Admissions Architect

03/15/2026

I recently visited Hobart and William Smith Colleges here in Geneva and came away with some interesting takeaways that families exploring smaller colleges might appreciate.

A few things that really stood out:

• 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽-𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀 – average class size is just 16 students, with professors serving as advisors during the first year.

• 𝗔 𝗻𝗲𝘄 $𝟳𝟬𝗠 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗲 focused on leadership, entrepreneurship, and career preparation across all majors.

• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 (15–26 students each year) includes a $𝟰𝟲,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, 𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱, 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀.

• 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 – about 𝟳𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝘆 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿.

• 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗱, with up to $𝟰,𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 $𝟭𝟱,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀.

• 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 – about 𝟲𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱 during their time there.

• The college reports 𝟵𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀.

For students looking for a 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿, 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, this is definitely a school worth exploring.

Campus visits are always one of the best ways to understand what makes a place distinctive.

03/15/2026

This week I had the chance to visit 𝗜𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗰𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲, and it reminded me how valuable it is to actually walk a campus during the college search.

At one point while walking across campus, I overheard three completely different conversations within just a few minutes.

One student was talking about heading to 𝗟𝗼𝘀 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽.

Another group was discussing rehearsals for a theater production.

And a health sciences student was talking about an upcoming clinical placement.

That moment really captured Ithaca for me.

Students here don’t just learn about their field in the classroom — they start 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆.

The college describes this as a “𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲”undefined approach, and you can see it everywhere on campus.

A few things that stood out during my visit:

• About 𝟱,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, which is a great size for many students who want smaller classes but still plenty of opportunities
• Average class size of 𝟭𝟴 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio
• Five academic schools including Communications, Business, Health Sciences, Humanities & Sciences, and Performing Arts
• A 𝟲-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 that many students find appealing
• Study programs in 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗼𝘀 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀, with the LA program especially strong for communications students
• Internship grants that help support students taking unpaid opportunities

One thing many families don’t realize:

Students can take 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝟭𝟮 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗯𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 if the course isn’t offered at Ithaca.

That kind of flexibility between two very different institutions is pretty unique.

Financially, Ithaca is also a school families should look at closely. While the total cost is around $75K, many admitted students receive 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 $𝟮𝟴𝗞–$𝟯𝟰𝗞 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲, which can significantly change the affordability conversation.

And of course, the setting is beautiful. Ithaca really is one of those 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘀 where the campus and community are deeply connected.

One of the questions I always encourage families to think about when visiting campuses is simple:

𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲?

Ithaca strikes me as a great fit for students who want 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀-𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘂𝗺-𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆.

If your student has visited Ithaca College, I’d love to hear what they thought about the campus.

03/08/2026

I recently had the opportunity to visit 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 in Houston as part of a counselor fly-in program.

Whenever I visit a campus, I try to look at it through the lens of a student asking:

"𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦?"

Here are a few things that stood out about Rice:

🏠 𝗔 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺

Instead of fraternities or sororities, students are assigned to one of 𝟭𝟭 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲𝘀 (a 12th opens next year).

These become tight-knit communities where students live, study, compete in intramurals, and build lifelong friendships.

🔬 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲

About 𝟴𝟲% 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵.

That’s helped by Rice’s location next to the 𝗧𝗲𝘅𝗮𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 and close partnerships with 𝗡𝗔𝗦𝗔 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿.

⚙️ 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀-𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

The Engineering Design Kitchen (OEDK) is a huge maker space where students build prototypes using:

• 3D printers
• machine shops
• electronics labs

Some projects even involve industry partners and research labs.

💰 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀

Rice meets 𝟭𝟬𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗻𝘀.

Many middle-income families qualify for substantial tuition support through their Rice Investment program.

🎓 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀

Recent data shows a 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 $𝟴𝟲,𝟱𝟬𝟬, with many graduates going on to graduate school or professional careers.

What stood out most during my visit was the 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 students kept describing.

At many highly selective universities the atmosphere can feel competitive.

Rice feels different.

Campus visits like this help me bring 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 as they begin the college search process.

If you have a student starting to explore colleges, feel free to reach out. I’m always happy to share what I’m seeing on campuses around the country.

02/02/2026

Always love sharing with my followers additional opportunities for them to lower the cost of education especially if they are planning to attend one of the AMAZING Colleges that Change Lives!

Know a student headed to a CTCL member institution this fall? Encourage them to apply for the 2026 CTCL Scholarship! We will select two scholars and award them each a $6000 scholarship. Current high school seniors [Class of 2026] and those who will be first time undergraduates this fall are eligible to apply. The application deadline is March 13, 2026.

Want to help us fund future scholarships? Visit https://ctcl.org/about/supporting-our-mission/ to learn how your donations make a difference!

01/15/2026

MRHS Boosters & Admissions Architect, LLC present…

The MRHS Pathways Fair

A Summer & School-Year Educational Enrichment Fair
📅 February 12, 2026 | 6:00–8:00 PM
📍 Marriotts Ridge High School

Program Spotlight:
Summer Discovery & Oxford Summer Courses

We’re excited to welcome Summer Discovery and Oxford Summer Courses to the MRHS Pathways Fair, where families can explore a wide range of high-quality summer and academic enrichment opportunities designed for students at different stages of their high school journey.

Summer Discovery and Oxford Summer Courses have united to create the world’s largest summer program provider, offering pre-college experiences across 15+ subject areas, multiple age groups, and a variety of locations — ensuring the right fit for every student. In partnership with prestigious universities across the U.S. and Europe, they deliver transformative 2–6 week on-campus academic and extracurricular programs, with 500+ university-cultivated courses and engaging daily and weekly activities and excursions.

From broad academic exploration to advanced options like the Institute for the Gifted, these programs give students the chance to experience college-level learning, independence, and personal growth in an immersive environment.

If your student is looking for flexibility, variety, and a true pre-college experience, this is a table you won’t want to miss at the fair.

🔎 Learn more:
• Summer Discovery: https://www.summerdiscovery.com

• Institute for the Gifted: https://www.summerdiscovery.com/programs/sig/institute-for-the-gifted

👉 Register for the MRHS Pathways Fair:
https://tinyurl.com/MRHSfair

01/12/2026

MRHS Boosters & Admissions Architect, LLC present…

The MRHS Pathways Fair

A Summer & School-Year Educational Enrichment Fair

📅 February 12, 2026 | 6:00–8:00 PM
📍 Marriotts Ridge High School

Program Spotlight: Engineering Innovation (EI) @ Johns Hopkins University

We’re excited to welcome Engineering Innovation (EI) at Johns Hopkins University to the MRHS Pathways Fair, where families can explore rigorous summer and school-year programs that help students deepen academic interests and explore future pathways.

Engineering Innovation offers college-level engineering courses for motivated high school students, taught by Johns Hopkins faculty and instructors. Students gain exposure to real engineering concepts, problem-solving, and collaborative learning — all while experiencing the pace and expectations of a top research university.

For students considering engineering, STEM fields, or highly selective colleges, EI provides an academically challenging experience that emphasizes curiosity, discipline, and intellectual growth.

If your student wants to explore what engineering really looks like at the college level, this is a table you won’t want to miss.

🔎 Learn more about Engineering Innovation at Johns Hopkins:
https://ei.jhu.edu/?utm_campaign=ei_su26_rfi&utm_medium=social&utm_source=admissionsarchitect

👉 Register for the MRHS Pathways Fair:
https://tinyurl.com/MRHSfair

01/08/2026

MRHS Boosters & Admissions Architect, LLC present…

The MRHS Pathways Fair

A Summer & School-Year Educational Enrichment Fair

📅 February 12, 2026 | 6:00–8:00 PM
📍 Marriotts Ridge High School
Marriottsville, MD

Program Spotlight: Where There Be Dragons

We’re excited to welcome Where There Be Dragons to the MRHS Pathways Fair, where families can explore high-impact summer and school-year programs designed to help students grow intellectually, personally, and globally.

Where There Be Dragons offers immersive, student-centered travel and cultural exchange programs for high school students. Their experiences emphasize deep engagement with local communities, global citizenship, independence, and reflection. Students don’t just visit a place — they learn to navigate unfamiliar environments thoughtfully, build cross-cultural understanding, and develop confidence through real-world challenges.

If your teen is curious about global learning, cultural immersion, and meaningful travel that builds maturity and perspective, this is a table you won’t want to miss at the fair.

🔎 Learn more about Where There Be Dragons:
https://www.wheretherebedragons.com/

👉 Register for the MRHS Pathways Fair:
https://tinyurl.com/MRHSfair

12/01/2025

⏰ Final call — our Black Friday Test Prep Deal ends tonight at midnight!

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✅ Real educators, not college kids
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One parent told us:
“Her score went up 140 points, and she actually looked forward to sessions.”

🎯 Start smart. Start now.
👉 https://admissionsarchitect.com/test-prep-black-friday

11/30/2025

We love hearing stories like this:
“Her score went up 140 points — and she actually liked studying.”

When students feel supported, confident, and heard — their scores go up.

🎯 Save $250–$650 through Cyber Monday on 1:1 SAT/ACT prep with educator-level tutors.

📈 +200 SAT / +5 ACT average gains
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👉 https://admissionsarchitect.com/test-prep-black-friday

11/28/2025

🚨 It’s here! Our Black Friday test prep offer is officially LIVE.

For a limited time only, save $250–$650 on private 1:1 SAT/ACT tutoring with top-tier educators.

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📈 Average student gains: +200 SAT / +5 ACT
📅 Perfect for March SAT or April ACT test dates

Offer ends Cyber Monday at midnight.
📍 Lock in your student’s spot now:
https://admissionsarchitect.com/test-prep-black-friday

11/26/2025

🎯 Real results. Real educators.
Our Black Friday Test Prep Deal launches this Friday — and if your teen is testing this spring, this is the moment to jump in.

✅ Private SAT/ACT tutoring with PhD-level experts
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Save $250–$650 — but only from Black Friday through Cyber Monday.

🎥 Details drop this Friday. Want a sneak peek?
👉 admissionsarchitect.com/test-prep-black-friday