The uncommon app

07/20/2026

My students ask if they should self report their AP scores on their college applications. Here’s what you need to know!

College counselor Sara Harberson outlines ten things that parents and students should know about AP scores and college admissions.

06/27/2026

Attention Class of 2027!

I am sold out for all college essay & application packages for rising seniors. I can work with a limited number of students on an hourly basis this summer & fall. DM me for details.

A la Carte Menu $180/hour

-Regular Meetings to Organize Time, Create Schedules, Manage Deadlines
-The Common App Personal Statement
-The College List
-The Activities List
-Strategies for College Applications
-Supplemental College Essays & Writing Requirements
-Scholarship Essays
-Honors Programs
-Graduate School or Transfer Essays
-Passion Projects
-Deferral Essays & Letters of Continued Interest
Please email me at [email protected] or message me on FB for a complimentary consultation.

06/19/2026

The Activities section on the Common App is an area where many students struggle. Not only do they give you such limited space for the description (150 characters - including spaces and punctuation!) but students need to quantify their work to stand out. This is why I include Activities in my Common App Essay package - activities and the essay go hand in hand.

Here’s an example of a basic description and a quantified description:

Basic:
Helped high school students write college essays, fill out applications and manage college deadlines.

Enhanced:
Worked with over 15 students from 7 high schools apply to 112 colleges, yielding 48 acceptances, incl 3 athletes, 2 honors programs and 1 Ivy.

See the difference?!

06/07/2026

Congratulations to the Class of 2026!!! This year, The (Un)Common App class of students set high goals and achieved them.

A full 50% of my students were accepted Early Decision (ED) to their dream schools. Three of my students will be playing Division 3 sports (golf, football, and swimming). They hail from Boston, Los Angeles, Maryland, and New Jersey and will study business, journalism, physical therapy, psychology, integrative physiology, music, communications, and history. Their essays were about connecting with the characters they played on stage in musical theater; learning to cook while recovering from a sports injury; the importance of making a new friend every day; how writing in cursive gave a dyslexic student autonomy; surfing around the world and finding a supportive community; and how baking sourdough bread allowed a student to give up on perfection and embrace acceptance.

This fall, they will be heading to American University (Honors, ED2); Chapman University (ED1); Coastal Carolina College; College of William & Mary; Elon University (ED1); Indiana University, (Kelley); New York University (ED1); Salve Regina College; Tufts University (ED1); University of Colorado, Boulder; University of Colorado, Boulder (Honors); University of Massachusetts, Amherst; University of Michigan, (Ross, ED1); and University of Pennsylvania, (Wharton, ED1).

I’m so proud of each and every student who worked so hard to reach their academic and college goals. Here's to the Class of 2026!

05/01/2026

It’s College Decision Day!! Congratulations to all my students.

I didn’t decorate my daughters’ rooms - did you?

04/25/2026

Congrats to my student from Thousand Oaks, CA who was admitted to the niche IPHY (integrative physiology) program at CU Boulder. IPHY will prepare Avery for graduate school to become a physicians assistant. SKO buffs!!

04/11/2026

We are at full capacity for the class of 2027! Please reach out if you would like to be placed on our waitlist for July, August or September. I will most likely be able to accommodate students over the summer on an hourly basis.

04/09/2026

strategy matters!

04/05/2026

Congratulations to one of my hardest working students on his decision to attend UMass! Our working relationship is one of my favorite success stories - for both of us. It started when his family bid on a college essay package I donated to the MHS Junior auction. After we finished the essay I got a call - the application process was stressful at home and could I please come back to help? This led to many more one-on-one meetings to write essays, organize apps, detail sports and extracurriculars and finish the common app. We ended up completely rewriting his essay in October because I got to know him so well that the first draft seemed outdated. The acceptances started rolling in but so did deferrals - so we met again to write the deferral essays and LOCIs. What started as a 2-3 hour commitment led to a shared journey over many months where each success or set back was met with new strategy and fortitude, a true team effort.

Best of luck to Miles at UMass - go minutemen!!!

04/04/2026

Congratulations to my latest committed student who will be spending the next 4 years as a Buff!! Drew had a big decision to make among the schools who admitted him but ultimately a good business program combined with big school spirit and a beautiful mountain backdrop guided his decision. SKO BUFFS!!