by j9robinson | Feb 7, 2017
New Common Application Prompts for 2017-18: TOPIC OF CHOICE IS BACK!! Great news for you college-bound juniors who are just starting to think about your college application essays. If you need to write your personal statement essay for The Common Application,...
by j9robinson | Dec 12, 2016
A friendly reporter from the popular daily tabloid newspaper, Metro, contacted me a couple weeks ago. She was writing a piece for the New York edition on college admissions, and wanted to feature some of my college application essay writing tips. (It’s actually...
by j9robinson | Oct 26, 2016
24 More Commonly Asked Questions about College Admissions Essays How far back should I go in tracing my background? When writing about experiences from your past, it’s best to stick to your high school years in general (for Common Application and incoming...
by j9robinson | Oct 25, 2016
FAQ | College Application Essays I’m sharing below 20 of the most common questions about college application essays that I have been asked over the years, along with links to longer explanations and related helpful information. This spring I published a book...
by j9robinson | Sep 12, 2016
As you probably know, the University of California changed its required essay prompts for 2016-17. Instead of writing two longer personal statement essays, you now chose from eight prompts (which they call Personal Insight Questions) and write four short...
by j9robinson | Aug 10, 2016
I’m always trying to find ways to help students quickly come up with topic ideas and a path to cranking out their college application essays. Typically, I advise them to start with their defining qualities or characteristics, and then find real-life stories or...
by j9robinson | Aug 8, 2016
Most of you landed here in Essay Hell looking for advice on how to write your college application essays. And you are definitely at the right place! This post, however, I’m skipping the essay talk and offering something equally valuable: The Best Insider...
by j9robinson | Jul 29, 2016
As I’ve been watching the Democratic national convention this past week, I realized how much election speeches are like college application essays. Both are sales pitches. Both candidates and college applicants want something—badly! Candidates want votes....
by j9robinson | Jul 28, 2016
Want to Go To College In California? Get Your Application in ASAP!! This year marks my 30th year living in California. I love this state! I moved here from across the country to join my future husband in 1986, and never looked back. The people are welcoming and...
by j9robinson | Jul 18, 2016
Some of my tutoring students skim through a college application essay prompt (such as the five options for The Common Application essay requirement), and in a flash, find one that speaks to them. Others come armed with a long list of topic ideas they have been toying...
