Stuck on your short-answer questions in the Common Application? I get it! These were easily the hardest questions for me to answer when applying to colleges, simply because the word limit can feel very limiting, and finding the right words to concisely express your thoughts can feel awkward and unfinished.
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You did it! You wrote your long-dreaded college application essays (most likely your UC Personal Insight questions), and you’ve found a way to eloquently tell your story. You’ve done multiple drafts and a thorough job at rephrasing, reworking, and rethinking your paragraphs. Maybe you had some family members, peers, or Study Hall College Consulting team members to read over your words and give feedback, or maybe you kept it to yourself to make sure that your words felt completely your own.
Do you have a student who is steadfast that their college application essay is great but you, as a parent, think their essay could use some work but they don’t listen to you? Unfortunately, this is a common problem for parents and their high school students. The student will write their essay and not take any feedback from their parents, instead insisting that their essay is perfect the way it is.
Applying to colleges is a scary process that many students can feel overwhelmed by. However, it’s important to make your application stand out! You don’t have to be a perfect 4.0 student, or a student who’s discovered the cure to coronavirus! Colleges aren’t looking for a student who’s only invested time in one sector of their life. Make your application well-rounded by following some of these tips and improving your experience in these areas!
“What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?”
“Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.” "What would you say is your greatest talent or skill?” In this blog I am sharing with you the best college essay advice that I received when I was applying to colleges. Through this, you will be able to enhance your voice in your essays. The biggest secret to writing your college application essay is this: if someone else can steal your essay word for word, then it is a bad essay. This advice seems so simple, but when you actually put it into action, it is mind-blowing.
During the college application process, students usually have the opportunity to visit numerous college campuses across the world in order to figure out if you can envision yourself at that university. Visiting schools is a great way to help decide if you should apply to the school and the visit can inspire your “Why X” college application essay.
Writing college application essays can be grueling because you're trying to figure out the words that best describe who you are and formulating the most succinct and compelling way to get your message across. Brainstorming can be the hardest part: it can send you into an existential crisis where you’re stuck wondering who you actually are, what you’re passionate about, and what you want to do with your life.
Many college applications require students to decide on a particular program, college, or major before submitting their application. Sometimes this is a binding choice, automatically signing you up for the program once you enroll, and sometimes it’s just a soft commitment to an area of interest, so the university can see where your interests lie. Being thoughtful and strategic about this factor of your application can help your chances of admission, and help you be enrolled in what you’re interested in once you attend the school. Here are some tips for making this decision, and what to look out for.
Essay writing had always been a point of anxiety for me, particularly when it came to my college applications and personal insight questions. How do I make myself stand out over thousands of other incredibly ambitious students? What is it about my essay or writing style that will make the counselor pause, and really stay interested in what I have to say? How am I supposed to summarize every passion, dream, and challenge I have faced in my life, in 350 words or less? College application essay writing was one of the most daunting tasks I faced during my high school career, but oddly enough, the only thing that actually held me back most of the time was my own insecurity and uncertainty when it came to conveying my ideas.
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