Estrela Consulting Blog

The Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) released this month its 2020 ranking of What Colleges Look for in High School Students, based on a nationwide survey of IECA members. While grades and standardized test scores are near the top of these annual rankings, a number of significant changes and surprises are challenging the assumptions about college admissions. Number 1 on the ...

They're here! They're here! If you're like us you've been patiently waiting for the 2020-21 Common App Essay Prompts to be announced. Spoiler Alert: the folks at the Common App have actually decided to keep the same prompts that were used during the 2019-20 application cycle.

Happy New Year! We are incredibly proud of our Class of 2020 students who have received offers of admission to 66 different colleges and universities in 24 states during the Early Decision and Early Action rounds of admission. In addition, our Estrela students have already received $5 MILLION in merit-based scholarships! Check out the list of colleges and universities where our students have been ...

Kristina Dooley, Founder and President of Estrela Consulting, was recently elected to serve on the Board of Trustees of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). Dooley, one of just three Certified Educational Planners in the state of Ohio, will serve a 3-year term on the sixteen-member Board. Chartered in 1976, IECA is a not-for-profit, professional association representing ...