Can a high GPA make up for a low SAT score? And do “test-optional” schools really mean it? | An Insider Guide to College Admissions
Next up in our Insider’s Guide to College Admissions series, we’re answering questions about the SATs and ACTs, like their relative importance, whether they matter more or less than your GPA, and whether “test-optional” schools really are. ...
Should you apply Early Decision to a college? Pros and cons? | An Insider Guide to College Admissions
Next up in our Insider’s Guide to College Admissions series, we’re answering that tough question about Early Decision (ED) applications. What are the pros and cons? Does it really give you an edge? Is there anyone who shouldn’t apply ED? Here to...
Summer job or internship? Do colleges have a preference? | An Insider Guide to College Admissions
Next up in our Insider’s Guide to College Admissions series, we’re answering a common question about how to spend your summers in high school — and especially that important summer between junior and senior years. Insider Alyse Levine, top college...
My go-to shops for the best camp basics for kids. (Hurry: Big sales now!)
It’s that time of year: Camp clothes shopping! Or more accurately, the time of year I look at the kids’ camp clothing checklist and realize we have outgrown everything and gah, where am I going to get those non-itchy navy shorts again at this late date? If...
The best summer camp care package ideas for tweens and teens: A comprehensive list from a mom who’s been sending them for 10 years
There is a certain joy in putting together summer camp care packages for my tweens and teens each year. It’s not just loading them up with stuff so I can make sure they remember me (ha), it’s that a summer camp care package can provide them with some...
What is Juneteenth? 6 great children’s books that explain this important holiday.
If you want to learn more about Juneteenth as we approach its anniversary, or just want to be sure its history and relevance has a place on your bookshelves, we have found some terrific children’s books about Juneteenth to help. After all, I know a lot of us...
How do I know if a college will provide a safe environment for me? | An Insider Guide to College Admissions
Next up in our Insider’s Guide to College Admissions podcast series, a question we’ve been getting more and more from both parents and prospective students: How to know whether a college environment will be a safe place for you physically, mentally and...
Amazon Editors announce their Best Children’s Books of the Year So Far…including one I adore!
Today, the Amazon Books Editors announced their annual mid-year list of the Best Books of the Year So Far, including a hand-picked list of The Best Children’s Books of the Year So Far. And I’ll get to them allll in a sec. But first, there’s one book...
How do you know if a college is a good fit? 7 questions to ask | An Insider Guide to College Admissions
We’ve received so many questions from parents regarding the college admissions process, and we couldn’t address them all in our Insider’s Guide to College Admissions podcast series. I want to get to them all! So we are kicking off a Q&A series...
Jonathan Van Ness: On his new children’s book, and creating a culture of acceptance for kids who are different.
This week on Spawned, I had the best time speaking with the one and only Jonathan Van Ness!! They’ve just released an amazing new picture book, Gorgeously Me!, which is already making waves as a #1 new children’s book on Amazon. Our chat was not only fun...
The Definitive Guide to Gen Z Slang: Written by actual teens who think all the other guides to Gen Z slang are mid.
When we asked our readers about your favorite Gen Z slang words, the second most popular answer was low-key. But that’s only because the first most popular answer was what the heck are you talking about? So I reached out to my teens and their friends to put...
