by j9robinson | Jan 9, 2016
URGENT! ApplyTexas changed their essay prompts in 2017-18. Click HERE for the current essay prompts! (THIS POST IS OUTDATED!) How to Link Your Life Goals to Current and Future Activities In the previous post, I wrote about ideas on how to answer Topics A and...
by j9robinson | Dec 28, 2015
URGENT! ApplyTexas changed their essay prompts in 2016-17. Click HERE for the current essay prompts! (THIS POST IS OUTDATED!) All public universities, and some private and 2-year colleges, in Texas do not use the Common Application. Instead, they have their own...
by j9robinson | Nov 24, 2015
UPDATE: as of March 23, 2016 The University of California announced NEW essay prompts for 2016-17. Read about how to answer them HERE. It’s Not Too Late to Write Your College App Essays Before the Nov. 30 Deadline Yes, you have waited until...
by j9robinson | Nov 9, 2015
Students looking for ideas and inspiration on their college application essays should check out the “This I Believe” web site. It’s an international organization set up in 2004 to help students and adults identify and express through writing...
by j9robinson | Oct 17, 2015
Advice for Students Who Are Underrepresented for Whatever Reason: Tell Your Personal Story In my previous post, I shared my experience working with teachers and students from the Rio Grande Valley in south Texas, where I’m giving a series of workshops on how to...
by j9robinson | Oct 16, 2015
First-Gen Students Learn to Write College Application Essays Last month, I had the privilege to work with a group of teachers and students on their writing and college application essays from the Rio Grande Valley in the southernmost tip of Texas. Almost all...
by j9robinson | Oct 12, 2015
Last week, a new student came to my home for help on his college application essays. I asked this eager senior about his target schools. He told me Stanford was his top pick, but he was applying to most of the ivies, along with a couple UCs (Cal and UCLA). Then...
by j9robinson | Sep 22, 2015
You Don’t Need Tragedy to Write a Standout College Admissions Essay! This is the time of year that the frenzy surrounding college admissions starts to grow. Early decision deadlines are just weeks away. Students who put off writing their college...
by j9robinson | Sep 20, 2015
How to Find the Homeschooling Advantage in College Application Essays I received an email from a student named Hannah who told me she was homeschooled, and that she had been advised to write about that for her college application essay. Hannah said she was...
by j9robinson | Sep 12, 2015
Go Deep to Reveal Your Intellectual Vitality! When writing narrative-style college application essays, I advise students to start by sharing a real-life story that illustrates one of their defining qualities or characteristics. Once a student shares a real-life...
