by j9robinson | Aug 24, 2018
How to Background an Anecdote (Includes 5 writing examples at the bottom!) If you’ve done your homework on how to write an effective college application essay, you probably know the place to start is with your real-life stories. The...
by j9robinson | Jul 29, 2018
Who Are You? Tips and Resources to Think About Yourself If you are working on your personal statement for The Common Application or other college applications, the first step is to start to think about yourself. Sounds easy enough. Who am I? What am I like? How did I...
by j9robinson | Mar 25, 2018
Let Lynda Barry Help You Find and Tell Your Best Stories! Try One of Her Awesome Brainstorming Exercises If you’re starting to brainstorm that perfect topic to craft your dreaded college application essay, I have a new writing technique you might find helpful....
by j9robinson | Jul 25, 2017
Who Writes Better College Application Essays: Boys or Girls? When I gave one of my summer college application essay writing boot camps this last weekend in my hometown of Laguna Beach, I had 11 boys and one girl. As the students showed up, I casually mentioned this...
by j9robinson | Jun 1, 2017
Colleges Love Your Stories Especially Those That Seem Almost Ordinary! I’ve read several news articles in recent weeks featuring college admissions officials sharing what they liked about college application essays they read over the last year. This...
by j9robinson | May 25, 2017
In One Word: Focus! I’ve been reading college application essays for the last decade. I’m probably into the thousands by now. Looking back, I have identified the most common flaw in many of them. They are too general. Which make them...
by j9robinson | Apr 19, 2017
Should You Write About a Cliche Topic for Your College Application Essay? If you are just starting brainstorming ideas for your college application essays, one of the first pieces of advice you might stumble upon is to avoid “cliche” topics. I always warn...
by j9robinson | Apr 13, 2017
Can a Risky College Application Essay Get You Into the Ivies? Maybe… This time of year, a flurry of stories hit the national media about students who get into all the Ivy League schools (plus Stanford). The stories always include scrutiny and speculation...
by j9robinson | Mar 21, 2017
Ready to write your personal statement essay? It can be for your Common Application essay, or other university or college prompts, or transfers, or medical or law school, or even scholarship applications. To start, always read the prompt. If it asks you to...
by j9robinson | Mar 10, 2017
3 HOT TIPS for Common App Prompt 6 In a previous post, I warned about the possible pitfalls of writing about the new Common Application prompt 6. My main concern was that in writing about one of your passions — a “topic, idea or concept — you...
