Should You Gamble on Your College Application Essay?

Can a Risky College Application Essay Get You Into the Ivies? Maybe…   This time of year, a flurry of stories hit the national media about students who get into all the Ivy League schools (plus Stanford). The stories always include scrutiny and speculation...

Start Your Personal Statement the Right Way

  Ready to write your personal statement essay? It can be for your Common Application essay, or other university or college prompts, or transfers, or medical or law school, or even scholarship applications. To start, always read the prompt. If it asks you to...

Hot Tips for new Common Application Prompt 6

3 HOT TIPS for Common App Prompt 6   In a previous post, I warned about the possible pitfalls of writing about the new Common Application prompt 6. My main concern was that in writing about one of your passions — a “topic, idea or concept — you...

Common Application Prompt 6: Be Warned!

  Big Red Flag on this New Common Application Prompt 6! The Common Application added two new prompts for 2017-18. Now students can choose from seven prompts (instead of five) to inspire their personal statement “Common App” essay. The seventh new...

Launching My New Essay Guide with Amazon Giveaway!

GET IT FOR FREE FOR LIMITED TIME! I’m introducing my hot-off-the-press writing guide, “Essay Hell’s 50 Most Commonly Asked Questions about College Application Essays” by giving it away for the next 5 days on Amazon. Starting tomorrow, February...