What Do You Believe?

   Students looking for ideas and inspiration on their college application essays should check out the “This I Believe” web site. It’s an international organization set up in 2004 to help students and adults identify and express through writing...

Believe in the Right Fit

  The winter flurry of letters is landing in mail boxes around the globe this time of year. I just heard from three ecstatic students who learned last week they were accepted into their dream schools–one was Harvard, another Wellesley, and a third...

Essay Lessons From a College Applicant Superstar

What You Can Learn From Michael Brown’s College Application Essay   I must have watched the viral video of Michael Brown learning he got into Stanford at least three times in a row. Such a feat and well-deserved accomplishment for what seems like an...

Congratulations to the First Essay Jumpstart Experts!

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...

Workshops

  Looking for a college admissions conference this summer to help launch your application process? I will be the featured essay writing coach at the My Pathway to College conference for college-bound students in San Diego. I will be working with students on their...

How to Write Short Essays: A Slideshare Tutorial

Learn the Secret to Nailing a Short Essay for Your College Applications Students applying to college often spend most of their energy on their core essay for The Common Application or larger universities. They will soon learn, however, that they need to master the art...

For Counselors and Teachers

Workshops for Educational Consultants and Students   I offer in-person and cyber workshops and private tutoring to counselors, teachers and other educators. Counselor and Teacher Workshops Become an official Essay Jumpstart Expert! Get certified through my...

Should You Take the Challenge of Prompt 3 of New Common App?

  College Application Essays: How to Answer Prompt 3 of the Common App. Who or What Have You Confronted Lately?   When you read the five options for your Common Application essay, one prompt probably will appeal to you first off. Others you will skim and...

Race is a Terrible College App Essay Topic

Feeling Pressure to Write About Race? Don’t Do It!   Colleges and universities can no longer use your race as a factor in determining whether to accept you to their schools, since the landmark Supreme Court ruling on June 29th abolished most of Affirmative...