Don’t Get Hacky – Keep Your Standards High!
Don’t Get Hacky – Keep Your Standards High What does writing your college application essay and writing an episode of Full House have in common? Well, frankly, not that much, unless you count the caffeine intake. Having spent a good deal of time in television “writers room,” however, I’ll share with you a writers’ expression you […]
Avoid the Last Minute Essay Writing Panic
Welcome, students and parents. Please come in and lie down on the couch. I assure you, everything is going to be all right. October 1 is almost here and, students, you have not yet written your college application essays. You’ve entered the last minute essay writing phase of applying for college. Many of your friends have […]
Short Paragraphs Make the Best College Application Essay Format
Choosing the best college application essay format As you write your college application essay, pay attention to formatting! Don’t forget: your audience is human! So, use specific techniques like using short paragraphs and making your essay look inviting to keep your reader happy! Your College Application Essay “Audience” When writing the college application essay, students usually […]
Don’t Let Your College Application Essay Topic Get Too Cute!
A GREAT IDEA FOR AN ESSAY, OR IS IT? Cyrus had a great idea for his college application essay. In answer to Common App Essay Prompt #4 – about an intellectual challenge he’d like to solve – he would write a question mark. That’s it, one giant question mark. For the entire essay. The more […]
Outlining Your College Application Essay
Rolling with the College Application Essay Josh figured he’d write his college application essay like he did everything else – making it up as he went along. After all, wasn’t that how he became the freestyle skateboard champion of Bakersfield, CA? Bringing this approach to his Common Application essay, however, proved difficult. He would start an […]
Discovering the Essay Topic
Roger’s parents were determined he would write a college application essay that stood out. So they got him essay tutors, sent him to essay workshops, could not get through a family meal without peppering Roger with suggestions for his essay topic. But one day, Roger finally had enough. His mother burst into his room (always […]
Danger! Application Essay Samples Ahead!
The truth about college application essay samples There are many books on the market, and websites online, containing college application essay samples. They might be sample essays by students who were accepted to Harvard or simply “outstanding application essays.” Reading a few of these gems can be useful and the conscientious high school senior should […]
WRITING THE COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAY: IT’S ABOUT MORE THAN COLLEGE
I was recently interviewed for an article in the Los Angeles Times “Mind and Body Section” (okay, the writer is a friend of mine) about writing as therapy. The writer wanted to know if I thought writing the college application essay could be therapeutic for high school seniors. My initial response: You have to remember, […]
WRITING THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS ESSAY – YOUR JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY
It’s May! Springtime! The birds are tweeting (the old fashioned way), flowers are blooming and high school juniors everywhere are staring out the window daydreaming about… their college admissions essays? Uhm… probably not. And yet, writing the essay does not have to be a dreaded chore, especially if you treat it as a journey of […]
WRITING THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS ESSAY – GUIDELINES FOR CHOOSING A TOPIC
I have recently read a number of articles about subjects to avoid in writing your college admissions essay and have reached the following conclusion: There is no suitable subject for the college admissions essay. From legitimate family tragedy to your high school basketball team’s double overtime championship game, college application experts have put a strong […]