Learning how to write a college essay goes beyond grammar, vocabulary, and storytelling: it involves leaving the reader with a meaningful takeaway. Admissions officers read thousands of essays, and while many are engaging, only a select few effectively communicate why…
College essays can feel daunting, especially when staring at a blank screen with no idea where to begin. One of the most crucial steps to crafting an effective essay is choosing the right topic, and that begins with smart college…
One question I get asked a lot is what's the difference between a personal statement versus a college essay. And the fact is they're generally the same thing most of the time. Kind of. Let me explain. Your Common App…
When students ask me for college admissions essay tips, what they're actually asking is: what do colleges really care about? What are they looking for in my essay? And the answer, in a word, is passion. Colleges want to see…
When students ask me for Common App essay tips, the number one question I get asked is: Which prompt should you pick? So in today's video, we're going to break down all seven of the Common App essay prompts and…
When students are looking for college essay help, they often ask: what's the best way to start their application essay? So today we're going to talk about five foolproof ways to start your college application essay. The first is a…
Today we're talking about two optional essays in the Common App. If you click on the Common App tab and click on the writing section, you're going to see an area that says “Additional Information.” In there, there are two…
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:…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Hey, guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep. Today we’re talking about summer programs at colleges for high school students. These can be a great opportunity for you to learn more about topics you’re passionate about, or to look more into…
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…
The college reps are coming! Fall is travel season for college admissions reps; so in addition to attending college fairs in the evening, they might also be visiting high schools during the daytime to meet students, and they might be…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Today we're talking about five words to cut out of your college application essay. The first is you. Students often describe their activities like, "you go to meetings and you do community service," but you is the reader, and that's…
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…
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…
Today we’re talking about if you should apply to colleges “test optional,” which is an option some colleges offer but other colleges don’t—so make sure to read their requirements carefully. On most colleges’ websites, you can find their interquartile range,…
Today I want to give you some do’s and don'ts about writing your college application essays. DO write on a topic you care about: your passions and your intellectual curiosity. DON’T write an essay on the topic you think colleges…
Today we’re talking about bad topics for college admission essays. Last week we did a video on what makes good essay topics, so if you haven’t watched that yet, do watch it next. The worst essay topic that’s gonna wind…
This week we’re doing a two-parter: this week and next week. This week we're talking about good topics for college essays. We’ve talked before about how grades and scores are what qualify for college, but at the end of the…
Today I want to tell you about two essays not to submit as your Common App essay. The Common App is going to give you seven prompts from which you can choose to write about one for your essay. But…
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…
Today I want to talk to juniors about the college admissions timeline ahead. Summer is the best time to work on college applications and essays, which is a much bigger project than most people think, especially because more competitive colleges…
Grades and scores are the two biggest criteria top colleges use to determine which students are eligible for their college. A recent study by the CollegeBoard says that in 1998, 39% of high school students graduated with an A-average, but…
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…
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…
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…
Today I want to talk to juniors and seniors about why and how top colleges pick these students and not those students. A lot of students get great grades and great scores, but then don’t wind up getting into their…