McNeal Sams Blog

At McNeal Sams College Consulting, our college consultants have more than 150 years of experience combined. We have seen a lot of changes and developments within the college admission profession over that time. From going digital to testing trends to rising costs, and now, the introduction of Artificial Intelligence, understanding what is relevant or what is even real can be daunting for a student or a parent.

In this space, we couple our wealth of knowledge with today’s trends and concerns. Whether you are a student embarking on your college choice journey, or a parent assisting students on their journeys, or simply someone interested in learning about higher education, this is a space for insights, conversations and support.

  • three teenagers making a white poster board sign about recycling

    Are we building a person or building a resume?

    Elizabeth Schnell, College Consultant At colleges that use holistic admissions, we know that that admissions readers rely on students’ activities to gain context for evaluating a candidate. So how should students decide what activities to pursue [...]

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    Admission Processes

    Susan Lutz, College Consultant One of the most common misconceptions I see in the college admission process is the belief that all colleges review applications [...]

  • Your College List Is Not a Bracket Blog Image

    Your College List Is Not a Bracket

    Barbara Sams, Managing Partner Every fall, college rankings are released—and overnight, otherwise rational families begin behaving like the list is a legally binding document. Colleges [...]

  • a teenage girl and her mother tour a college campus with a man tour guide

    Campus Visits

    Nelie McNeal, Founder and Managing Partner Finally! You’re visiting college campuses. This is your chance to learn a LOT. How do you get the most [...]

  • three students walk down on a college campus on a cold winter day

    Word to the Wise: Campus Visits

    Nelie McNeal, Founder and Managing Partner College visits are a necessary part of the college application process and a part that can be informative, interesting, [...]

  • Who am I Intentional Amateurism

    Who am I: Intentional Amateurism

    Elizabeth Schnell, College Consultant Part of self-discovery for young people is exploring a variety of activities, to discern what they are good at and where [...]

  • a group of six teenage boys and girls take a selfie outside with trees in the background

    Celebrating Every Option: Why Every College Acceptance Matters

    Susan Lutz, College Consultant In the swirl of applications, essays, deadlines, and decisions, it’s easy for families to focus on one dream school; the elusive [...]

  • a teenage girl and her doctor high five while seated at a desk in an office

    The Waiting Period

    Nelie McNeal, Founder and Managing Partner Anticipating a college admissions decision isn’t easy. You’ve put so much into the process; in fact, this is the [...]

  • a group of four teenagers walk down a school hallway with backpacks on their shoulders

    What Makes A Successful Match

    Jeannie Grimm, College Consultant What does it mean when we talk about fit? Close your eyes for a second and picture what your “dream" school [...]

  • a mother embraces her teenage son and daughter as they share a laugh

    Adulting 101

    Elizabeth Schnell, College Consultant “Teach a person to fish and they will eat for a lifetime” goes an old proverb; its corollary is that if [...]