by j9robinson | Feb 18, 2017
Big Red Flag on this New Common Application Prompt 6! The Common Application added two new prompts for 2017-18. Now students can choose from seven prompts (instead of five) to inspire their personal statement “Common App” essay. The seventh new...
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 | 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 | 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 15, 2016
Got a Burning Question About Your College Application Essay? (Leave it in the Comments!) After working with students like you for nearly a decade now, I’ve heard a lot of questions about these cursed essays. And you are so smart to ask them. How else can you...
by j9robinson | May 2, 2016
University of California Personal Insight Question 6: Brainiacs, Nerds, Geeks and Former Slackers—This Essay is For You! UC Essay Prompt 6:6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or...
by j9robinson | May 1, 2016
University of California Personal Insight Question 5: Your Chance to Get Real and Personal If You Have Faced Hardships, Share Them! Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this...
by j9robinson | Apr 30, 2016
University of California Personal Insight Question 4: A Chance to Showcase Your Field of Interest (For those of you just starting the UC application for 2016-17, incoming freshman pick four essays—each under 350 words—out of eight all-new prompts,...
by j9robinson | Apr 11, 2016
For the first time in the eight years I’ve been helping students with their college application essays, I’ve had a flurry of requests from students asking for help with waitlist essays and letters. What torture for them! Most have been waiting for months...
