your own writing in your college applications, there are a few supporting voices that help tell your story. Your school...
Mark Moody
Mar 29, 20239 min read
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