http://pmcevoycollegeconsulting.com/

Patricia McEvoy - College Consulting, New York, NY (2026)

08/19/2026

College drop-off is a big adjustment—for students and parents.

You have spent 18 years being the person who steps in when something goes wrong. Now, part of the adjustment is learning when not to.

They may hate their roommate. They may be homesick. They may get a grade they have never gotten before. They may even call and tell you they want to come home.

Unless there is a real concern about their health or safety, give them some time.

And remember, you are often getting the phone call in the moment when they are upset. An hour later, they may be at dinner with friends and completely fine.

When the smaller things happen, try not to fix them.

Don’t call the professor. Don’t send an email they should be sending. Don’t immediately get involved in a roommate issue.

Listen. Ask questions. Help them figure out who they should talk to or what resource they should use. And then let them do it.

They need to learn how to advocate for themselves, ask for help, handle disappointment and figure out what to do when something doesn’t go as planned. That is part of college too.

They may not get all A’s. They may not like their roommate. They may change their major. They may have a terrible Tuesday and love college again by Friday.

It’s okay.

Your role as a parent isn’t over. It’s just changing.

I wrote more about navigating this new chapter after college drop-off on the blog.

https://www.pmcevoycollegeconsulting.com/post/after-college-drop-off-your-role-is-changing-too

08/19/2026

College drop-off is a big adjustment—for students and parents.

You have spent 18 years being the person who steps in when something goes wrong. Now, part of the adjustment is learning when not to.

They may hate their roommate. They may be homesick. They may get a grade they have never gotten before. They may even call and tell you they want to come home.

Unless there is a real concern about their health or safety, give them some time.

And remember, you are often getting the phone call in the moment when they are upset. An hour later, they may be at dinner with friends and completely fine.

When the smaller things happen, try not to fix them.

Don’t call the professor. Don’t send an email they should be sending. Don’t immediately get involved in a roommate issue.

Listen. Ask questions. Help them figure out who they should talk to or what resource they should use. And then let them do it.

They need to learn how to advocate for themselves, ask for help, handle disappointment and figure out what to do when something doesn’t go as planned. That is part of college too.

They may not get all A’s. They may not like their roommate. They may change their major. They may have a terrible Tuesday and love college again by Friday.

It’s okay.

Your role as a parent isn’t over. It’s just changing.

I wrote more about navigating this new chapter after college drop-off on the blog. Link in bio.

07/23/2026

Every admissions cycle has a turning point.

Today marks ours.

As the Class of 2027’s client roster is now at capacity, rising seniors will be added to the waitlist for when openings become available.

I am incredibly grateful for the trust families place in my practice.

07/20/2026

This photo isn’t of a famous landmark.

It’s simply a quiet street in Italy that made me stop.

Looking back, that feels fitting.

In both travel and college admissions, the most meaningful moments are rarely the ones everyone else is talking about. They happen in the quieter spaces.

A conversation that helps a student discover what they’re really looking for in a college.

An essay that finally sounds like the student instead of what they think an admission office wants to hear.

A college that wasn’t originally on the list but turns out to be exactly where they belong.

Those moments don’t happen by accident.

They happen when you slow down, listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions, and approach the process with intention.

Every admissions season brings new headlines, new rankings, and new trends. It’s easy to feel like you have to keep up with all of them. But I’ve learned that the best decisions are rarely made from a place of urgency.

They come from taking the time to truly understand the student.

To build a college list based on fit rather than prestige.

To tell a story that is honest rather than polished.

To make thoughtful decisions instead of reactive ones.

That’s the approach I’ve always believed in, and it’s the one I’ll continue to bring to every family I have the privilege of working with.

Because the goal was never to follow someone else’s path.

It’s to help each student find their own. 💫

05/30/2026

Three admissions announcements. At first glance, they seem unrelated.

A new Early Decision plan.
Fewer supplemental essays.
The return of testing.

Taken together, they may tell us exactly where college admissions is heading next.

* The University of Florida's introduction of Early Decision may be one of the most important admissions developments of the year. For out-of-state applicants, especially, commitment suddenly becomes a much bigger part of the conversation.

The bigger question:

Will Florida be the first public flagship this season or simply the next?

*Students often celebrate when supplemental essays disappear. Admissions offices may be celebrating something different. Fewer essays usually means more applications. More applications often mean lower admit rates.

The result?

Rigor, grades, testing, activities, and recommendations become even more important.

*Yale’s testing decision isn’t really about testing. It’s about clarity.

For years, test-optional policies encouraged many students to apply first and ask questions later. Required testing may bring back something admissions has been missing: Self-selection.

Notice the pattern?

Different policies. Same goal.

Colleges are increasingly trying to:

• Predict enrollment
• Manage application volume
• Identify the students who are most likely to thrive on campus

This isn’t about making admissions harder. It’s about making admissions more intentional.

The takeaway for families:

The process isn’t getting easier.

It is getting more strategic.

Students who understand these shifts and adjust their approach accordingly may have the greatest advantage in the next admissions cycle.

05/30/2026

Three admissions announcements.

At first glance, they seem unrelated.

A new Early Decision plan.
Fewer supplemental essays.
The return of testing.

Taken together, they may tell us exactly where college admissions is heading next.

Swipe →

The University of Florida introducing Early Decision may be one of the most important admissions developments of the year.

For out-of-state applicants especially, commitment suddenly becomes a much bigger part of the conversation.

The bigger question:

Will Florida be the first public flagship this season or simply the next?

Students often celebrate when supplemental essays disappear.

Admissions offices may be celebrating something different.

Fewer essays usually means more applications.

More applications often mean lower admit rates.

The result?

Rigor, grades, testing, activities, and recommendations become even more important.

Yale’s testing decision isn’t really about testing.

It’s about clarity.

For years, test-optional policies encouraged many students to apply first and ask questions later.

Required testing may bring back something admissions has been missing:

Self-selection.

Notice the pattern?

Different policies.

Same goal.

Colleges are increasingly trying to:

• Predict enrollment
• Manage application volume
• Identify the students who are most likely to thrive on campus

This isn’t about making admissions harder.

It’s about making admissions more intentional.

The takeaway for families:

The process isn’t getting easier.

It is getting more strategic.

The students who understand these shifts and adjust their approach accordingly may have the biggest advantage in the next admissions cycle.

05/21/2026

🚨UGA and Tulane dropping supplemental essays for the Class of 2027 may sound like great news at first glance.

Less writing. Less stress. Easier applications.

But college admissions is rarely that simple.

When selective schools remove barriers to applying, applications often increase dramatically and more applications without more seats can mean even lower acceptance rates.

It also means admissions offices may place an even greater emphasis on:

📚 Course rigor
📈 Academic performance
📝 Testing strategy (where considered)
🏆 Meaningful extracurricular involvement
🎯 Depth over quantity

And one important reminder:

Over-applying is not a strategy.

Adding schools simply because they become “easy to apply to” can dilute time, attention, and application quality.

The strongest applications are intentional, not excessive.

College admissions continues to evolve. Strategy matters more than ever.

05/16/2026

6:00 AM calls require strong coffee — and a reliable assistant nearby.

This morning started with a family in South Africa as we begin the college process with their second child applying to universities in the United States. After helping their older daughter through the process and on her way to New York University, it is especially meaningful to continue working with their family.

Every student’s path is different, which is why thoughtful, authentic, and highly personalized planning will always matter.

Earned trust. Deep gratitude.

Patricia McEvoy - College Consulting

08/19/2026

08/19/2026

07/23/2026

07/20/2026

05/30/2026

05/30/2026

05/21/2026

05/16/2026

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