by j9robinson | Jul 20, 2018
Okay, so this is a bit of hyperbole on my part. All students have plenty to write about for their college application essays. However, from what I’ve seen working with college-bound students for the last decade, many of our most talented, driven and intelligent...
by j9robinson | Mar 23, 2016
When I give writing workshops to students on college application essays and what makes them effective, I love to show this short video on YouTube. It’s just over two minutes long, but in that brief time, I believe many students quickly get a sense of what they...
by j9robinson | Apr 7, 2015
Storytelling “Clues” from a Master for your College Application Essay If anyone knows how to spin a great story, it’s this guy: Andrew Stanton. Ok, I hadn’t heard of him before either, but I certainly know about his films: All the Toy Story...
by j9robinson | Apr 1, 2015
How to Answer Prompt 4 for the Common App for your College Application Essay Prompt 4: Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma—anything that is...
by j9robinson | Mar 10, 2015
A good selfie can define and shape your personal image that you blast out to the world. The same goes with your college application essay. Both selfies and personal statement essays are supposed to capture your essence on some level, and reveal what makes you...
by j9robinson | Sep 8, 2014
If you are struggling with your college application essay right about now, you might be cursing the entire process. And I don’t blame you. You’re supposed to think up some fascinating topic that will grab the attention of those bored-to-tears admissions...
by j9robinson | Aug 26, 2014
If you’ve been looking for help with your college application essay, I assume you have discovered the mountains of information (some helpful; a lot no so much) out there on the Web. One of my favorite resources for students is The Prospect, which is an...
by j9robinson | Aug 11, 2014
The middle of August is when I first notice a dramatic spike in visitors to Essay Hell. A few students get that early start on their college application essays at the beginning of summer, but the majority seem to wait until now through fall. I thought I would try to...
by j9robinson | Dec 24, 2013
It’s almost Christmas Eve, just hours away in California. And we are coming upon another deadline–The Common Application–in January. If you are applying to colleges via the Common App, and you have yet to write your college application essays,...
by j9robinson | Oct 17, 2013
Students trying to submit their college applications–including their essays–to The Common Application are finding all sorts of glitches and problems this fall. Apparently, it’s a new system and some students have spent literally hours trying...
