Answers

Direct answers to students’ and parents’ most frequently asked questions.

  1. How to Choose a College Essay Topic
  2. How to Start a College Essay: Openings That Work
  3. How to Write a College Essay Hook That Pulls Them In
  4. How Long Should a College Essay Be? (The Real Answer)
  5. How to Make Your College Essay Sound Human (Not AI)
  6. How to Use ChatGPT to Brainstorm College Essay Ideas
  7. What Are Colleges Looking for in a College Essay?
  8. How to Write a College Essay That Stands Out
  9. How to Edit a College Essay: What Most Students Miss
  10. Which Common App Essay Prompt Should You Choose?
  11. College Essay Topics to Avoid (And What to Write Instead)
  12. What Makes a College Essay Stand Out to Admissions Officers?
  13. College Essay Tone: How to Sound Like Yourself on Paper
  14. How Personal Should a College Essay Get?
  15. How Many Times Should You Revise a College Essay?
  16. College Essay Writer’s Block: What’s Really Happening and How to Fix It
  17. Why Your College Essay Shouldn’t Read Like a Resume
  18. How to Show Passion in a College Essay (Not Just Say It)
  19. How to Brag in a College Essay Without Sounding Arrogant
  20. How to Avoid Cliches in Your Common App Essay
  21. Do You Need a Sob Story to Get Into a Top College?
  22. Can You Use Humor in a College Essay?
  23. Why You Shouldn’t Write Your College Essay From the Beginning
  24. Should You Start Your College Essay With a Quote?
  25. How to End a College Essay Without Sounding Generic
  26. Common App Essay Examples That Actually Got Students In
  27. College Essay Examples That Worked: What They Have in Common
  28. Can Colleges Detect AI in College Essays?
  29. Can ChatGPT Write Your College Essay? (And Should It?)
  30. Is It OK to Use AI for College Essays?
  31. How to Find Your Voice in a College Essay
  32. How Admissions Officers Actually Read College Essays
  33. How Much Do Essays Matter for Ivy League Admissions?
  34. What Makes a Strong College Supplemental Essay?
  35. How to Write a Why This College Essay That Actually Works
  36. How to Write a Why This Major Essay (With Examples)
  37. What Order Should You Write Your College Essays In?
  38. Can You Reuse Supplemental Essays for Different Colleges?
  39. How to Write a 100-Word College Essay Supplement
  40. How to Show Intellectual Curiosity in Your College Application
  41. How to Write a Challenge Essay for College Applications
  42. How to Write a College Diversity Essay That Feels Real
  43. How to Write a College Essay About Your Identity (With Examples)
  44. How to Write a Community Essay for College Applications
  45. How to Build a College List: Reach, Target, and Safety Schools
  46. How Many Reach Schools Should You Apply To?
  47. What Is Yield Protection in College Admissions?
  48. Is Test Optional Actually Test Optional? The Real Answer
  49. Is a 1500 SAT Good Enough for Top 20 Schools?
  50. Should You Apply to a Less Competitive Major to Get Into a Top School?
  51. How to Ask a Teacher for a College Recommendation Letter
  52. How to Answer UC Personal Insight Questions (With Examples)
  53. How to Handle College Application Deadline Stress
  54. Why Being Well-Rounded Hurts Your College Application
  55. What Personal Qualities Do Colleges Look for in Applicants?
  56. How to Show Leadership in College Applications Without a Title
  57. How to Describe Community Service Impact on College Applications
  58. How to Explain Bad Grades on a College Application
  59. How to Use the Additional Information Section on the Common App
  60. How to Update a College Application After Submitting
  61. Waitlisted at Your First Choice College? Here’s What to Do
  62. What Is a Letter of Continued Interest and Should You Send One?
  63. How to Write a Diversity Essay Without Sounding Generic
  64. Is Early Decision 2 Worth It?
  65. How to Write Your College Activities List (With Examples)

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