Christine Sarikas

Christine scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She graduated summa cum laude from Michigan State University's Honors College with degrees in Plant Biology and Geography and received her Master's in Public Policy from Duke University. Christine has over ten years of experience in education and teaching.
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Recent Posts

3 Writing Tips for the University of Florida Essay Prompts

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Posted by Christine Sarikas | October 9, 2022

College Essays

Are you applying to the University of Florida? You'll need to answer some essay prompts as part of your application.  Read this guide to learn what the University of Florida essay prompts are, what admissions officers are looking for in your response, what you should include and avoid in your answers, and what strong UF college essay examples look like.

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The 7 UChicago 2024-2025 Essay Prompts: How to Write Stellar Responses

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Posted by Christine Sarikas | October 9, 2022

College Essays

The University of Chicago is famous for its unique essay topics. They're some of the most creative and off-the-wall essay prompts you'll see when applying to colleges, and it can sometimes be confusing to know how to tackle them.

What should you write about in your UChicago essays? How can you show that you're intelligent, creative, and worthy of a place at their school? As someone who spent a long time on my UChicago essays (and who got accepted into the school), I've figured out exactly what UChicago is looking for in these essays.

 Read on to learn all about the UChicago essays, what the admissions team expects to see in your responses, what topics you should write about, and which topics you should avoid. In this guide, we also suggest sample essay ideas for each of the 2024/2025 UChicago supplement essay prompts and analyze past University of Chicago essay samples so you can see what a great UChicago essay looks like.

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4 Top Tips to Write a Stellar Syracuse Essay

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Posted by Christine Sarikas | September 23, 2022

College Essays

Getting admitted to Syracuse has only gotten tougher in recent years, and its current acceptance rate is about 59%. You'll need a strong application to get admitted, and that includes your essays.

You'll need to write one supplemental essay as part of your Syracuse application, and we're here to guide you through every step of the process. Read this guide to learn what the essay prompts are, what the admissions team is really looking for in your responses, what you can write about (and what to avoid), and what strong examples of Syracuse essays look like.

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What's a Good PSAT Score for 2022?

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Posted by Christine Sarikas | September 20, 2022

PSAT Info and Strategies

Are you planning on taking the 2022 PSAT and wondering what score to aim for or what a "good" PSAT score is? Have you received your score report but can't make sense of all the information it includes? We're here to help!

Read on to learn everything you need to know about 2022 PSAT scores, including what a good score is, what score you'll need to meet National Merit cutoffs, and what PSAT score you'll need to impress colleges.

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What's Brown PLME? Acceptance Rate, Requirements, and How to Get In

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Posted by Christine Sarikas | September 20, 2022

College Admissions, College Info

Have you heard of the Brown University PLME program and want to learn more about it? As the only BS/MD program in the Ivy League, the PLME program can be a great way to attend excellent schools for both undergrad and med school without worrying about med school applications down the line.

However, the Brown PLME program is quite unique in its academic requirements (or, rather, lack of requirements), and it's definitely not the best choice for everyone. How can you know if it's right for you?

Read this guide for everything you need to know about the PLME program, including what it is, the Brown PLME acceptance rate, the questions to ask yourself before applying, and what your application needs to shine.

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7 Steps to a Successful MIT Application

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Posted by Christine Sarikas | September 18, 2022

College Admissions, College Info

In 2021/2022, MIT admitted only 3.96% of students who applied to the school. With such a low admissions rate, it may seem like getting accepted is close to impossible, but we're here to help!

In this guide, we'll explain everything you need to know to complete the MIT application, including when every important MIT application deadline is, what exactly you need to submit with your application, what admissions officers are really looking for when they review your application, and how you can make each part of your MIT application stand out from the pack.

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Why Duke Essay: 4 Tips for a Great Essay

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Posted by Christine Sarikas | September 18, 2022

College Essays

Are you hoping to become a Blue Devil? The Why Duke essay is a small but important part of your Duke application. This is the place where you explain exactly why you love Duke so much. However, there are thousands of students who want to attend Duke, and only a small percentage of them get in. What can you do to make sure your Why Duke essay sets you apart and helps you get accepted?

Keep reading to learn what the Why Duke essay prompts are, exactly what Duke is looking for when they read them, and what you should write about to convince Duke you'd be an asset to their school. We also include a Why Duke essay example so you can see what an actual essay response looks like.

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Which Colleges Don't Require SAT/ACT Scores for 2024-2025 Admissions?

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Posted by Christine Sarikas | August 28, 2022

College Admissions

The coronavirus has had a massive impact on colleges, and that includes college admissions. The result? Hundreds of colleges have dropped their SAT and ACT test requirements, and many schools have kept those test-optional policies into 2024-2025. 

Which schools have cancelled exams? Will they reinstate these test requirements next year? If you're able to take a test, should you still submit your scores? This guide covers all those questions.

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7 Steps to a Successful Georgetown Application

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Posted by Christine Sarikas | August 26, 2022

College Admissions

Georgetown University is one of the most selective universities in the country, but understanding the application and what Georgetown admissions officers are looking for when they review your application can give you a serious leg up over the rest of the competition.

In this guide, we go over everything you need to know about the Georgetown University application, including what you need to submit, every Georgetown application deadline, what admissions officers are looking for when they review applications, and how you can make each key part of your application stand out from the pack.

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14 Summer Engineering Internships for High School Students

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Posted by Christine Sarikas | August 3, 2022

Extracurriculars

Want to be an engineering major in college? A great way to set yourself up for success before you even begin your freshman year is to do an engineering internship or camp as a high school student. However, summer engineering internships for high school students can be tough to find. That's where we come in! We've compiled a list of the 14 best engineering opportunities for high schoolers, including some that pay you to participate!

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12 Summer Business Programs for High School Students

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Posted by Christine Sarikas | August 1, 2022

Extracurriculars

Considering majoring in business once you start college? Having some relevant knowledge and skills before you even graduate high school is a great way to set yourself up for success, and one of the best ways to get hands-on experience is through an internship or summer course. However, summer business programs for high school students that are both high-quality and affordable can be hard to find. That's where we come in! We've compiled a list of the 12 best business opportunities for high schoolers, including free summer business programs for high school students, so that you can begin college with excellent experience.

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15 Computer Science Internships for High School Students

Considering majoring in computer science or pursuing a computer science career? Having some relevant knowledge and skills before you even graduate high school is a great way to set yourself up for success, and one of the best ways to get hands-on experience is through an internship. However, computer science internships for high school students, as well as high-quality summer programs, can be hard to find. That's where we come in! We've compiled a list of the 15 best high school computer science internships and courses for high school students so you can start college on a strong footing.

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Can You Reapply to a College After Getting Rejected?

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Posted by Christine Sarikas | July 28, 2022

College Admissions

You've been denied admission to your dream college, but is there still hope? Can you reapply to a college after getting rejected? The short answer is, yes! You can reapply to the vast majority of colleges; however, it's often not your best option. In this article, we walk you through what your choices are and how you can make the right one for you.

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10 Stellar Fashion Internships for High School Students

Are you a high school student interested in pursuing a career in fashion? One of the best ways to stand out in the college admissions process and give yourself the best shot at getting into your top fashion program is to do an internship or take a fashion-related course. However, it can be difficult to know what your options are and which opportunity you should pursue. Also, once you have this great experience under your belt, how can you be sure to impress colleges with it? We go over everything you need to know in this guide, including ten great fashion internships for high school students.

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What Is the Research Science Institute? How Do You Get In?

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Posted by Christine Sarikas | June 28, 2022

Extracurriculars

Interested in learning more about Research Science Institute? Maybe you've heard that the RSI Summer Program is the most competitive science research program for high school students in the US, and attending it is one of the best ways to get the attention of top-tier colleges. But what is the Research Science Institute, and what do participants do there? And how can you be one of the lucky few who get accepted? This guide will answer all those questions and give you tips on how to create a standout RSI application.

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