What's New

“Does how you treat your classmates matter to colleges? According to a growing chorus of educators and researchers, it should.”

In this piece for Forbes, Brennan Barnard writes about how Making Caring Common has been piloting approaches to assess ethical character in college admission.

“Though it might not happen overnight, hopefully this emphasis on joy and integrity will create a more meaningful and fulfilling experience for applicants and will center the college search on the value and transformative power of higher education.”

In this piece for Forbes, Making Caring Common’s Brennan Barnard writes about the Common App and how they want to inspire joy in the college admissions process.

“…when many students and families approach their college search, they default to commercial rankings as reliable indicators of quality and match. The truth is that quality is relative and match is distinctive.”

In this piece for Forbes, Making Caring Common’s Brennan Barnard writes about how to take a more critical approach college rankings.

“Applying to college doesn't have to be a solitary experience. It can be one that brings families together and strengthens relationships.”

In this piece for Forbes, Making Caring Common’s Brennan Barnard writes about how applying to college can bring people together.

In this piece for Forbes, Making Caring Common’s Brennan Barnard dives into the question of who benefits from early decision in college admissions.

In this piece for The Atlantic, Adam Harris writes about parenting and college admissions, and includes a letter from the Sidwell Friends administration quoting our Turning the Tide report: "Too often, today's culture sends young people messages that emphasize personal success rather than concern for others and the common good.”