4 Reasons Why a College Should Require Either the SAT or the ACT!

Students engaged in classroom activities.

The test-optional movement is alive and well. On October 28, 2015, the New York Times published an article entitled “Test Optional Surge.” The article said the following: For those who argue that the SAT and ACT should be dropped as criteria for college admission, this has been an affirming year. Forty-seven colleges and universities have […]

Private student loans are very dangerous. Buyer beware!

Warning sign about student loans

There was a time when it was very easy for me to convince people of the danger of private student loans. I would tell families that private student loans almost always require co-signers and usually that was enough to scare them away. If that didn’t work, I could point out that private student loans are […]

Why you don’t want to apply to too many colleges

Feeling overwhelmed by academic pressures.

Last month I received a call from a college counselor in New York. Five minutes into the call, he said, “My kids are hearing at school that they should apply to 30 colleges. What do you think?” We are caught in a revolving, pernicious cycle and there is no end in sight. Here is how […]

Are you getting $2500 back on your taxes for having a kid in college?

Stacks of hundred dollar bills

If you currently have a kid in college, or if you have had a kid in college for the last three years, you should be getting/or have been getting between $1000-$2500 per kid refunded back to you. This article uses questions and answers from an IRS document to answer the most frequently asked questions students […]

Four ways to take the stress out of the college admissions process

Student expressing overwhelming stress and frustration.

Students face incredible stress going through the college process. Their very self-worth is at stake. This article shows four things students and parents can do to diminish the stress and make the college process fun One of the biggest problems I encounter in my coaching practice is unduly stressed out-students who see their college acceptances […]

Your college major doesn’t matter as much as most people think it does

Business presentation with charts and graphs.

Parents and students are often surprised to find out that a college major is not as important as they think it is when it comes to getting a desired job. This article debunks this myth with evidence and it also points out just what it is that employers are looking for when they hire students […]

A secret admissions tip that less than 1 in 100 people know about

Students and parents know that test scores, grades, course rigor, teacher recommendations, and essays are factors that colleges use to determine which students they will accept, wait list, or deny. A smaller group of student and parents know that colleges use demonstrated interest, aka DI, another criterion they factor in to who they admit. Demonstrated […]

Mark Stucker Photo

Mark Stucker

Founder
mark@schoomatch4u.com

Mark Stucker has 25 years of full-time experience in college and boarding school admissions, and in college counseling. He’s worked with private day, boarding, charter, and public-school students, as well as private clients.

He is extremely passionate about finding the right college for every student and
ensuring that the college selected is affordable for the family.

Career Highlights

  • Worked at the Phillips School doing college admission, 1991
  • Director of Annual Giving, Westtown School, 2001-2002
  • Adjunct College counselor for students at the Westtown School, 2003–2009
  • Associate Director of Admissions at Westtown School, 2002–2009
  • Chair of the admissions committee at Westtown School for five years, 2004–2009
  • Traveled nationally/ internationally to recruit students at fairs, through school visits, and receptions.
  • KIPP Metro Atlanta high school and college placement counselor, 2009–2023
  • Oversaw the college counseling program for four schools by serving as the Director of College Counseling for Alumni at KIPP Metro Atlanta. Placed about 70 kids in college per year in this role from 2019-2023
  • Founded college placement educational consulting company, School Match 4U, 2010
  • Served as a Go To College NYC board member
  • Worked with over 2000 students, in all 50 states through college and boarding school admissions, high school placement, college admissions, and college placement
  • Author of the book: “171 Answers”: To The Most-Asked College Admissions Questions
  • Founder, Co-Host and Producer of the Your College-Bound Kid podcast, the most listened to college admissions podcast according to Apple in the
    “Education for Kids” Category, 2018-Present
  • Traveled to visit over 350 colleges
  • Member of IECA, SACAC and NACAC
  • Graduate of the Harvard Summer Institute for College Admissions and the Stanford Counselor outreach certificate program

 

Personal Life: Married for 35 years, Anitra and I are parents of two, our oldest is a Davidson College grad who owns a Spanish and Math tutoring company, and our youngest daughter is a graduate of the University of Georgia (BA) and North Carolina State (MA) and she is a Wellness coach at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill at the Kenan-Flagler Business School

Hobbies include: golf, gardening, reading, travel, watching basketball, football,
track and golf, politics, eating various ethnic cuisines

Questions about our services, our team or our availability for speaking engagements? Feel free to contact him here.

Mark Stucker (mark@schoolmatch4u.com) has 25 years of full-time experience in college and boarding school admissions, and in college counseling. He’s worked with private day, boarding, charter, and public-school students, as well as private clients. He is extremely passionate about finding the right college for every student and ensuring that the college selected is affordable for the family.

Career Highlights

  • Worked at the Phillips School doing college admission, 1991
  • Director of Annual Giving, Westtown School, 2001-2002
  • Adjunct College counselor for students at the Westtown School, 2003 – 2009
  • Associate Director of Admissions at Westtown School, 2002 – 2009
  • Chair of the admissions committee at Westtown School for five years, 2004 –
    2009
  • Traveled nationally/ internationally to recruit students at fairs, through school
    visits, and receptions.
  • KIPP Metro Atlanta high school and college placement counselor, 2009 –
    2023
  • Oversaw the college counseling program for four schools by serving as the
    Director of College Counseling for Alumni at KIPP Metro Atlanta. Placed about
    70 kids in college per year in this role from 2019-2023
  • Founded college placement educational consulting company, School Match
    4U, 2010
  • Served as a Go To College NYC board member
  • Worked with over 2000 students, in all 50 states through college and boarding
    school admissions, high school placement, college admissions, and college
    placement
  • Author of the book: “171 Answers”: To The Most-Asked College Admissions Questions
  • Founder, Co-Host and Producer of the Your College-Bound Kid podcast, the most listened to college admissions podcast according to Apple in the “Education for Kids” Category, 2018-Present
  • Traveled to visit over 350 colleges
  • Member of IECA, SACAC and NACAC
  • Graduate of the Harvard Summer Institute for College Admissions and the Stanford Counselor outreach certificate program
  • Married for 35 years, Anitra and I are parents of two, our oldest is a Davidson College grad who owns a Spanish and Math tutoring company, and our youngest daughter is a graduate of the University of Georgia (BA) and North Carolina State (MA) and she is a Wellness coach at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill at the Kenan-Flagler Business School
  • Hobbies include golf, gardening, reading, travel, watching basketball, football, track and golf, politics, eating various ethnic cuisines