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College Application Essay: Can Your Reader Follow You?
When I sit with a student on a draft, I often ask a simple question: “If a stranger picked this up with zero context, could they follow your train of thought?”
Your Child Doesn’t Know What They Want to Do. Good.
Not knowing what you want to study or which career you want to pursue at 17 does not put you behind. Colleges are not looking for students with their entire future mapped out. They are looking for curious, thoughtful applicants who can speak honestly about what interests them now. Instead of forcing a polished career narrative, focus on the subjects, activities, and experiences that genuinely engage your student.
“But What’s the ROI?” – Why That Question Misses the Point
I hear some version of this question regularly, usually from a parent who has done their homework: “We’ve run the numbers. A private university just can’t match the return on investment of our state school. The tuition is three times higher, and the degree gets you to the same place.”
The Passion Project, Revisited
A remarkable extracurricular project can’t rescue a weak academic record — and admission officers know the difference. What actually stands out isn’t the most spectacular-looking achievement, but a profile with an internal logic: one where the student’s choices feel like a natural extension of who they genuinely are.
The Hidden Gem You Thought Didn’t Belong on Your Activity List
Here’s the puzzle: Many students have a genuinely unusual interest, a quirky pursuit, or a hobby that sets them apart, and they don’t realize they should include it on their resumes. Or they actively work to keep it off their applications.
Building Meaningful Momentum So Your Extracurriculars Shine
You’ve Started. Now What? What if you’re the student who’s been playing soccer since middle school, or has been in the school orchestra for three years, or holds a part-time job and genuinely enjoys it? Then you aren’t frozen. You have momentum. And that’s genuinely good news!
Do. Or Do Not. There Is No Try.
The hard truth is that no counselor, not even one with decades of experience, can manufacture a compelling extracurricular story in the final stretch of high school.
Why Strong Extracurriculars Sometimes Don’t Tell Your Story
Over my years working with college applicants, I’ve noticed a puzzling pattern that frustrates both students and families. Two students sit in front of me with similarly impressive resumes. Both have leadership positions. Both have pursued challenging activities. Both have achieved recognition in their respective fields. Both are strong students academically. On paper, they look…
Your Essay Doesn’t Sound Like You—And Colleges Know It
In my decades of working with students on college applications, I’ve read thousands of essays. And increasingly, I’m noticing a troubling pattern: essays that don’t sound like they were written by high school students at all. The Three Voices That Sabotage Your Application Students come to me worried that their essays aren’t “good enough” or “impressive…
Your Early Decision Denial Isn’t About Your Essay
Every year, after early decision results come out, my phone starts ringing off the hook. Students and families who just received their first major rejection are searching for answers. They’re convinced something went terribly wrong with their application and ask: “Was my personal statement too personal?” “Should I have been funnier in my essays?” “Did…