Writing the College Admissions Essay – Six Tips for Choosing a Topic

Finding a suitable topic for your college application essay is one of the most challenging, and critical, aspects of the entire application process. Here are six tips that might make it easier. 1. Go small. By this, I mean, simple, clear, highly personal and revealing of your character. Your lifelong inability to tell a joke, […]

Writing the College Admissions Essay: How to “Barbara Walters” Yourself

The queen of interviews has retired so now it’s your turn to step up. In discovering a topic for your college admissions essay, “interview yourself” by asking a series of questions designed to expose your feelings and passions, spotlight important events in your life and reveal, ideally, what you didn’t know you knew (read that […]

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 […]

The Holiday Season Can Inspire Your College Admissions Essay

If you’re still searching for a topic for your college admissions essay, try getting inspiration from this emotional holiday season. Family, gratitude, the spirit of giving, travel, commercialism, spirituality and over eating are all in the air and can wind up being potential subject areas. During the coming holidays, therefore, no matter which of them […]

Writing the College Application Essay – The Common Application Prompts (4-6)

Continuing from my previous blog… The fourth prompt for the Personal Essay on the Common Application Prompt reads: Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you and explain that influence. In answering this prompt, rather than using references […]