Writing College Application Essays

Yoda never applied to college. But if he had, I suspect his extracurricular profile would have been exceptional. The old Jedi master’s most famous piece of wisdom—“Do. Or do not. There is no try.”—turns out to be surprisingly good college admission advice. A common pattern I see in my work… Read more Read More

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… Read more Read More

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… Read more Read More

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… Read more Read More

Helping students prepare their personal statements is one of my favorite parts of the application process.  No matter what you read online or hear from others, there are no simple formulas to craft a great essay. However, some fundamental components of the personal statement can give you confidence that you… Read more Read More

I have been involved in college admission for a long time. I’ve seen trends come and go. And I’ve seen admission practices fade away that everyone (myself included) thought would never change. I even remember when college applications were handwritten on paper and sent in the mail. But now, a… Read more Read More

In my long career in education, I have worked as a college admission officer, high school director of college counseling, college admission consultant in private practice, university administrator, teacher, and fundraiser. I have also been a student for many years, culminating in a doctorate in education leadership.  Throughout all these… Read more Read More

Most of the students and families I work with come to me to solve an urgent and, at times, painful problem. And I understand that the many steps involved in applying to college can seem overwhelming. Thus, it may feel like just one misstep can have dire consequences.  To solve… Read more Read More

There is a deafening “noise”—online, in social circles, or in classrooms—about the “best” college, “best” SAT tutor, the correct number of AP classes to take, secret strategies to make it easier to get into a “better” college, and the “best” and “worst” majors. It is hard to ignore the steady… Read more Read More

One of the most challenging aspects of writing the personal statement is getting started.  Many students struggle with choosing a topic due to myths about what “the best” personal statement topic sounds like. And I find they often get stuck because they believe the falsehood that you must land on… Read more Read More