When parents of STEM-focused students think about the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, they often dismiss it. "My child is a math and coding kid," they say. "They aren't going to write a novel or a poem." This is the single biggest misconception in college admissions today. The Scholastic Writing Competition is not just for future novelists. In fact, it is arguably the most powerful differentiator a STEM student can have on their college application. At Veritas Education, we look at...

At graduation ceremonies across the country, speakers are telling students they must master AI to survive. But at Harvard University’s Class Day, comedian and Daily Show host Ronny Chieng took the microphone and gave the exact opposite advice. He looked out at the graduating Class of 2026 and declared: “The mission of your generation is to destroy AI. Kill it.”

For high-achieving parents—especially those of us with analytical, tech, or STEM backgrounds—the road to college admissions can feel like an optimization problem. We naturally want to build the perfect inputs to ensure the best possible output: Top GPA + Perfect SAT + Extracurriculars = Elite University Acceptance. But according to Julie Lythcott-Haims, the former Dean of Freshmen at Stanford University and author of the bestselling book How to Raise an Adult, this approach can backfire.