The Candlelight Blog

Notes on College Admissions,
Essays, and Everything in Between

Practical guidance from a former UC scholarship reviewer to help you approach the application process with clarity and confidence.

Building Your List

Fit Over Rankings

The four criteria that actually predict where a student will thrive.

Building Your List

Likelies, Possibles, Long-Shots

A framework for building a balanced college list without guessing.

Summer Planning

Summer Isn't a Pre-College Program

What admissions readers actually want to see, and why prestige-chasing summers backfire.

New essays every week. Have a topic you'd like me to cover? Send it my way.

Ready to Start Your Own Application?

Learn about services, packages, and how we can work together.