Brainstorm the World You Come

UPDATE: as of March 23, 2016 The University of California announced NEW essay prompts for 2016-17. Read about how to answer them HERE. This post is now outdated. The information is no longer relevant!! College Admissions Essay Help The University of California...

Want to be Likable? Here’s how.

College Admissions Essays: How to make sure you come across as likable   “Think of something you might boast about and turn it into an entertaining flaw.” College expert and blogger Jay Matthews on self-deprecation In the typical list of hot tips from...

The Ultimate Essay Checklist

  College Admissions Essays Final Checklist So you think you are done with your college admission essay or personal statement. Wait! You have worked so hard on that essay; it’s worth an extra few minutes to make sure it’s as good as you can make it. I...

Still Looking for That Magic Topic? Try a Sample!

  College Admissions Essays: Samples Samples of College Admissions Essays and Personal Statements– and Why They Can Help You Write Yours!!   I always tell my students that one of the best ways to find great topic ideas is to read the essays of other...

5 Top Tips on Finding Topics for College Admissions Essays

  College Admissions Essays: Five Tips for the Perfect Topic Still looking for a college application essay topic that will set you apart from the pack?   Here are my Top Five Tips on finding compelling and memorable topics:   1. Start with a defining...

Twilight as a Topic? No Way!

College Admissions Essays: Finding topics in unlikely places   I would never have believed that writing about the Twilight series could be a super essay topic–not in a million years. But below, I’m going to share how one of my brightest students...

Essay Rocket Fuel: The Anecdote

College Admissions Essays How to Write an Anecdote For Your College Application Essay, Personal Statement or other Essays If you can write an anecdote, you can write a powerful essay. But a lot of students don’t know what an anecdote is, let alone how to write one....

Athletes Beware: How Not to Write a Sport-Themed Essay

 College Admissions Essays How to Write About Your Sport–Or Think Again If you are a serious athlete, and intend to play your sport in college, it’s hard to pick a topic for your college application essay that’s not related to your sport. Chances...

Find the Twist to Your College Application Essay

College Admissions Essays How to Find “The Unexpected” in Your College Application Essay or Personal Narrative One way to add snap, crackle and pop to your college application essay is to give it a little twist. What’s a twist? It can be many things,...

Should You Include an Activity Sheet? Quite possibly, YES!

What’s an Activity Sheet? Well, on The Common Application, you are given the opportunity to include “Additional Information” about yourself in the form of an Activity Sheet. This is in addition to the activity listing, where you have a dozen spaces...