As early application decisions are released this December, some students may encounter a strange outcome that isn’t as clear-cut as an acceptance or denial — a deferral. This can be a confusing end result after working so hard on your early application, but luckily there’s a lot you can do to understand exactly what a deferral means and how to improve your chances of admission.

Should entrepreneurs invest in a college education? Many may doubt the need for creative, driven self-starters to spend time in a classroom when they could be working on entrepreneurial endeavors. However, as we all know, there’s always more to learn and much of that can be gained in the classroom before experiencing it in the real world.

Early decision and early action deadlines are quickly approaching, and as we enter the homestretch of the college application process, anxiety will continue to build. Stressed out students can lead to stressed out parents — and that can make for a tense household.

With an increasing number of new technologies and an expanding global population, self-studying is on the rise. Education is no longer confined to just the classroom, and some would argue that the classroom model is outdated and does not meet the intellectual needs of individuals in such an interconnected society.

College is about learning and growing, and there’s no better way to gain a new perspective of the world than to study abroad! Many colleges offer varying study abroad opportunities, either for an entire academic year, a semester, or just a few weeks. By studying abroad, students gain a global perspective, hone foreign language skills, discover a different side of their academic study, and benefit from international networking experience. These are all benefits that can translate into real job skills after graduation.

STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is a hot topic in higher education, with many colleges expanding their STEM programs to meet student demand. It’s tempting for STEM students to immediately explore institutions like MIT, Stanford, Purdue, and similar schools that are well-known for strong STEM programs, however there are other colleges with great STEM options that students may not immediately consider. Many of these colleges have unique programs with great ROI, making for an attractive college choice.

These days, with advancements in technology, there’s an app for just about anything and a need for people to build them. STEM-related fields are seeing a high demand for workers and many students are realizing the value of a STEM education.

Just as there is no one path to getting admitted to a particular school, there is no one reason that applicants get rejected. Usually, it is a combination of factors, not all of which are within the applicant’s control.

It’s one of the most critical, confusing, and stressful parts of completing the college application process: the personal statement. As a component of the Common Application, the personal statement gives students the most control and the best opportunity to let the university get to know a little more about them.

“But what about the kids who start charities and do cancer research?” a mother asked me recently. She, like many others, was concerned about how her daughter’s list of extracurricular activities would stack up next to a group of lauded, accomplished high school seniors on her college applications.