frequent communion is the roman catholic practice of receiving the eucharist frequently , as opposed to the usual medieval practice of receiving it once or a few times a year , by going to mass on sundays .

pope pius x pushed for the practice of frequent communion , relaxing restrictions on reception for the sick and children .

frequent communion

, a special triduum for the purpose of exhorting the people to practise frequent communion . in
, advocated , and in many instances brought about , a return to frequent reception . the
9 . finally , after the publication of this decree , all ecclesiastical writers are to cease from contentious controversy concerning the dispositions requisite for frequent and daily communion .
aye , but there’s the rub . all the historically significant spiritual writers who advocate frequent communion – one only has to think of the great st francis de sales in the late 16th and early 17th century – also stress the necessity for frequent confession and serious preparation .
5 . that the practice of frequent and daily communion may be carried out with greater prudence and more fruitful merit , the confessor ' s advice should be asked . confessors , however , must take care not to dissuade anyone from frequent or daily communion , provided he is found to be in a state of grace and approaches with a right intention .
of the congregation of the council
sacra tridentina synodus
( 20 dec . , 1905 ) . ( 1 )
frequent and daily communion . . . should be open to all the
to adopt the practice of daily or frequent communion . by a singular favour , all confessors inscribed in this league are urged to exhort their penitents to receive daily , or almost daily , to obtain a plenary
, the ordinary daily food and drink of his hearers , would point , to the frequent and even daily reception of the sacrament . the
to go to confession every week , every fortnight , or every month ; even less frequent recurrence will do . no definite interval is given .
113 . translator’s note : see st . symeon of thessaloniki , de ordine sepulturae , ch . 360 , concerning the good of frequent communion , especially its benefits at the hour of death ( pg 155 , 672b—673a ) .
and sprinkler , and communion - card . it only remains to say that the form used in giving communion in private houses should be the usual one , the
which brings us back to the source and summit of any effort to catechise and re - evangelise : the eucharist . it is perhaps worth re - reading the words of the council of trent regarding the frequent reception of holy communion :
do you see , my beloved brother , how many wonderful charismata you receive if you frequently commune ? do you see that with frequent communion the intellect is illumined , the mind is made to shine , and all of the powers of the soul are purified ? if you also desire to kill the passions of the flesh , go to communion frequently and you will succeed . cyril of alexandria confirms this for us : “receive holy communion believing that it liberates us not only from death , but also from every illness . and this is because , when christ dwells within us through frequent communion , he pacifies and calms the fierce war of the flesh , ignites piety toward god , and deadens the passions . ” [ 100 ]
the eucharist is the very medicine that god designed for this transformation . our response should be one of humble submission to this invitation to commune with the very god who created us . holy communion is meant to be the very agent that changes us , making us whole . the holy mysteries give us life . frequent confession and communion are the means we have for change .
the congregation of the council ( 1587 ) forbade any general restriction , and ordered that no one should be repelled from the sacred banquet , even if he approached daily . in 1643 , arnauld ' s
frequent communion
appeared , in which he required , for worthy reception , severe
the frequent reception of our lord in the eucharist is a pious practice which should be widely recommended . for anybody aspiring to be a saint in the modern world it is nigh - on a necessity .
,
the holy communion
( dublin ) part iii , chap . i ] . various reformers ,
many obtain a variety of virtues on their own , thinking that they can be saved by these without frequent communion , which is however fundamentally impossible . for they do not want to be obedient to the will of god and commune frequently , according to the norm of the church , when they come together at every festive liturgy .
expressed a wish
that at each mass the faithful who are present , should communicate
( sess . xxii , chap . vi ) . and the catechism of the council says :
let not the faithful deem it enough to receive the body of the lord once a year only ; but let them judge that communion ought to be more frequent ; but whether it be more expedient that it should be monthly , weekly , or daily , can be decided by no fixed universal rule
( pt . ii , c . iv , n . 58 ) . as might be expected , the disciples of st . ignatius and st . philip carried on the work of advocating frequent communion . with the revival of this practice came the renewal of the discussion as to the advisability of daily communion . while all in theory admitted that daily reception was
thus the problems that are sometimes associated with frequent communion – laxity and irreverence – must be resolved not at the altar rails but in the confessional box . it is there that we should suitably prepare ourselves to receive jesus christ in the eucharist . as st paul warns the church of corinth : “for he that eats and drinks unworthily , eats and drinks damnation to himself . ”
1 . frequent and daily communion , as a practice most earnestly desired by christ our lord and by the catholic church , should be open to all the faithful , of whatever rank and condition of life ; so that no one who is in the state of grace , and who approaches the holy table with a right and devout intention ( recta piaque mente ) can be prohibited therefrom .
however , without the other virtues , one cannot acquire peace . and virtue cannot be achieved without keeping the commandments . and no commandment is perfected without love , and love is not renewed without divine communion . wherefore , without divine communion , we labor in vain .
1 . the age of discretion , both for confession and for holy communion , is the time when a child begins to reason , that is about the seventh year , more or less . from that time on begins the obligation of fulfilling the precept of both confession and communion .
the
prayer for the diffusion of the pious custom of daily communion
, which was published and distributed on the last day of the congress .
this natural power to love god is strengthened , augmented , and perfected by the frequent communion of the body and blood of our lord . for this reason st . cyprian writes that , when the martyrs were preparing to go off to their martyrdoms , they first partook of the immaculate mysteries , and being thus strengthened by holy communion were set aflame with the love for god and went off to the stadium like lambs to the slaughter . and in return for the body and blood of christ which they received , they shed their own blood and gave their body over to various tortures .
, by our righteous god - bearing father nikodemos the hagiorite , trans . by fr . george dokos ( thessaloniki , greece : 2006 , uncut mountain press ) , pp . 104 - 122 . the full subtitle of the book reads :
including a thorough explanation of the lord ' s prayer , an apology for frequent communion , answers to objections and clarifications of misconceptions , and two appendices on the divine eucharist .
see also
on the other hand , there were not wanting men endowed with learning and piety who offered an easier approach to this practice , so salutary and so pleasing to god . they taught , with the authority of the fathers , that there is no precept of the church which prescribes more perfect dispositions in the case of daily than of weekly or monthly communion ; while the fruits of daily communion will be far more abundant than those of communion received weekly or monthly .
7 . frequent and daily communion is to be promoted especially in religious institutes of all kinds ; with regard to which , however , the decree quemadmodum issued on december 17 , 1890 , by the sacred congregation of bishops and regulars , is to remain in force . it is to be promoted especially in ecclesiastical seminaries , where students are preparing for the service of the altar ; as also in all christian establishments which in any way provide for the care of the young ( ephebeis ) .
the sick who desire to receive communion out of mere devotion were hitherto bound to receive it before tasting any food or drink . even those who had to fulfil their paschal
( tit . iv , c . iv ) prescribes , in detail , all the ceremonies to be observed when communion is given to the sick . the manner of carrying the
4 . the obligation of the precept of confession and communion which binds the child particularly affects those who have him in charge , namely , parents , confessor , teachers and the pastor . it belongs to the father , or the person taking his place , and to the confessor , according to the roman catechism , to admit a child to his first communion .
thus , without frequent communion we cannot be freed from the passions and ascend to the heights of dispassion ; just as the israelites , if they had not eaten the passover in egypt , would not have been able to be freed . for “egypt” means an impassioned life , and if we do not frequently receive the precious body and blood of our lord ( every day if it be possible ) , we will not be able to be freed from the noetic pharaonians ( that is , the passions and the demons ) . according to cyril of alexandria ,
is there any other good thing , o christian , that you desire to have , which frequent communion cannot give you ? do you desire to rejoice every day ? do you wish to celebrate brilliant pascha whenever you like and to exult with unspeakable joy during this sorrowful life ? run frequently to the mysteries and partake of them with the proper preparation and you will enjoy such things . for the true pascha and the true festival of the soul is christ , who is sacrificed in the mysteries as the apostle says , [ 106 ] and as the divine chrysostom likewise says :
3 . the knowledge of religion which is required in a child in order to be properly prepared to receive first communion is such that he will understand according to his capacity those mysteries of faith which are necessary as a means of salvation ( necessitate medii ) and that he can distinguish between the bread of the eucharist and ordinary , material bread , and thus he may receive holy communion with a devotion becoming his years .
, and , with the spread of devotion to the sacred heart , it gradually became once more the rule . difficulty , however , was raised regarding daily communion . this practice , too , was warmly recommended by
2 . a full and perfect knowledge of christian doctrine is not necessary either for first confession or for first communion . afterwards , however , the child will be obliged to learn gradually the entire catechism according to his ability .
the saintly pius anticipated the cultural tumult of the modern age and the necessity for survival of being close to jesus christ in the eucharist . hence he also lowered the age at which young people would make their first holy communion .
while confession and fulfilling one’s ascetical rule is able to forgive sins , divine communion is also necessary . one first removes the worms from a fetid wound , then cuts away the rotten skin , and finally applies ointment to it so that it may heal—for if it is left untreated , it reverts to its former condition—and the same is true in the case of sin . confession removes the worms , fulfilling one’s rule cuts away the dead skin , and divine communion heals it as an ointment . for if divine communion is not also applied , the poor sinner reverts to his former condition , “and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first” ( mt . 12 : 45 ) .
6 . but since it is plain that by the frequent or daily reception of the holy eucharist union with christ is strengthened , the spiritual life more abundantly sustained , the soul more richly endowed with virtues , and the pledge of everlasting happiness more securely bestowed on the recipient , therefore , parish priests , confessors and preachers , according to the approved teaching of the roman catechism should exhort the faithful frequently and with great zeal to this devout and salutary practice .
the poison of jansenism , however , which , under the pretext of showing due honor and reverence to the eucharist , had infected the minds even of good men , was by no means a thing of the past . the question as to the dispositions for the proper and licit reception of holy communion survived the declarations of the holy see , and it was a fact that certain theologians of good repute were of the opinion that daily communion could be permitted to the faithful only rarely and subject to many conditions .
, nevertheless , produce a great effect in proportion as the dispositions of the recipient are better , therefore , one should take care that holy communion be preceded by careful preparation , and followed by an appropriate thanksgiving , according to each one ' s strength , circumstances and duties .
for great lent occurs but once a year . but we celebrate pascha ( that is , we receive communion ) three times a week or even four . or , to say it better , as often as we like . for pascha does not consist of fasting , but of the offering and sacrifice which takes place during the daily gathering . and as testimony that this is true , listen to paul , who says : “christ our passover [ pascha ] is sacrificed for us” ( 1 cor . 5 : 7 ) . . . . therefore , as often as you partake of communion with a pure conscience , you celebrate pascha ; not when you fast , but when you partake of that sacrifice . . . . the catechumen never celebrates pascha , even though he may fast every year during lent , because he does not commune in the offering . so then , even the person who did not fast , if he approaches with a pure conscience , celebrates pascha , be it today , tomorrow , or any time he partakes of communion . for good and proper preparation for communion is not judged by lengths of time , but by a pure conscience . [ 107 ]
the abuses which we are condemning are due to the fact that they who distinguished one age of discretion for penance and another for the eucharist did so in error . the lateran council required one and the same age for reception of either sacrament when it imposed the one obligation of confession and communion .
the same is the teachings of st . antoninus , who wrote : “but when a child is capable of doing wrong , that is of committing a mortal sin , then he is bound by the precept of confession and consequently of communion . ” the council of trent also forces us to the same conclusion when it declares : “children who have not attained the use of reason are not by any necessity bound to sacramental communion of the eucharist . ” it assigns as the only reason the fact that they cannot commit sin : “they cannot at that age lose the grace of the sons of god already acquired . ”
after one receives communion , he thinks about the dread and heavenly mysteries of which he partook , and so he takes heed to himself so as not to dishonor that grace . he fears his thoughts [ logismoi ] , shrinks away from them , and protects himself from them . he begins a more correct and virtuous life , and , as much as is possible , abstains from every evil . when he begins to think about the fact that he will be receiving communion again in just a few days , he doubles his efforts to watch over himself . he adds zeal to zeal , self - control to self - control , vigilance to vigilance , labors upon labors , and he struggles as much as possible . this is because he is pressed on two sides : on one side , because just a short while ago he received communion , and on the other , because he will receive again in just a short while .
no less worthy of condemnation is that practice which prevails in many places prohibiting from sacramental confession children who have not yet made their first holy communion , or of not giving them absolution . thus it happens that they , perhaps having fallen into serious sin , remain in that very dangerous state for a long time .
when a christian partakes of communion , who can comprehend the gifts and the charismata he receives ? or how can our inept tongue enumerate them ? for this reason , let us again bring forward one by one the sacred teachers of the church to tell us about these gifts , with their eloquent and god - inspired mouths .
infants , however , not only at the time of baptism , but also frequently thereafter were admitted to the sacred repast . in some churches it was the custom to give the eucharist to the children immediately after the clergy ; in others , the small fragments which remained after the communion of the adults were given to the children .
but worse still is the practice in certain places which prohibits children who have not yet made their first communion from being fortified by the holy viaticum , even when they are in imminent danger of death ; and thus , when they die they are buried with the rites due to infants and are deprived of the prayers of the church .
some , however , went over to the opposite view . they held that daily communion was prescribed by divine law and that no day should pass without communicating , and besides other practices not in accord with the approved usage of the church , they determined that the eucharist must be received even on good friday and in fact so administered it .
desires , not only of all who are stricken with a dangerous sickness and require strength to prepare them for the final struggle , but also of those who may wish to comply with the paschal precept and cannot do so in church , and , in fine , of everyone who hungers after this life - giving bread even from mere devotion . when communion is administered to
5 . the pastor should announce and hold a general communion of the children once a year or more often , and he should on these occasions admit not only the first communicants but also others who have already approached the holy table with the above - mentioned consent of their parents or confessor . some days of instruction and preparation should be previously given to both classes of children .
therefore , the age of discretion for confession is the time when one can distinguish between right and wrong , that is , when one arrives at a certain use of reason , and so similarly , for holy communion is required the age when one can distinguish between the bread of the holy eucharist and ordinary bread - again the age at which a child attains the use of reason .
such is the injury caused by those who insist on extraordinary preparations for first communion , beyond what is reasonable ; and they doubtless do not realize that such precautions proceed from the errors of the jansenists who contended that the most holy eucharist is a reward rather than a remedy for human frailty . the council of trent , indeed , teaches otherwise when it calls the eucharist , “an antidote whereby we may be freed from daily faults and be preserved from mortal sins . ” this doctrine was not long ago strongly emphasized by a decree of the sacred congregation of the council given on december 20 , 1905 . it declared that daily approach to communion is open to all , old and young , and two conditions only are required : the state of grace and a right intention .
the will of god in this respect was well understood by the first christians ; and they daily hastened to this table of life and strength . they continued steadfastly in the teaching of the apostles and in the communion of the breaking of the bread . the holy fathers and writers of the church testify that this practice was continued into later ages and not without great increase of holiness and perfection .
wherefore , my beloved , if you desire to ignite in your heart divine eros and to acquire love for christ , and with this love to acquire all the rest of the virtues , go regularly to holy communion . for it is impossible that someone will not love christ , and be loved by christ , when he frequently partakes of his holy body and blood . this is something natural , as we shall see .
, provided ( 1 ) that they have been sick for a month ; ( 2 ) that they have medical testimony as to their inability to fast ; ( 3 ) that there is no certain hope of a speedy recovery ; and ( 4 ) that only liquid food is taken . when these specified conditions are present communion may be given once or twice a week to those who live in houses where mass is celebrated daily , as in
the same divine cyril says in another place that , through communion , we are cleansed from every impurity of soul and receive eagerness and fervor to do good : “the precious blood of christ not only frees us from every corruption , but it also cleanses us from every impurity lying hidden within us , and it does not allow us to grow cold on account of sloth , but rather makes us fervent in the spirit . ” [ 97 ]
3 . although it is especially fitting that those who receive communion frequently or daily should be free from venial sins , at least from such as are fully deliberate , and from any affection thereto , nevertheless , it is sufficient that they be free from mortal sin , with the purpose of never sinning in the future ; and if they have this sincere purpose , it is impossible by that daily communicants should gradually free themselves even from venial sins , and from all affection thereto .
therefore , as many as fast for pascha , but do not commune , do not celebrate pascha , as the divine father just told us . and as many as are not prepared to receive the body and blood of our lord cannot truly celebrate sundays or the other feasts of the year , because they do not possess the cause and occasion for the feast , which is the most - sweet jesus christ , and they do not possess the spiritual joy that divine communion brings .
the council of trent , in no way condemning the ancient practice of administering the eucharist to children before they had attained the use of reason , confirmed the decree of the lateran council and declared anathema those who held otherwise : “if anyone denies that each and all christians of both sexes are bound , when they have attained the years of discretion , to receive communion every year at least at easter , in accordance with the precept of holy mother church , let him be anathema . ”
after careful deliberation on all these points , this sacred congregation of the discipline of the sacraments , in a general meeting held on july 15 , 1910 , in order to remove the above - mentioned abuses and to bring about that children even from their tender years may be united to jesus christ , may live his life , and obtain protection from all danger of corruption , has deemed it needful to prescribe the following rules which are to be observed everywhere for the first communion of children .
6 . those who have charge of the children should zealously see to it that after their first communion these children frequently approach the holy table , even daily if possible , as jesus christ and mother church desire , and let this be done with a devotion becoming their age . they must also bear in mind that very grave duty which obliged them to have the children attend the public catechism classes ; if this is not done , then they must supply religious instruction in some other way .
those who do not receive communion frequently suffer totally opposite things , because they are not sealed with the precious blood of our lord , as the same gregory the theologian says : “then the lamb is slain , and with the precious blood are sealed action and reason , that is , habit and mental activity , the sideposts of our doors . i mean , of course , by ‘doors , ’ the movements and notions of the intellect , which are opened and closed correctly through spiritual vision . ” [ 95 ]
father bless , i have heard that there are sins that are repented of in confession , but due to the nature of the sin , the church through the priest does not allow communion for a period of time . am i speaking correctly ? if i am , then i have never understood this practice . i would think that after a serious sin that was repented of and then forgiven , that would be the time that one would need the healing and transforming power of the body and blood of christ the most .
8 . in the case of religious institutes , whether of solemn or simple vows , in whose rules , or constitutions , or calendars , communion is assigned to certain fixed days , such regulations are to be considered as directive and not preceptive . the prescribed number of communions should be regarded as a minimum but not a limit to the devotion of the religious . therefore , access to the eucharistic table , whether it be rather frequently or daily , must always be freely open to them according to the norms above laid down in this decree .
so , my brother , because you do not know when death will come , whether today , or tomorrow , or this very hour , you must always be communed of the immaculate mysteries in order to be found ready . and if it is the will of god that you continue to live this present life , you will live a life , by the grace of holy communion , full of joy , full of peace , and full of love , accompanied by all of the other virtues . but , if it is the will of god that you die , on account of holy communion you will pass freely through the tollhouses of the demons that are found in the air , and you will dwell with inexpressible joy in the eternal mansions . [ 112 ] for since you are always united to our sweet jesus christ , the almighty king , you will live a blessed life here ; and , when you die , the demons will flee from you like lightning and the angels will open the heavenly entrance for you and usher you in procession to the throne of the blessed trinity . [ 113 ]
from all this it is clear that the age of discretion for receiving holy communion is that at which the child knows the difference between the eucharistic bread and ordinary , material bread , and can therefore approach the altar with proper devotion . perfect knowledge of the things of faith , therefore , is not required , for an elementary knowledge suffices - some knowledge ( aliqua cognitio ) ; similarly full use of reason is not required , for a certain beginning of the use of reason , that is , some use of reason ( aliqualis usus rationis ) suffices .
the catholic church , bearing this in mind , took care even from the beginning to bring the little ones to christ through eucharistic communion , which was administered even to nursing infants . this , as was prescribed in almost all ancient ritual books , was done at baptism until the thirteenth century , and this custom prevailed in some places even later . it is still found in the greek and oriental churches . but to remove the danger that infants might eject the consecrated host , the custom obtained from the beginning of administering the eucharist to them under the species of wine only .
from this it is the mind of the council that children are held to communion by necessity and by precept when they are capable of losing grace by sin . the words of the roman synod , held under benedict xiii , are in agreement with this in teaching that the obligation to receive the eucharist begins , “after boys and girls attain the age of discretion , that is , at the age in which they can distinguish this sacramental food , which is none other than the true body of jesus christ , from common and ordinary bread ; and that they know how to receive it with proper religious spirit . ”
when the most sacred body of christ is received and eaten in a proper manner , it becomes a weapon against those who war against us , it returns to god those who had left him , it strengthens the weak , it causes the healthy to be glad , it heals sicknesses , and it preserves health . through it we become meek and more willing to accept correction , more longsuffering in our pains , more fervent in our love , more detailed in our knowledge , more willing to do obedience , and keener in the workings of the charismata of the spirit . but all the opposite happens to those who do not receive communion in a proper manner . [ 94 ]
both the soul and the body of the christian receive great benefit from the divine mysteries—before he communes , when he communes , and after he communes . before one communes , he must perform the necessary preparation , namely , confess to his spiritual father , have contrition , amend his ways , have compunction , learn to watch over himself carefully , and keep himself from passionate thoughts ( as much as possible ) and from every evil . the more the christian practices self - control , prays , and keeps vigil , the more pious he becomes and the more he performs every other good work , contemplating what a fearful king he will receive inside of himself . this is even more true when he considers that he will receive grace from holy communion in proportion to his preparation . the more often someone prepares himself , the more benefit he receives . [ 93 ]
you must consider your senses as the door to a house . through the senses all images of things enter into the heart , and , through the senses , the innumerable multitude of lusts pour into it . the prophet joel calls the senses windows , saying : “they shall enter in at our windows like a thief” ( jl . 2 : 9 ) , because these windows have not been marked with the precious blood of christ . moreover , the law commanded that , after the slaughter ( of the lamb ) , the israelites were to smear the doorposts and the lintels of their houses with its blood , showing by this that the precious blood of christ protects our own earthly dwelling - place , which is to say , our body , and that the death brought about by the transgression is repelled through our enjoyment of the partaking of life ( that is , of life - giving communion ) . further , through our sealing ( with the blood of christ ) we distance from ourselves the destroyer . [ 96 ]
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to whom it is administered , as to the dispositions with which it may be received , and as to the place and ceremonies of administration . in her anxious solicitude for the spiritual welfare of her children the
in their own houses who , though not dangerously ill , yet are so physically indisposed that they cannot without very grave inconvenience go to church to receive in the ordinary way . in the first place , then , the
in the matter is not , of course , purely personal , and hence it can be discharged vicariously . again he is bound , though not so strictly , to satisfy the reasonable desires of all sick
who are confined to their homes by infirmity of any kind and who wish to receive the blessed eucharist . the
wishes should be especially gratified on the occasion of a solemn festival or other celebration of the kind ( tit . iv , cap . iv ) .
of observing the natural fast from the previous midnight , as far at least as the sick are concerned . in accordance with the provisions of this new
, and once or twice a month to others not so placed . it is unnecessary to observe that the same dispositions of
and of administering it is accurately described . the consecrated species should be borne with all due
, reverence , and dignity , in solemn procession , with lights , and all the other customary formalities . this , however , is according to the general law of the
in virtue of which the sacred species may be carried privately and without any pomp or external ceremonial ( second plen . counc . of balt . , n . 264 ) , but it must always be enclosed in a silver box or
. other cases of exception are also recognized ( ben . xiv ,
inter unigenas
) . whilst carrying the
( cong . of rites , n . 2650 ) . the sick chamber should be neatly and chastely arranged . near the bed there ought to be a table covered with a white cloth , with a crucifix , two candles , small vessel of clean water ,
rit . rom . , de com . inf . , tit . iv , cap . iv ; catalani , commentarium in rit . rom . ( rome , 1850 ) , i ; baruffaldi , rit . rom . com . inf . ( florence , 1847 ) ; o ' kane , notes on rubrics of rom . rit . ( dublin , 1867 ) ; van der stappen , de adm . sacr . ( mechlin , 1902 ) ; gasparri , tract . can . de euch . ( freiburg , 1896 ) , ii ; gihr , l ' eucharistic .
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council of basel - ferrara - florence , 1431 - 45 a . d .
the first general council of the vatican , 1869 - 70 a . d .
the pages of the gospel show clearly how special was that love for children which christ showed while he was on earth . it was his delight to be in their midst ; he was wont to lay his hands on them ; he embraced them ; and he blessed them . at the same time he was not pleased when they would be driven away by the disciples , whom he rebuked gravely with these words : “let the little children come to me , and do not hinder them , for of such is the kingdom of god . ” it is clearly seen how highly he held their innocence and the open simplicity of their souls on that occasion when he called a little child to him and said to the disciples : “amen , i say to you , unless you turn and become like little children , you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven… . and whoever receives one such little child for my sake , receives me . ”
in accord with this decree of the lateran council , still in effect , the faithful are obliged , as soon as they arrive at the years of discretion , to receive the sacraments of penance and holy eucharist at least once a year .
moreover , the fact that in ancient times the remaining particles of the sacred species were even given to nursing infants seems to indicate that no extraordinary preparation should now be demanded of children who are in the happy state of innocence and purity of soul , and who , amidst so many dangers and seductions of the present time have a special need of this heavenly food .
the roman catechism adds this : “at what age children are to receive the holy mysteries no one can better judge than their father and the priest who is their confessor . for it is their duty to ascertain by questioning the children whether they have any understanding of this admirable sacrament and if they have any desire for it . ”
7 . the custom of not admitting children to confession or of not giving them absolution when they have already attained the use of reason must be entirely abandoned . the ordinary shall see to it that this condition ceases absolutely , and he may , if necessary , use legal measures accordingly .
8 . the practice of not administering the viaticum and extreme unction to children who have attained the use of reason , and of burying them with the rite used for infants is a most intolerable abuse . the ordinary should take very severe measures against those who do not give up the practice .
his holiness , pope pius x , in an audience granted on the seventh day of this month , approved all the above decisions of this sacred congregation , and ordered this decree to be published and promulgated .
he furthermore commanded that all the ordinaries make this decree known not only to the pastors and the clergy , but also to the people , and he wishes that it be read in the vernacular every year at the easter time . the ordinaries shall give an account of the observance of this decree together with other diocesan matters every five years .
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, as well as their bodies , stood in need of daily nourishment . in this article we shall deal with ( i ) the history of the frequency of
assembled
on a fixed day
( ep . x ) ; and st . justin ,
on the day called sunday
(
( de orat . domin . , c . xviii in p . l . , iv , 531 ) ;
( in ps . cxviii , viii , 26 , 28 in p . l . , xv , 1461 , 1462 ) ; and the author of the
de sacramentis
( v , iv , 25 ; p . l . , xvi , 452 ) .
, and by those who lived at a distance from any church . on the other hand , we find that practice fell far short of precept , and that the
sums up the matter thus :
some receive the body and blood of the lord every day ; others on certain days ; in some places there is no day on which the sacrifice is not offered ; in others on saturday and sunday only ; in others on sunday alone
( ep . liv in p . l . , xxxiii , 200 sqq . ) . whether it was advisable for the
, especially those living in matrimony , to receive daily , was a question on which the fathers were not agreed .
, but he says :
of this i neither approve nor disapprove ; let each abound in his own sense
( ep . xlviii in p . l . , xxii , 505  6 ; ep . lxxi in p . l . , xxii , 672 ) .
discusses the question at length , and comes to the conclusion , that there is much to be said on both sides ( ep . liv in p . l . , xxxiii , 200 sqq . ) . good
, but after the break - up of his empire this custom came to an end .
, to receive at least once a year ( c . omnis utriusque sexus ) . the
received rarely : st . louis six times a year , st . elizabeth only three times . the teaching of the great
, in iv sent . , dist . xii , punct . ii , a . 2 , q . 2 ; see
,
enchiridion
, 10th ed . , n . 1148 ) . in 1690 , arnauld ' s conditions were condemned . in spite of these decisions , the reception of
opinions , and this rigour lasted almost into our own day . the older and better tradition was , however , preserved by some writers and preachers , notably
, of whatever rank and condition of life ; so that no one who is in the state of grace , and who approaches the holy table with a right and devout intention , can be lawfully hindered therefrom .
( 2 )
a right intention consists in this : that he who approaches the holy table should do so , not out of routine , or vainglory , or human respect , but for the purpose of pleasing
, or being more closely united with him by charity , and of seeking this divine remedy for his weaknesses and defects
. rule 3 declares that
it is sufficient that they ( the daily communicants ) be free from mortal sin , with the purpose of never sinning in future
, and rule 4 enjoins that
care is to be taken that
institutions of all kinds ; and the last rule ( 9 ) forbids any further controversy on the subject .
to approach that divine sacrament . and i speak especially to you , my dear sons in the
, the greatest and most precious of all the possessions of our poor desolate humanity , may not be abandoned in a manner so insulting and so ungrateful .
the holy council of trent , having in view the ineffable riches of grace which are offered to the faithful who receive the most holy eucharist , makes the following declaration :
the holy council wishes indeed that at each mass the faithful who are present should communicate , not only in spiritual desire , but sacramentally , by the actual reception of the eucharist .
these words declare plainly enough the wish of the church that all christians should be daily nourished by this heavenly banquet and should derive therefrom more abundant fruit for their sanctification .
2 . a right intention consists in this : that he who approaches the holy table should do so , not out of routine , or vain glory , or human respect , but that he wish to please god , to be more closely united with him by charity , and to have recourse to this divine remedy for his weakness and defects .
furthermore , in order that all religious of both sexes may clearly understand the prescriptions of this decree , the superior of each house will provide that it be read in community , in the vernacular , every year within the octave of the feast of corpus christi .
all this having been reported to his holiness , pope pius x , by the undersigned secretary of the sacred congregation in an audience held on december 17 , 1905 , his holiness ratified this decree , confirmed it and ordered its publication , anything to the contrary notwithstanding . he further ordered that it should be sent to all local ordinaries and regular prelates , to be communicated by them to their respective seminaries , parishes , religious institutes , and priests ; and that in their report on the state of their dioceses or institutes they should inform the holy see concerning the execution of the prescriptions therein enacted .
follow the money . the movie fifty shades of grey grossed $ 76m in its opening weekend . that was in the united states alone . in 56 other countries , including the united kingdom , it also topped the box office charts . the film is produced by universal pictures . universal is owned by comcast , the largest broadcasting and cable company in the world by revenue . last year the firm’s chief executive , brian roberts , received a pay packet worth nearly $ 41m .
what’s the lesson ? that for many big corporations the bottom line is the bottom line . nothing more . nothing else . as pope francis says in his robust critique of modern - day political economy , “unbridled capitalism” often promotes a “logic of profit at any cost” and “exploitation without looking at the person” . this is most obvious in the recent rise and rise of pornography , an “industry” that now grosses an estimated $ 97bn a year worldwide .
there was a time when a family could metaphorically and literally bolt the front door to shelter from such corrosive cultural crosswinds . no longer . thanks to smartphones , laptops and tablets , amoral big businesses can reach you and your family whenever and wherever they want . pursuing sanctity in modern society can , for many , be akin to keeping clean in a dustbin .
so where is our hope ? as ever , our hope is in the lord . and where is the lord to be found ? he is to be found in the eucharist . and when is he to be found there ? every day if we are suitably disposed to receive him .
as cardinal timothy dolan of new york told the 2012 synod of bishops on new evangelisation : “the primary sacrament of the new evangelisation is the sacrament of penance . ” the straight - talking american prelate lamented the fact that while the second vatican council had “called for a renewal of the sacrament of penance” , what emerged “sadly , in many places , was the disappearance of the sacrament” . indeed , he recalled , the conclusion of the council in 1965 was followed by a series of demands for the “reform of structures , systems , institutions and people other than ourselves” – when , all along , the answer to the question “what’s wrong with the world today ? ” is , as chesterton put it , “i am . ”
underlying all of this , of course , is the need for better catechesis . we can’t love what we don’t know . after several generations of seemingly fruitless lamentations , the firm evidence from across the western world is that the religious instruction of the young , and the not so young , is improving . the situation is not entirely without concern – witness the article by stan wocial on p4 – but now numerous examples can be found in scotland , ireland , the united states , canada , england , australia and elsewhere where dioceses are meeting this challenge with orthodoxy and imagination .


ivywise is a for-profit new york-based firm of educational consultants that assists students pursuing admission to college .

ivywise counselors also work with students applying to nursery school , elementary school , high school/boarding school , and graduate or professional schools .

ivywise was founded in 1998 by dr. katherine l. cohen .

ivywise

ivywise founder & ceo dr . kat cohen . . . - ivywise : admissions counseling & tutoring
ivywise produces proven results and helps students realize their potential and achieve their goals .
ivywise students are three times more likely to gain admission to highly selective colleges .
glassdoor gives you an inside look at what it ' s like to work at ivywise , including salaries , reviews , office photos , and more . this is the ivywise company profile . all content is posted anonymously by employees working at ivywise .
ivywise empowers students to live up to their highest possible potential , both academically and personally .
dr . kat , ivywise’s founder and ceo , is also a member of our team of expert counselors , working with a select number of students and heading the round table review process , wherein ivywise students receive edits and feedback from the entire ivywise team including our board of advisors .
ivywise empowers students to live up to their highest possible potential , both academically and personally . for over
in 2017 , 91 % of ivywise students were accepted into one or more of their top 3 schools .
ivywise is constantly seeking great talent to join our growing team . learn more about our current employment opportunities .
there’s a lot to learn about ivywise , but first , we want to learn a little bit more about you ! fill out the form below and we will send you an email with more information on ivywise’s services .
find out more about our experienced speakers , seminars for companies and institutions , and other events that ivywise can provide .
a : apply to many “good fit” scholarships . it all adds up ! katherine cohen , founder and ceo , ivywise
while ivywise does not offer pre - k admissions programs , we can provide appropriate referrals . please contact us for information .
his year our team of expert counselors worked with one of the largest senior classes in ivywise history . it was a successful college application season , with 92 % of ivywise students gaining acceptance to one or more of their top three choice colleges . the schools to which ivywise students gained admission included all eight ivy league universities , stanford university , johns hopkins university , duke university , and mit , to name a few . in total , ivywise students were accepted to over 260 colleges this year !
dr . kat cohen is the founder and ceo of ivywise and one of the leading independent university admissions counselors in the world .
dr . katherine cohen , the founder and ceo of ivywise , is one of the nation ' s top independent college counselors .
how much do ivywise employees make ? glassdoor has salaries , wages , tips , bonuses , and hourly pay based upon employee reports and estimates .
october 2012 : k - state’s top - of - the - line living facilities and resident assistants are recognized on the today show by the organization ivywise .
cornell : 57 % of ivywise students who applied this year were accepted ( cornell reported a 14 . 9 % admission rate for the class of 2019 . )
admission to private , boarding , and independent schools can be very competitive . at ivywise , we offer services to help families navigate the primary and secondary school admissions process .
we caught up with brian to get this thoughts on receiving multiple ivy league acceptances , how he’s deciding which college to attend , and how ivywise helped him accomplish his goals .
we believe in giving back and making an impact in the local and global community . one of the ways we do this is through supporting non - profit organzations with ivywise gives back .
ivywise has been in business for over 20 years and our team has over 150 years of combined experience . we help students get into their best - fit schools through our proven methodology .
ivywise k - 12 services are available for students of all ages , including those entering k - 8 , new york city high schools , independent and non - boarding schools , and boarding schools .
ivywise experts share their education and admissions knowledge with a global audience through regular media appearances and articles . check out some of our news clips and press releases for an insider’s perspective on the admissions process .
dr . kat cohen is one of the leading independent university admissions counselors in the world . cohen is the founder and ceo of ivywise , a comprehensive educational consulting company—with expertise in admissions counseling , tutoring and test preparation , and school research—that works with students globally in over 40 countries to help them get into the schools of their choice . ivywise is comprised of a team of ex deans and directors of admission from the most selective universities .
working with some students as early as 10th grade , consultants , like those at ivywise , help students build their portfolios and identities in the
soft factors
like interests and activities , in efforts to aid the admissions process .
q : what was your experience with college counseling before working with ivywise ? brian : my experience with my high school’s college counselor had also been very pleasant . my school is relatively small , so i was able to meet up with the counselor frequently and practice for important parts of the application , like interviews . however , my counselor at ivywise was able to provide individualized care that was just logistically impossible for my high school’s college counselor . this included immediate back and forth feedback on parts of my application , even when it got very late into the night . all in all , both my high school’s and ivywise’s counselor were great and very qualified . it was very helpful to have varying opinions from multiple people supporting you .
admissions is about more than just test scores and grades . colleges take a holistic approach to evaluating applications , considering activities , interests , and other factors outside of numbers , and ivywise takes that same holistic approach when counseling students . the ivywise methodology empowers students to identify and utilize their strengths and interests . our counseling , tutoring , and research services are seamlessly integrated to give students the most comprehensive support available . this counseling approach is unmatched – there’s no other consultancy that offers this service .
dr . katherine cohen ( known as “dr . kat” to her students ) is one of the leading independent university admissions counselors in the world . cohen is the founder and ceo of ivywise , a comprehensive educational consulting company—with expertise in admissions counseling , tutoring and test preparation , and school research–that works with students globally in over 40 countries to help them get into the schools of their choice . ivywise is comprised of a team of ex deans and directors of admission from the most selective universities .
years , ivywise has been dedicated to helping students find the schools that will be a good fit for them , where they will be happy and succeed . our team has over 150 years of combined experience and we have worked with thousands of students .
for over 20 years , ivywise has been dedicated to helping students find the schools that will be a good fit for them , where they will be happy and succeed . our team has over 150 years of combined experience and we have worked with thousands of students . in 2017 , 91 % of ivywise students were accepted into one or more of their three top - choice schools , and in our entire 20 year history , less than 1 % of our students have ever transferred from their original school .
ivywise can arrange individual tutoring in all academic subject areas from kindergarten through middle school , as well as comprehensive standardized test preparation . tutors are matched with students based on the subject area students need assistance with , as well as fit , teaching style , and other parameters .
cohen graduated from brown university in 1989 and earned a ph . d . in latin american literature from yale university in 1997 . she founded her business , ivywise , that same year . today , she advises about 20 clients at a time , at a rate of $ 33 , 000 each ( gardner , 2001 ) .
ivywise is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy , and we’ll only use your personal information to administer your account and to provide the products and services you requested from us . you may unsubscribe from these communications at any time . for more information on how to unsubscribe , our privacy practices , and how we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy , please review our privacy policy .
cohen graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree from brown university . she continued her studies at yale university , receiving two masters degrees and a phd . she also received her certificate in college admission counseling from u . c . l . a . extension . prior to founding ivywise , she served as a reader in the yale university office of admissions , evaluating applications to yale college .
dr . kat cohen , ceo and founder of ivywise , sat down with daughter , sienna , to have an honest conversation as part of the talk to me campaign . over the course of their conversation they delve into sienna ' s ambitions , kat ' s hopes for her daughter ' s future and kat ' s role as an educational consultant . there is also a little revelation about how much candy sienna is actually consuming . . .
q : what aspect of counseling do you think helped you the most ? brian : i think that the feedback on the essays was the most helpful part of the counseling . my counselor , having been an admission officer , was very familiar with strengths and weaknesses of college essays . furthermore , my essays received feedback and tips from other members of the ivywise team . through all of their help i felt that i improved the most in the essays aspect .
in a profile published in the new york times earlier this month , ms . viswanathan said that while she was in high school , her parents hired katherine cohen , founder of ivywise , a private counseling service , to help with the college application process . after reading some of ms . viswanathan ' s writing , ms . cohen put her in touch with the william morris agency , and ms . viswanathan eventually signed with jennifer rudolph walsh , an agent there .
it’s no wonder that health and medicine are top of mind in august , as this month is national immunization awareness month , national psoriasis month , cataract awareness month , neurosurgery outreach month , and spinal muscular atrophy month in the united states . if you’ve been bitten by the medical bug and are considering a career in the field of medicine , the expert counselors at ivywise have just the cure ! we’ve done a healthy dose of research and compiled a list of schools where you can make ( or witness ) medical history .
february is black history month , a time to celebrate those who improved the lives of african americans in the us . there are more than 100 historically black colleges and universities ( hbcus ) in the us today . these schools were originally established with the intention of serving the black community , and have evolved into some of the nation’s preeminent educational centers . for students interested in schools with a rich cultural history , dr . kat and the expert counselors at ivywise have identified a list of colleges with strong roots in african american history .
a key talent | my communication skills – and not just how i carry on a conversation . i do my due diligence to learn everything i can about the people i’m meeting with and their backgrounds . i speak many languages and always work on picking up more , but i’ve also traveled a lot in order to learn about other cultures . communication is also about understanding different personalities . having engaged with a wide variety of parents and students through my company , ivywise , i’m better able to communicate with them and others outside of my business .
who cares about anything besides real estate , ivf , and getting into prestigious exclusive colleges ? not new york , clearly . this week ' s inferiority - complex inducer is an article about the insane impossibility of getting into college , wherein crazily overqualified applicants are evaluated , then dismissed (
a red flag is the ping pong club
it still puts him in the right range for a minority , socioeconomically disadvantaged student
) by an expert :
katherine cohen , ceo and founder of ivywise , a school - admissions consulting company .
though it may seem hard to believe , the topic of women’s history is a relatively recent addition to higher education , having been largely absent prior to the 1970s . to address this issue , the education task force of california established women’s history week . strong support eventually led to congress declaring march as women’s history month , and today thousands of events celebrate the accomplishments of female leaders in various fields . for students interested in women’s history and gender studies , dr . kat and the expert counselors at ivywise have identified a list of colleges and programs that would make susan b . anthony proud .
beyond the $ 20 , 000 - plus a year she spends on anna ' s tuition , she has invested thousands more on separate math and verbal sat tutors - -
i believe in specialists ,
susan pronounces , sitting in the library of her sun - splashed park avenue apartment on a recent morning . however , the priciest member of her daughter ' s college - admissions swat team undoubtedly is dr . katherine cohen , the founder of ivywise , a college - consulting firm , and possibly new york ' s youngest , probably its most handsomely compensated , and without a doubt its hippest independent college - guidance counselor .
i don’t just focus on education though – i find inspiration in a variety of places . i’m a consumer of literature , art , culture , news , music , environments , and more . i’m fueled by a constant curiosity – anything from the latest interesting novel to revisiting a book i read a long time ago . environments and the people you surround yourself with can also inspire growth . recently i went to art basel and i was so inspired by the art and the creative people i met there . i also travel a lot , both personally and for ivywise . visiting and working in places like the middle east and india keeps me informed and breeds creativity .
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kaavya viswanathan , the harvard sophomore accused of plagiarizing parts of her recently published chick - lit novel , acknowledged yesterday that she had borrowed language from another writer ' s books , but called the copying
unintentional and unconscious .
the book ,
how opal mehta got kissed , got wild and got a life ,
was recently published by little , brown to wide publicity . on sunday , the harvard crimson reported that ms . viswanathan , who received $ 500 , 000 as part of a deal for
opal
and one other book , had seemingly plagiarized language from two novels by megan mccafferty , an author of popular young - adult books .
in an e - mail message yesterday afternoon , ms . viswanathan , 19 , said that in high school she had read the two books she is accused of borrowing from ,
sloppy firsts
and
second helpings ,
and that they
spoke to me in a way few other books did .
recently , i was very surprised and upset to learn that there are similarities between some passages in my novel , ' how opal mehta got kissed , got wild and got a life , ' and passages in these books ,
she said .
calling herself a
huge fan
of ms . mccafferty ' s work , ms . viswanathan added ,
i wasn ' t aware of how much i may have internalized ms . mccafferty ' s words .
she also apologized to ms . mccafferty and said that future printings of the novel would be revised to
eliminate any inappropriate similarities .
michael pietsch , publisher of little , brown , said that ms . viswanathan planned to add an acknowledgment to ms . mccafferty in future printings of the book .
in her e - mail message , ms . viswanathan said that
the central stories of my book and hers are completely different .
but ms . mccafferty ' s books , published by crown , a division of random house , are , like ms . viswanathan ' s , about a young woman from new jersey trying to get into an ivy league college - - in her case , columbia . ( ms . viswanathan ' s character has her sights set on harvard . ) like the heroine of
opal ,
ms . mccafferty ' s character , jessica darling , visits the campus , strives to earn good grades to get in and makes a triumphant high school graduation speech .
and the borrowings may be more extensive than have previously been reported . the crimson cited 13 instances in which ms . viswanathan ' s book closely paralleled ms . mccafferty ' s work . but there are at least 29 passages that are strikingly similar .
at one point in
sloppy firsts ,
ms . mccafferty ' s heroine unexpectedly encounters her love interest . ms . mccafferty writes :
though i used to see him sometimes at hope ' s house , marcus and i had never , ever acknowledged each other ' s existence before . so i froze , not knowing whether i should ( a ) laugh , ( b ) say something , or ( c ) ignore him and keep on walking . i chose a brilliant combo of ( a ) and ( b ) .
similarly , ms . viswanathan ' s heroine , opal , bumps into her love interest , and the two of them spy on one of the school ' s popular girls .
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ms . viswanathan writes :
though i had been to school with him for the last three years , sean whalen and i had never acknowledged each other ' s existence before . i froze , unsure of ( a ) what he was talking about , or ( b ) what i was supposed to do about it . i stared at him .
' flatirons , ' he said . ' at least seven flatirons for that hair . '
' ha , yeah . uh , ha . ha . ' i looked at the floor and managed a pathetic combination of laughter and monosyllables , then remembered that the object of our mockery was his former best friend .
ms . walsh said that she put ms . viswanathan in touch with a book packaging company , 17th street productions ( now alloy entertainment ) , but that the plot and writing of
opal
were
1 , 000 percent hers .
alloy , which referred questions to little , brown , holds the copyright to
opal
with ms . viswanathan .
in the times profile , ms . viswanathan said the idea for
opal
came from her own experiences in high school
surrounded by the stereotype of high - pressure asian and indian families trying to get their children into ivy league schools .
tina constable , a spokeswoman for crown , said a reader had noticed the similarities between the books . that person , she said ,
told megan . megan alerted us . we ' ve alerted the little , brown legal department . we are waiting to hear from them .
it was unclear whether harvard would take any action against ms . viswanathan .
our policies apply to work submitted to courses ,
said robert mitchell , the director of communications for the faculty of arts and sciences at harvard .
nevertheless , we expect harvard students to conduct themselves with integrity and honesty at all times .
ms . walsh , the agent , said :
knowing what a fine person kaavya is , i believe any similarities were unintentional . teenagers tend to adopt each other ' s language .
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is made up of former deans and directors of admissions from some of the most selective colleges and universities in the us , including princeton , yale , mit , uchicago , georgetown , nyu , and others .
this year our students received over 400 acceptances to more than 140 different colleges and universities , including stanford , princeton , yale , and more .
our students have been accepted to all eight ivy league colleges plus stanford . we know what highly selective colleges are looking for .
for some international students applying to us universities , toefl scores can be a big factor in the admissions process . it’s important for international students to understand if they need to take the toefl , when to take it , and how the scores are evaluated by admissions officers .
it may be summer break , but the college admissions process for rising high school seniors has already begun ! we caught up with one of our students to get her advice for students planning to apply to college this fall – and for those who are just now thinking about their college prep .
could you be sabotaging your test prep and not even realize it ? preparing for the sat , act , or sat subject tests requires a lot of patience , recall , and determination in order to reach your goal score , and it’s important for students to keep in mind how lengthy and intense of a process it can be . it’s also possible for students to hurt their test prep more than they’re helping – and not even realize it .
planning college visits this summer or fall ? college visit costs can add up quickly , especially if students have many schools they’d like to visit as they narrow down their balanced college lists . however , there are a number of ways that families can save some money on college tours .
school’s out and summer is in ! now that you’re done with another school year , you have time for all the things you weren’t able to enjoy during the school year – whether that’s travel , research endeavors , or summer programs . you likely also have some extra time to dedicate to your test prep . by continuing your test prep into the summer you’ll be able to build up your foundational skills so that come the fall , once you’re juggling all of your obligations , you won’t have to worry about starting your sat or act test prep from the ground up .
last week , the university of chicago announced that it will no longer require sat or act scores for undergraduate applicants from the us . uchicago is one the of the first major research universities to announce a test - optional policy , but test - optional and test - flexible admissions have been around for a long time . what exactly does it mean and how does it affect applicants ?
the act is shaking things up this year for international test - takers . starting in september 2018 , the act is transitioning to computer - based testing for all international students , meaning students will need to take their entire examination on the computer ( unless the student has approved accommodations that approve them for paper testing ) .
internships are valuable experiences that can give both high school and college students the opportunity to learn something new and stand out when applying to college or jobs in the future . there’s a lot that students can do to make the most of their internships and stand out this summer !
a question we often receive is “what is superscoring ? ” college - bound students are often confused about what it means to superscore , which colleges do it , and how it impacts submitting their sat or act scores . but we’re here to help ! here’s what students need to know about the logistics of superscoring and how it may improve your score profile when applying to college .
a recent survey of college admissions officers found that community service can be a tipping factor when making college admissions decisions . in fact , 53 % of those surveyed said that community service can almost be a “tie - breaker” between applicants who are equally qualified . so how is community service viewed in the context of a student’s application , and what can students now to pursue meaningful community service opportunities ?
join our mailing list for the latest tips from our team of expert college admissions counselors , from how to prep for the college admissions process if you ' re just getting started , to what to do after your admissions decisions come in .
cohen is the best - selling author of the truth about getting in and rock hard apps , and is a sought - after speaker and expert on university admissions . she is a ypo member , one of the most highly rated ypo speakers , and has been a faculty resource for ypo since 2000 . cohen also speaks frequently to banks , corporations , and schools about the university admissions process . cohen serves as the higher education expert for linkedin and on the educational advisory board of react to film . she is routinely quoted in international media and regularly contributes to the today show , cnn , cnbc , fox business , forbes , the new york times , the huffington post , challenges , the wall street journal , businessweek , and entrepreneur .
cohen is a member of the national association of college admission counseling ( nacac ) , the independent educational consultants association ( ieca ) , the international association for college admission counseling ( iacac ) , and the western association for college admission counseling ( wacac ) . she has chaired the brown university alumni schools committee and is currently a member of the advisory board of the brown entrepreneurship program . she lives in new york city with her family .
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501 madison ave , suite 802 ( 2 , 561 . 29 mi ) new york , new york 10022
want to see how your scores on the sat compare to the act ? the college board has updated the concordance tables so students can see how their sat total scores compare to composite act scores .
' princeton university on thursday announced that it will no longer require applicants to submit writing portions of the sat or act . stanford university is making a similar change . ' via inside higher ed
princeton will now require applicants to submit a graded writing sample . only 23 colleges now require the test .
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the people here are great to work with , and i felt very welcome when i came on board . the compensation for counselors is excellent , but no benefits for counselors , as we are contract .
the work is as - needed , so sometimes there ' s a lot , sometimes only a little . it ' s a small company , so if you work in the main office , there are a lot of opportunities for growth , but not so much for counselors unless you ' re in nyc and want to join the corporate office .
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yeah , we ' re thinking katherine cohen is mayybe not the most trustworthy advisor of all time . so cheer up , underachievers ( by which we guess we mean non - paraplegic non - valedictorians ) : there might be hope for you after all .
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first - person essays , features , interviews and q & as ; about life today .
high school counseling vs . college admission counseling ( college planning tips & advice )
parents appreciate katherine cohen ' s brains and her keen social instincts . girls appreciate her fashion sense . boys appreciate her good looks . all this has made her the east side ' s hottest independent college counselor . but it still may not get your kid into yale .
aking the sats for the first time - - or even the third time , as many driven teenagers in search of the perfect 1 , 600 do these days - - can constitute something akin to a near - death experience . but for anna , a senior at one of the city ' s top private schools , it was even worse than that .
everything completely went wrong that day ,
says susan , anna ' s mom , who has been involved , perhaps too involved , in her daughter ' s quest to gain admission to a brand - name college .
it was a disaster , a horrible situation .
the proctor didn ' t show up until minutes before the 9 a . m . start of the test , susan says , interrupted anna during the exam to register her , shortchanged her time on several sections ( anna knows this because she was wearing a stopwatch at the suggestion of one of her sat tutors ) , and denied the teenager an entirely permissible bathroom break . furthermore , a street festival was getting under way outside the testing center that fateful saturday morning , further adding to anna ' s woes .
when the test was over , she was hysterical , crying ,
recalls her mother .
everything that could go wrong did go wrong . they study , we pay for tutors , they ' re nervous wrecks .
while susan may have overreacted somewhat - - she shot off a five - page , single - spaced , handwritten letter to the educational testing service , called the organization ' s president , and thought of suing (
i could have had the proctor on trial ,
she explains ,
but my husband refused to let me do it
) - - she had reason to be upset .
katherine is very cool ,
anna attests .
she ' s got great fashion sense . her apartment is really cool . she started her own business . she cares about her clients . and she looks great in a bikini .
guys lust after her and the girls want to be like her ,
observes john katzman , the head of princeton review and a friend of cohen ' s .
the kids don ' t see a straight line between where they are right now and older academic guys ,
he adds .
it ' s easier to see the straight line to kat . she ' s only a couple of years older and much less parental .
brandon gross , a former client of cohen ' s and a sophomore at brown university , denies that his interest in his tutor extended beyond having her help him craft a crack personal essay , though he admits she caused quite a stir at his birthday party .
my friends couldn ' t believe she was my college counselor ,
he says .
kat , as her awestruck proteges call her , is part of a prosperous new breed of private counselors who are helping the children of the rich attain their birthright of getting accepted to the ivy league college of their choice despite the ever - mounting odds against them . cohen ' s
platinum package ,
which includes 24 sessions and an hour of phone time per week , typically spread over junior and senior year , costs $ 28 , 995 .
i sold out already ,
she tells me , referring to next year ' s crop of high - school seniors .
everybody wanted a platinum package this year . i ' ve got to clone myself .
that ' s not to say that worthy families need fear attacking the psychologically traumatizing college - application season alone or , god forbid , exclusively under the direction of their kid ' s sleep - deprived in - school guidance counselor . cohen , who , at 33 , has the sort of academic credentials ( brown and yale ) , kick - ass work ethic , and nicely toned physique that inspire confidence in the overdecorated sanctum sanctorums of the upper east side , has several lesser payment plans still available .
you can also do an a la carte series if you can ' t afford a whole package ,
she says as she sits in her elegantly utilitarian midtown office ( she also has one downtown ) , whose paintings and fabrics are by junior socialite and cohen friend lulu de kwiatkowski . cohen is referring to her warp - speed college - application - review option .
it takes me about two or three hours , and it ' s $ 1 , 000 .
getting into one of the nation ' s most selective ivy league colleges or their equivalent has always been something of a blood sport among ambitious manhattan families , most of whom apply to the same handful of schools . what ' s different today is that kids from places like albuquerque and tucson , with the encouragement of the colleges , no less , have the temerity to believe they have equal rights to an ivy league education .
i ' m afraid manhattan parents are among the most parochial in the united states ,
sighs tom parker , amherst college ' s dean of admissions .
it ' s like a little town in tennessee in terms of being oblivious to the rest of the country . they sort of think , ' because my daughter is doing well at brearley , she must be one of the very top kids in the u . s . ' there are lots of bright kids throughout the country . it is simply more competitive .
so competitive , in fact , that last year a yale admissions officer , by all accounts a winning fellow , told one west side family that the college could have tossed all its acceptances in the trash and culled a statistically identical and stellar freshman class from the reject pile .
it ' s as if the schools were being asked to choose between superman and batman . a horace mann senior who got into harvard early - action this year touched upon the absurdity of the situation when she tried to describe the difference between a yale man or woman and one who might make the cut at harvard .
the yale type is very well rounded - - an a student who ' s a varsity athlete ,
she said .
a harvard student is someone harvard thinks is going to be famous someday .
harvard ' s director of admissions , marlyn mcgrath lewis , admits as much .
in order to make a final decision to admit ,
she says ,
we have to identify for ourselves some unusual characteristic that will set the candidate apart in our pool - - either a very unusual academic accomplishment , a contribution to the humanities or writing , a great performer or composer , or someone who can help one of our 41 intercollegiate teams . once we ' re as sure as we can be of the academics - - which highly developed , one might say overdeveloped , talents set the person apart as someone we ' d want to bring here ?
cohen is the best - selling author of the truth about getting in and rock hard apps , and is a sought - after speaker and expert on university admissions . she is a ypo member , one of the most highly rated ypo speakers , and has been a faculty resource for ypo / wpo since 2000 .
the difference between good and great | people who are great at what they do have a passion for what they do and the willingness to go above and beyond what’s expected of them . they work hard . they also have the ability to understand what they know and what they don’t know so that they can seek the support of others or external resources for the things that they may not be good at . great leaders don’t assume they know it all . doing constant professional development is what separates people who are great at what they do from those who are just good at it .
the characteristics of success | tenacity , willingness to work hard , resilience , risk - taking , and the ability to pick myself up in the face of failure . also the ability to think ahead in a macro way – i always like to be a few steps ahead and consider the bigger picture and what i envision for the future . from our business model to details like our logo , materials , talks , and more , my creativity and foresight has led to a lot of success in our industry .
how i use my mind | i am , at the same time , very focused and a multi - tasker , so i’m able to manage a lot of things at the same time but also focus on a lot of things at the same time . i also put my mindset in a place of assuming success instead of assuming failure – and that success breeds more success . i think “what should stop me from being successful ? ” going into anything i do with a positive attitude has helped me achieve many of my goals and ambitions .
lessons i have learnt | one of the biggest lessons is learning from failure . to not brush a failure under the rug , but to instead look at what i could have done better and apply those lessons to future endeavors .
also , learning to move on . if something’s not really working – whether it’s with an employee , client , vendor , etc . – there is a point when you have to move on . part of this is realizing that you can’t please everybody , so it’s important to identify people that you’re not going to be able to work with successfully and find a respectful way to move on rather than hold onto that relationship or constantly worry about it . it’s a small lesson but also a big lesson because it can apply to all aspects of life – friendships , business relationships , and more . you need to have the ability to let things go and to not take everything personally – especially in business . realize that everybody has his or her own struggles and personal things going on and sometimes it’s not about you .
performing at my peak | i take care of myself . i work out at least three days a week doing slt pilates or yoga to keep my energy up . i also eat healthy . i tend to eat only non - processed foods and make sure we’re always eating well at home . i also make sure i get enough sleep . i think sleep is key . personally , i need at least 8 hours of good sleep each night so that when i am up i am able to multi - task and perform at my best .
resources i use to stay inspired | for me there are two areas of resources that inspire creativity and growth : one doesn’t have to with my work and one does .
i work in education , so there’s a whole range of books , publications , and conferences that are higher education focused that also keep me inspired and growing – like nacac’s annual conference , the chronicle of higher education , education articles in various news publications , and even auditing free online classes through sites like coursera , academic earth , and talks on tedx .
the best advice i’ve received | we have on average about 28 , 000 days on the planet , and i am in the middle of that time . if i think about the fact that those last , say , 4 , 000 days are not going to be as good in quality because of how we age , i really only have 10 , 000 days to accomplish my goals . when you look at it that way , you really start to think about the importance of every single day and how to make the most of it .
it’s important to think about how you choose to spend your time and who you choose to spend it with . we all have a shelf life , so think about the things you’re wasting time on . each day , each moment , is important – don’t waste it .
advice on building wealth | first , find something that you love to do . pursue something that’s connected to who you are and your core interests because if don’t love what you do it’s going to be hard to grow and build wealth around something you’re not excited about . keep in mind that wealth and riches aren’t necessarily monetary . you can be rich in a lot of things that are not financial – knowledge , relationships , quality of your life , the love in your life , love for what you do , etc . if you find your passion those riches will follow .
also you have to remember that at the end of your 28 , 000 days you’re not going to take money with you . ask yourself : are you making enough to be comfortable during those days to live the life you want to lead ?
private college admissions consulting is a booming industry that offers to help families navigate the often - confusing and stressful process of college admissions . although many public universities provide application seminars , post application tips on their websites and distribute guidelines to high school counselors , the demand for applications advice often exceeds the capacities of most public institutions . indeed , public high schools in the united states employ an average of one staff member per 500 students . in 2013 , 26 percent of all college applicants - - three times as many as in 2003 , hired a
private admissions consultant
or an
independent educational consultant ( iec )
to assist with their college applications .
fee - based college advice has long been available , but where such services once catered to students with difficult cases , an uneven transcript or learning differences , now they are becoming mainstream .
does your high school student need a private admissions consultant ? it depends on your situation . can you afford one ? it depends on the service , which can range from about $ 1000 to tens of thousands of dollars .
the first step might be to consult the professional organizations that offer affiliation : the higher education consultants association ( heca ) , the independent educational consultants association ( ieca ) and the national association for college admissions counseling ( nacac ) , or a nacac regional affiliate . all of these associations post a series of requirements and ethical standards for private consultants .
in addition to attending certification courses , some private admissions consultants have worked as admissions readers at universities . many of their brochures will advertise that they are college application readers and can help with application writing . in most cases , this means they are temporary
external readers
hired for application season . that is , during every admissions reading period from december to february , most large universities hire temporary readers to help sort the great pile of applications . much of the consultants '
inside knowledge
of the selection process is publicly available as well .
2 ) who is best suited to help your child with the application process ? it may even be - - surprise - - you , the parent or a family member . professional guidance neither guarantees success nor is always warranted .
3 ) if you feel overwhelmed by the process , or if your child has special concerns , it might help to see an admissions specialist . in this case , pick a consultant with organizational affiliations , accreditation , good recommendations and clear explanations of their services and associated costs .
4 ) ethical consultants will not claim to possess some special influence or
pull
with college admissions professionals . their assistance in application writing remains confined to stylistic , organizational suggestions , never to writing anything for the student . most importantly , they encourage your child to write in his or her own voice - - not according to some imaginary formula for acceptance .
a number of highly critical articles , studies and books have responded to the private admissions consultant industry . one article even decries a
new snake - oil industry ,
which it claims is
increasingly propelled by greed , it preys on the fear of families , especially parents . it ' s the private , for - profit college admissions consulting industry .