POIGNANT (adj.) deeply affecting, moving (I actually cried after watching "A Walk To Remember" after the poignant announcement that Mandy Moore had cancer.)

MNEMONIC TRICK: Think pregnant! When your child is born you are deeply affected and touched.

Every college admissions cycle has its own set of dynamics, and this year is no exception. Many selective private colleges are reporting a boom in applications and, as a result, expect to admit a lower proportion of high school seniors than last year.