Why You Shouldn’t Apply to Too Many Colleges
Today, I want to tell you why you shouldn't apply to too many colleges. You may have heard me say before that the sweet spot is to apply to between 5 and 10 colleges. You need at least 5 on…
How to Add More Activities to College Applications
Today we're talking about an extra way to talk about activities in your college applications. In the Common App there's a section devoted to activities where you can list up to 10 of your extracurricular activities that you've already done.…
2025 Timeline for the Class of ‘26
It's the beginning of the new year, and I want to talk to you about what 2025 is going to look like for the Class of 2026. You got a big year ahead of you, so let's make a timeline…
Most Important Rule of College Essays
Hey guys, it's Eric at Solution Prep, and today we're talking about the most important rule of writing your college application essays. It's also the most important rule of public speaking or telling jokes, and that's: Know Your Audience. Think:…
4 Ways College Applicants Fail the Essay Assignment
Hey guys, it's Eric at Solution Prep, and today we're talking about four ways students fail the assignment of writing their college application essays. One is by writing about their grades, trying to explain away bad grades, or say why…
Why Are There SO Many College Application Essays?
Hey guys, it's Eric at Solution Prep, and today we're talking about why some colleges that accept the Common App also request or require their own school specific application essays. They want to get to know the applicants who are…
Avoid These 5 “Why This College” Essay Topics
Hey guys, it's Eric at Solution Prep. Today, we're talking about five things to avoid in writing a “Why This College” essay. A lot of colleges in their application ask, “Why do you want to go to our college?” This…
3 Steps to Writing Winning College Essays
Hey guys, it's Eric at Solution Prep, and today we're talking about the three step process to writing a winning college application essay. And that's: written first, good next, and length last. In your first step, you just have to…
Why Top Colleges Reject Qualified Students
Hey, guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep and today I want to tell you a little story about why qualified students might still get rejected from their top choice colleges. I visit a lot of colleges, and one day I…
How to Apply to College for Free
Hey, guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep, and today we’re talking about how to apply to college for free. Submitting a college application can cost anywhere from $35 all the way up to $95 for a single college. So if…
How to Send SAT & ACT Scores to Colleges
Hey, guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep. Today we’re talking about sending SAT and ACT scores to colleges. If you’ll be submitting your scores — either because the college requires them or because they reflect your best academic abilities —…
How to Begin & End Any College Essay
Hey guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep. Today we’re talking about the two most important — and toughest — parts to write of any college application essay — that’s the beginning and the end. For the beginning, so many students…
Why Go to a College Fair
October is College Fair season! Twice a year — once in the fall, and once in the spring — college reps make the rounds to college fairs for your state, your county, your district, or even your high school. And…
Where College Apps Hide Course & Grade Questions
Hey, guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep, and today we’re talking about that massive pain in the butt that is manually entering all of your courses and grades in college apps when looking to apply to college. Yes… your guidance…
Five MORE Words to Cut From Your College Essays
We’re back with five more words to avoid in your college application essays. The first is “we”. So often students write “we” did this, or “we” did that; but “we” are not applying to college — you are. So focus…
The Trick to Writing Short College Essays
Today we’re talking about short college application essays. Everyone knows the Common App will allow you to submit an essay of up to 650 words; then each college might have their own school specific supplemental essays that are just for…
Which Do Colleges Want: SAT or ACT?
A question I get a lot is whether it’s better to submit SAT or ACT scores to colleges. Right now, a lot of colleges have "test optional" policies, where if you don’t submit scores, it’s not supposed to hurt your…
Do Colleges Care About a Major?
Hey guys. It’s Eric at Solution Prep. And today we’re talking about applying “undeclared“ for your major. Some colleges consider applicants by major or the school within a school to which they apply. There are only so many seats. But…
Avoid this College Essay BIG MISTAKE
One of the biggest mistakes students fail to avoid when they write their college application essays is writing someone else’s story. If you’re writing an essay about your background — or your gratitude — it’s very common to write about…
Building Your Best College List
Today we’re talking about building your best college list. Getting into top colleges has gotten tougher each year. There are a lot of reasons, but here are two of the biggest culprits: First, students are just applying to so many…
How to Build Your College Hook
Today we’re talking about hooks: a hook is a reason why a college might notice and pick you over other qualified candidates. Now there are some hooks you can control but other hooks you can’t. You can’t control if you’re…
5 Reasons NOT to Let ChatGPT Write Your College Essays
Today I want to give you five reasons not to use ChatGPT to write your college application essays. AI writing tools are more accessible than ever and the temptation is real to just copy and paste that prompt in, let…
The SCOTUS Call on RACE in Admissions
Today we’re talking about the recent Supreme Court decision that effectively bans colleges from considering race as one factor in a holistic review of students’ college admissions applications. For decades, colleges have endeavored to create diverse student bodies, including “people…
Common College Essay: The Diversity Essay
This month we’re talking through some of the most common prompts colleges assign for those school specific supplemental essays. And one that we’ve seen a lot more lately is the diversity essay where a college asks why is diversity important…
Common College Essays: Meaningful Activities & Service
This month we’re talking through some of the most common prompts colleges assign for those school specific application essays. One that we see a lot is: tell us about an extracurricular activity, or tell us about a community service activity…
3 Parts of the “Why this College” Essay
This month we’re talking about the most common prompts colleges assign for those school-specific supplemental essays, with one of the most common being the “Why this college?” essay. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your interest and show them that…
#1 Most Common College Essay: Why This Major?
This month we’re talking through some of the most common college essay prompts colleges assign for those school-specific supplemental application essays. And probably number one on the list is the “why this major?” essay; they want to know about your…
Navigating College Ranking Lists
Today we’re talking about college ranking lists. August 1st is coming, and that’s when most college applications open. So ideally, you want to finish your college search and bring down your list to about five to ten colleges by then.…
Important 2023 Dates for the Class of ’24
It’s a new year and it’s important to talk to our juniors about important upcoming 2023 dates. First, the last SAT and ACT of the school year are the June 3 SAT and June 10 ACT. Junior year is testing…
When to Commit to College vs When to Wait
The exciting of process college acceptance letters has begun! With them comes the pressure from each college to get you to commit and send in that deposit. If you apply for Early Decision, you will likely have to pay that…
Need Blind vs Need Aware
Today I am going to tell you how Financial Aid may impact admissions at some colleges and dive into Need Blind vs Need Aware. Some schools are what’s called “Need Blind”, which means the Admissions and the Financial Aid offices…
Show Colleges Your Creativity
Today, we are discussing creativity. Some college applications specifically ask if you have an art portfolio or any curating experience you can link or upload. Sadly most students ignore this because they think it has nothing to do with their…
Early Decision vs. Early Action
Today we’re talking about Early Decision vs Early Action college admission options, which are typically due November 1 or 15, and occasionally a little earlier or later. Applying early gives you a number of advantages in terms of getting accepted…
Why You Need a “College Email”
Today we have to talk about email, especially for sophomores. That’s because this is when you take the PSAT, start attending college visits and fairs, and eventually sign up by email for the SAT and ACT. All of these things…
Honors Colleges: Should You Apply?
Today, we are discussing Honors Colleges. Most four-year colleges have something called: Honors College. Some colleges call it a Fellows Program, Scholar School, but most call it Honors. In most college applications they ask if you’d like to be considered…
Community Service Colleges Love
Today, we are discussing Community Service. That’s one of the many qualities colleges like to see in their prospective students because you’re going to be a part of campus life and that greater area. They want to know if you’re…
Why You Should Make an Admissions Résumé
Today, we are going to discuss the three reasons to make a college admissions resume. An admissions resume is different from a job resume. A job resume is typically black-printed on one white sheet of paper listing your employment and…
Common App is Open! Now What?
August 1st means the Common App is open! This is a great time to get to work on specific parts of your school's applications for the colleges on your list. Some schools will be late, but most are right on…
10th, 11th, & 12th Grade Summer Plan
Today I want to tell you how rising 12th, 11th, and 10th graders can make the most of their summer break. Yes, you need to relax. You need a vacation. But you also need to make the most of your…
New Year, New College Admissions Timeline
Today I want to give you a longer explanation where I’m going to talk to every junior about the year ahead for college admissions. Right now it's January, and this junior year is going to be your year for college…
Should You Apply “Undecided”?
One question I get asked a lot is, “What if I don’t know what I want to major in?” Applying for college when you are undecided is okay. It is totally okay to not know what you want to do…
When Are College Applications REALLY Due?
Today I want to talk to seniors working their way through the mountainous process of applying to college. You may be working on things like your essays and your applications, but you want to keep in mind that you're not…
Hidden Supplemental Essays
Today I want to tell you about hidden supplemental college application essays. A lot of colleges, when you look at their application on the Common App, it tells you how many essays there are, how many extra writing assignments. But that…
How Many Colleges to Apply To
Today I wanted to talk with you about how many colleges you should apply to. Ideally, when thinking about how many to apply to, you want to apply to somewhere between five and ten colleges, maybe fifteen at the absolute…
Sorting Through College Mail
Today I wanted to talk to juniors about what to do with all the college mail you’re getting. For email, first, you want to set up a separate account just for this. That way, when you’re done with the whole…