by j9robinson | Apr 19, 2017
Should You Write About a Cliche Topic
for Your College Application Essay?
If you are just starting brainstorming ideas for your college application essays, one of the first pieces of advice you might stumble upon is to avoid “cliche” topics.
I always warn my students about these often over-used topics, which can include:
Death of loved ones
Sports (especially injuries and victories/losses)
Band
Mission trips (volunteering)
Tutoring (especially special needs kids)
Travel (family trips)
RELATED: College Application Essay Topics to Avoid
The main reason to avoid them is that droves of other students have already written about these topics, so they aren’t as effective at helping you differentiate yourself from other applicants.
HOWEVER… (more…)
by j9robinson | Feb 12, 2017
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 13, just go to its sales page on Amazon and you can download the Kindle version for free.(Click HERE to get free Kindle app for your computer, phone or table.)
I designed this guide for students, parents, teachers and counselors who want quick and easy answers to the questions I have fielded the most during my decade working with these dreaded college application essays.
Not only do I include simple answers for each of the 50 questions, I also include clickable links to related posts from this blog to provide even more in depth explanations, advice and tips. (more…)
by j9robinson | Oct 25, 2016
FAQ | College Application Essays
I’m sharing below 20 of the most common questions about college application essays that I have been asked over the years, along with links to longer explanations and related helpful information.
This spring I published a book with these and 30 other questions and answers, called Essay Hell’s 50 Most Commonly Asked Questions about College Application Essays.
(more…)
by j9robinson | Jul 18, 2016
Some of my tutoring students skim through a college application essay prompt (such as the five options for The Common Application essay requirement), and in a flash, find one that speaks to them.
Others come armed with a long list of topic ideas they have been toying with for weeks.
But most, I would say more than 80 percent, have no clue where to start.
And it’s a terrible feeling. (more…)
by j9robinson | May 11, 2016
Coalition Prompt 4: What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What’s the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?
When I first read through the five prompts students have to choose from to write their one personal statement essay for the new Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success application, this one popped out at me.
I bet it did the same for you.
Why?
Of the five prompts, Coalition prompt 4 tries to be more creative and relevant to a high school student. (more…)
by j9robinson | May 2, 2016
University of California Personal Insight Question 7:
Time to Talk About One of Those Volunteer Experiences
UC essay prompt 7: What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
The minute I read UC essay prompt 7, I thought most students would jump at this question because most have spent endless hours volunteering during high school.
Now it’s time to recall some of your most interesting or meaningful “times” or experiences.
You could write a strong essay about giving back, but you have to be careful to avoid the cliche trap.The trick is to think of something unusual or unexpected that happened during one of those experiences.
(more…)
by j9robinson | May 2, 2016
University of California Personal Insight Question 6:
Brainiacs, Nerds, Geeks and Former Slackers—This Essay is For You!
UC Essay Prompt 6:6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
Well, this is probably the most straightforward of the eight Personal Insight Questions (which I call essay prompts) that the University of California admissions has to offer wannabe freshmen for 2016-17.
It’s also your best chance, similar to UC essay prompt 4, to showcase your passion for learning.
When you read UC essay prompt 6, did an answer pop into your head immediately?
If so, this could be a no-brainer essay for you to write. (more…)
by j9robinson | May 1, 2016
University of California Personal Insight Question 5:
Your Chance to Get Real and Personal
If You Have Faced Hardships, Share Them!
Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
If you are a high school student who has had to deal with some tough issues in your life or background, you should seriously consider writing about at least one of them in UC Essay Prompt 5 (also known as Personal Insight Question 5)
This is not whining or complaining.
In fact, students who have had to overcome or deal with obstacles in their life and managed to succeed in school despite those issues are highly desirable to almost all college and universities. And the UCs are no exception. (more…)
by j9robinson | Apr 30, 2016
University of California Personal Insight Question 4:
A Chance to Showcase Your Field of Interest
(For those of you just starting the UC application for 2016-17, incoming freshman pick four essays—each under 350 words—out of eight all-new prompts, known as Personal Insight Questions. I’m writing separate posts on ideas about how to write about all eight of them.)
If you know what you want to study in college, I would seriously consider writing about UC essay prompt 4.
It’s your chance to show the University of California that you already know something about this field and were serious enough to learn about it. (more…)
by j9robinson | Apr 11, 2016
For the first time in the eight years I’ve been helping students with their college application essays, I’ve had a flurry of requests from students asking for help with waitlist essays and letters.
What torture for them!
Most have been waiting for months and months and now they get a “maybe?”
Which really means “probably not,” but keep trying anyway. (Sorry if you didn’t know that.)
That’s what I call admissions purgatory. (more…)
