by j9robinson | Jul 20, 2017
Helicopter Parents Aren’t All Bad (They Just Need to Know When to Drop In) I received an email from a mom recently inquiring about my tutoring services for her college-bound daughter. In her email, she included a story about their family history that she thought...
by j9robinson | Apr 13, 2017
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...
by j9robinson | Mar 10, 2017
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...
by j9robinson | Oct 26, 2016
24 More Commonly Asked Questions about College Admissions Essays How far back should I go in tracing my background? When writing about experiences from your past, it’s best to stick to your high school years in general (for Common Application and incoming...
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...
by j9robinson | Oct 25, 2016
FAQ | College Application Essay (These are the most commonly asked questions about college application essays, along with my best advice and related posts.) 1. What are some tips to write college admission essays? The list of essay-writing tips is long, but...
by j9robinson | Apr 28, 2016
College Admissions Consultants Learn Essay Coaching A group of nine college admissions consultants from the San Diego area helped me kick off my College Application Essay Writing Bootcamp this week. After participating in my two-hour workshop at the beautiful home of...
by j9robinson | Apr 19, 2016
What Are You Good At? (Yes, UC Essay Prompt 3 Can Be About Almost Anything!) I believe all students who need to answer four of the new University of California “Personal Insight Questions” should seriously consider the third one, otherwise known as...
by j9robinson | Apr 2, 2016
Viral Costco Essay Writer Thanks Essay Hell! Read Brittany Stinson’s College Application Essay That Landed Her in Four Ivies—plus Stanford! I can’t resist the news stories that break this time of year announcing students who get into multiple ivy...
by j9robinson | Jun 22, 2015
A lot of pieces go into crafting a college application essay that will help you stand out from the competition, and quite possibly push you through the door to your dream school: It needs to be engaging, especially at the start. (Here’s how you do that.)...
