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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

No Plans This Summer? Consider Creating a Homegrown Project

A number of students had their summer plans fall through at the last minute. Whether it was a job,[...]

Does Taking a Gap Year Give You an Edge?

It took a pandemic for the traditional gap year to finally become a household name.

For decades,[...]

My Secret Strategy for Getting the Best Letters of Recommendation

One of my favorite sayings to my Application Nation students is "layer, don't hammer." This refers[...]

Facebook Live Recap: Ask America's College Counselor (5.18.22)

This month's session of Ask America's College Counselor included many excellent questions from[...]

Need a Plan This Summer? Here Are Some Ideas

There's nothing wrong with getting a traditional summer job. I bussed tables, worked at a[...]