This post is sponsored by inli.ne.
It’s getting pretty exciting all up in here! Our younger son J will be completing his college studies this December, one semester early. Three and a half years to a Bachelor’s degree? Boo-yah! We hear so often that college can take four and a half years, five years, or more…but it’s also possible to graduate early. Everyone has his own plan but in J’s case, he stuck with his originally declared major, had some AP test credits, took two summer classes, and got credit for his first year of German after testing out of it.
It’s amazing to me that we’re at the end of the road, college-wise. In many ways it seems like only yesterday that we were in the midst of the college search and trying to navigate the admissions process. (“Navigate” is exactly it, too: it often felt like we were out to sea with no compass or map!) There’s a lot of second-guessing that goes on when your student applies for colleges along with a lot of insecurity about whether he is providing the exact information that the educational institution wants. The process can leave both students AND parents feeling very lost and confused.
That’s where inli.ne comes in. This in-browser app (in the form of a Google Chrome extension) that works with the Common Application® was released just last month. It is accessible to everyone with an internet connection who wants to make that sometimes-scary process much less intimidating. inli.ne was created by former admissions officers Anna Ivey and Alison Cooper Chisholm to demystify the Common App®.
Anna and Alison discovered two main problems while working with students in their college admissions years:
1. Applicants get stuck with some of the same things over and over again when they’re working on their applications.
2. Applicants sometimes don’t know what they don’t know. They treat the application as “just a form,” and so they don’t leverage (or know how to leverage) the form strategically to increase their chances of getting into their preferred colleges.
inli.ne, which is at an introductory price of $99* (and much more affordable than hiring a consultant) offers hints, tips and sample essays for both the core Common App® questions and for the 650+ colleges that use the Common App® for their college-specific supplements. Users not only get to take advantage of real time assistance from the moment they open the Common App® but also have the inside scoop on how admissions officers look at applications. In fact, one awesome feature of inli.ne analyzes sample essays and provides feedback on how they would be evaluated by a college admissions officer. inli.ne also provides advice on which standardized test scores to submit, how to report extracurricular activities, and more. It even has add-ons with customized advice for home-schooled and international students, and veterans too.
If inli.ne had been around when we were in the throes of college applications, I would have used it in a heartbeat. Real-time assistance with such an important part of the off-to-college process can reduce anxiety and make the journey feel a little more laid back. Just sending a kid to college is hard enough. If you’ve got a little bird leaving the nest soon, I encourage you to check out this tool and make your life a little easier!
*Discounts are available for high school guidance counselors, school districts, and independent college counselors.
