The official e-newsletter of The Equestrian College Advisor.

From the blog:

If you aren’t following blogger Lauren Sprieser through The Chronicle of the Horse’s series of online blogs, I really don’t know how you’re living your life right now – riding or otherwise. Not only does she dispense wonderful advice for dressage riders (like myself), but she simultaneously imparts life lessons to her readers that apply both in and out of the stable.

(Having taken clinics with Lauren and her mentor Michael Barisone, I can also attest to a wonderfully droll sense of humor that comes through in the written word. She and I definitely get each other.)

Her most recent blog entry really hit me where I live, though – more so even than usual – because she very literally could have been describing my riding life at the moment. Read More

When your child imagines his or her ideal college, does it feature a sports arena packed with thousands of cheering student fans – or a small classroom where every professor knows your name?

Read More

College in the United States is expensive.

The cost of higher education just keeps going up. Tuition costs at both public and private universities have doubled since the late 80s, while accounting for inflation. Read More

Summer Planning for the College BoundIf you live in the snow belt of the United States right now, it can be a bit difficult to even remember summer right now, much less plan ahead for its return. Still, as you look ahead to the warmer months and to your pending college career, now is the best time to begin to consider your options and what they can mean not only for your college applications, but also for your personal development.Traditional summer options for students include:

• Camps (academic, athletic, etc.)

• Volunteer programs

• Work or internship opportunities

• Travel

Which one (or ones) should you consider?Rather than worrying about gathering academic credits from an Ivy League institutionon your transcript or dazzling admission officers with your tales of rescuing orphans in third world nations, your final decision should be based on balancing your interests and supplementing either your knowledge in a particular area or immersing yourself in a particular experience so that you can carry it forward with you into your college career.How do you do that?Identify your interests – perhaps you hope to work with kids in some capacity in thefuture or you want to know what it’s really like to work in a law office. Is there a subject in school that you don’t get to spend enough time on during the year? Do you have passion for a particular sport or art form? Next, research opportunities available in those areas. Do you want to work with kids as a camp counselor? Do any local attorneys have a position for a summer intern in their practice? A lot of legwork and research goes into finding the right summer placement but if you start now, you’ll undoubtedly find a variety of things that appeal to you and be able to select the one that will best fit your needs and goals.Don’t forget the fun.In your summer planning, however, don’t forget to leave a little time for fun andrelaxation. Your high school years are your last true years of freedom before theresponsibilities of adulthood begin to creep in and you don’t want to miss out. College admission officers were teenagers once too and will understand the difficult balance between building your resume and living your life.

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