Mercer Educational Consulting

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Mercer Educational Consulting An independent educational consulting practice that guides students and families through all stages of the college application process.

Mercer Educational Consulting, LLC is an independent educational consulting practice that guides students and families through all stages of the college application process in person or through online meetings. Dr. Steven Mercer is an experienced educator with an extensive background in selective college admission, counseling, teaching, and academic and non-profit leadership. I understand how important this decision is to you and your family. You deserve to work with a counselor who has first-hand admission experience, expert knowledge of the world of higher education and schooling, and a thoughtful, balanced counseling philosophy to guide you through this remarkable rite of passage.

Don’t Let the Fear of “Cheesy” Talk You Out of a Good EssayWhen I sit down with students to start work on the Common App...
10/08/2026

Don’t Let the Fear of “Cheesy” Talk You Out of a Good Essay

When I sit down with students to start work on the Common Application personal statement, or any application essay, I hear the same worry almost every time: "I don't want this to sound cheesy." I understand the instinct. But that fear carries a hidden cost; it quietly pushes students away from perfectly good topics because they assume those topics will read as ordinary and will not help them stand out....

When I sit down with students to start work on the Common Application personal statement, or any application essay, I hear the same worry almost every time: “I don’t want this to sound…

Read the Menu Before You Pick the RestaurantBefore I go out to eat, I look up the restaurant's menu. There may be a spec...
09/16/2026

Read the Menu Before You Pick the Restaurant

Before I go out to eat, I look up the restaurant's menu. There may be a special I won't know about until I arrive, but the online menu is what I can count on. A college list works the same way. The question is whether you'd be glad to order from it....

Before I go out to eat, I look up the restaurant’s menu. There may be a special I won’t know about until I arrive, but the online menu is what I can count on. A college list works the …

College Application Essay: Can Your Reader Follow You?When I sit with a student on a draft, I often ask a simple questio...
09/01/2026

College Application Essay: Can Your Reader Follow You?

When I sit with a student on a draft, I often ask a simple question: "If a stranger picked this up with zero context, could they follow your train of thought?"...

When I sit with a student on a draft, I often ask a simple question: “If a stranger picked this up with zero context, could they follow your train of thought?”

Your Child Doesn’t Know What They Want to Do. Good.Not knowing what you want to study or which career you want to pursue...
08/03/2026

Your Child Doesn’t Know What They Want to Do. Good.

Not knowing what you want to study or which career you want to pursue at 17 does not put you behind. Colleges are not looking for students with their entire future mapped out. They are looking for curious, thoughtful applicants who can speak honestly about what interests them now. Instead of forcing a polished career narrative, focus on the subjects, activities, and experiences that genuinely engage your student....

Not knowing what you want to study or which career you want to pursue at 17 does not put you behind. Colleges are not looking for students with their entire future mapped out. They are looking for…

“But What’s the ROI?” – Why That Question Misses the PointI hear some version of this question regularly, usually from a...
06/28/2026

“But What’s the ROI?” – Why That Question Misses the Point

I hear some version of this question regularly, usually from a parent who has done their homework: "We've run the numbers. A private university just can't match the return on investment of our state school. The tuition is three times higher, and the degree gets you to the same place."...

I hear some version of this question regularly, usually from a parent who has done their homework: “We’ve run the numbers. A private university just can’t match the return on inv…

The Passion Project, RevisitedA remarkable extracurricular project can't rescue a weak academic record — and admission o...
06/11/2026

The Passion Project, Revisited

A remarkable extracurricular project can't rescue a weak academic record — and admission officers know the difference. What actually stands out isn't the most spectacular-looking achievement, but a profile with an internal logic: one where the student's choices feel like a natural extension of who they genuinely are....

A remarkable extracurricular project can’t rescue a weak academic record — and admission officers know the difference. What actually stands out isn’t the most spectacular-looking achie…

The Hidden Gem You Thought Didn’t Belong on Your Activity ListHere's the puzzle: Many students have a genuinely unusual ...
05/22/2026

The Hidden Gem You Thought Didn’t Belong on Your Activity List

Here's the puzzle: Many students have a genuinely unusual interest, a quirky pursuit, or a hobby that sets them apart, and they don’t realize they should include it on their resumes. Or they actively work to keep it off their applications. ...

Here’s the puzzle: Many students have a genuinely unusual interest, a quirky pursuit, or a hobby that sets them apart, and they don’t realize they should include it on their resumes. Or they…

Building Meaningful Momentum So Your Extracurriculars ShineYou've Started. Now What? What if you’re the student who's be...
04/28/2026

Building Meaningful Momentum So Your Extracurriculars Shine

You've Started. Now What? What if you’re the student who's been playing soccer since middle school, or has been in the school orchestra for three years, or holds a part-time job and genuinely enjoys it? Then you aren't frozen. You have momentum. And that's genuinely good news!...

You’ve Started. Now What? What if you’re the student who’s been playing soccer since middle school, or has been in the school orchestra for three years, or holds a part-time job and ge…

Do. Or Do Not. There Is No Try.The hard truth is that no counselor, not even one with decades of experience, can manufac...
04/07/2026

Do. Or Do Not. There Is No Try.

The hard truth is that no counselor, not even one with decades of experience, can manufacture a compelling extracurricular story in the final stretch of high school....

The hard truth is that no counselor, not even one with decades of experience, can manufacture a compelling extracurricular story in the final stretch of high school.

Why Strong Extracurriculars Sometimes Don’t Tell Your StoryHow and why do some applications, despite the extraordinary i...
03/10/2026

Why Strong Extracurriculars Sometimes Don’t Tell Your Story

How and why do some applications, despite the extraordinary information included in them, not tell a story? Consider two examples for what I mean by "doesn't tell a story":...

How and why do some applications, despite the extraordinary information included in them, not tell a story? Consider two examples for what I mean by “doesn’t tell a story”:

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