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Every year, families come into the college essay process carrying a set of assumptions about what a good essay looks like. Some of those assumptions come from well-meaning teachers. Some come from older siblings or friends who went through the process years ago. Some come from the internet, which has no shortage of confident but contradictory advice. And a surprising number of them are wrong. Fundamentally wrong in ways that lead students to write essays that work against the

Why Trying to Sound Impressive Ruins College Essays There is a version of the college essay that sounds exactly like what families think a college essay should sound like, one that is well-structured, with sophisticated vocabulary. The topic is long the lines of a leadership experience, an academic passion, a challenge overcome with grace. Its exactly what a parent might imagine an admissions officer is looking for. And it is, almost without exception, completely forgettable.

If you ask most rising seniors what they want to write their college essay about, you will get one of two answers. A shrug. Or a topic that sounds like it belongs on a resume. Neither of those is a starting point. And neither of them is the student's fault. The blank page problem is real and it is one of the most common reasons families tell me their student keeps putting the essay off. Not because they are lazy or uninterested. Because they genuinely do not know where to beg

I want to talk about something that almost every family I work with underestimates, at least at first. The college essay. And I get it. By the time students sit down to write, they've survived junior year - getting as high of a GPA as possible, retaking standardized tests, compiling their activity list, and possibly asking teachers for recommendations. The essay can feel like another item on a very long checklist. One more box to tick before they can hit submit. But here's wh

Your high school transcript is one of the most important pieces of your college application. Equally important is consistency: doing your best each year and showing upward trends where possible. Strong academic performance demonstrates readiness for college-level work and reflects your motivation, discipline, and intellectual engagement. Coursework Out of the many factors colleges use for admission, coursework and the grades carry the most weight. It’s easy to get caught up i

Forbes does a great job of informing college applicants what questions to expect in any college admission interview.

For a creative way to enhance your college resume, consider working with a mentor and a group of likeminded students to create a...

With this blog, I hope to keep you updated on important issues in the college landscape, as well as update you on exciting opportunites...