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Sara Harberson

Sara Harberson is the founder of Application Nation™, which provides personalized advice to college applicants and their families. In her book, SOUNDBITE: The Admissions Secret that Gets You Into College and Beyond, Sara reveals the secrets of her signature college admissions tool, the "Soundbite," and shares tried-and-tested exercises that have helped thousands of students gain admission to their school of choice. She is the former associate dean of admissions at the University of Pennsylvania and the former dean of admissions and financial aid at Franklin & Marshall College. Sara’s philosophy is that every kid applying to college deserves the best advice.
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Recent Posts

Mind Your P's and Diversity "Cues"

I started dating my husband 31 years ago as a freshman in college. When he first met me he would[...]

5 Pieces of Advice I Would Give My Younger Self

Yesterday, I turned 50. For most of the morning, I sat on the tarmac waiting for our plane to get[...]

Why I Love Small Liberal Arts Colleges

Sometimes I mention them. Sometimes I can just tell the family will turn their nose up so I just[...]

Facebook Live Recap: Ask America's College Counselor (1.27.25)

For my January Facebook Live Q&A, I answered questions from high school students and parents from[...]

5 High School Classes Highly Selective Colleges Expect You to Take

My job is to identify trends in college admissions. Like how the large, Southern, public[...]

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