Grammar and Writing Style Tips
Read about the most common grammar mistakes that we see in editing college essays and how to fix them. Also, learn about our writing style tips for expressing your ideas in your own unique voice.
Teacher Recommendations: How and Who to Ask
Strong teacher recommendations for college applications personalize and differentiate you and place you within the context of other students. Select teachers who can create a picture of you as an individual, share your unique qualities, and tell the colleges how you will contribute to the academic world. Read our tips for choosing recommenders and suggested responsibilities for students.
How to Write a Compelling College Match Essay
Read our tips for writing an effective college match essay for your college applications. The ideal match essay will paint a picture of a two-way street in which the college is a great fit for you, and you are a great fit for it. In order to do this successfully, you’ll need to thoroughly research each college you’re applying to, then compose a compelling piece of writing articulating the specific “match” areas you’ve identified.
How to Write Your Personal Essay for College, Part II: Narrative Arcs
We know that it’s difficult to get started with your Personal Essay! We provide you with a variety of ways to organize your story in the most effective way possible and share some tried-and-true models to help you build a compelling essay.
How to Write Your Personal Essay for College, Part I: Brainstorming
Are you feeling overwhelmed at the thought of writing your personal essay for the Common Application? We walk you through some tried-and-true tips for crafting a tight, captivating personal essay that will wow admissions officers. In this blog post, Part I: Brainstorming, we cover how to develop the best topics to write about. In our next blog post, Part II: Narrative Structures, we provide several options for how you can tell your story.
What are the Differences Between First Year and Transfer Essays?
Learn about how the Transfer Essay differs from the First-Year Personal Essay for college applications. Read our tips for crafting essays that are thoughtful, clearly defined, and that demonstrate specific reasons for wanting to transfer to a certain school. Your Transfer Essay should reveal your interests and goals, and show how you will be a good fit for the college of your choice!
How to Demonstrate Interest to Colleges
What is demonstrated interest and which colleges care about it? Read our blog post to find out more about the role that demonstrated interest plays in college admissions, and our 10-point plan to communicate the strength and depth of your genuine interest to your best-fit colleges.
Crafting Your College List, Part III: Balancing Your List from Reach to Realistic
As part three of our blog series, Crafting Your College List, now it’s time to narrow down the list of schools you will apply to, and ensure that your list is balanced in a way that is right for you. The ultimate goal is not only to be accepted, but to succeed and thrive at the college you choose to attend!
How Make the Most of a College Fair
Are you attending a college fair soon and feeling overwhelmed? Read our tips for how to prepare for your college fair, including which schools to visit, what questions to ask, and how to follow up after.
Crafting Your College List, Part II: College Visits
In part two of our step-by-step guide to Crafting Your College List, we will help you narrow down a list of schools for you to research further, and then visit, either in-person or virtually. You will start to see your preferences emerge more clearly with each visit, and your college list will come into focus!