Using AI on Your College Essay: What Colleges and the Common App Actually Say
Key Takeaways “It’s just for ideas. That’s allowed, right?” A student has a chat window open and a blinking cursor on a blank page. Maybe it’s allowed...
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The “Community” Essay When You Don’t Feel Part of One
Key Takeaways “I’m not really part of any community. I don’t have a team or a club or a group of friends who feel like a ‘we.'” That’s a common ...
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Sending an Update After You Apply: What’s Worth Including
Key Takeaways A student hits submit on December 28. She feels finished for about four days. Then January starts. Her robotics team wins a regional award. Her first-semester grades ...
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Additional Information Section Is Not Another Essay
Key Takeaways There is always that one section in an application that makes you stop and think, “Do I actually need to write something here?” No. For many students, that ...
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How Auto-Admit and Auto-Merit Policies Work at Public Universities
Key Takeaways “Do I really not need to write an essay to get into this school?” For a surprising number of public universities, the answer is genuinely yes. If a studen...
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What to Do When You Have Too Many Good Topics
Key Takeaways “I don’t know what to write about — I have like six things I could use.” Most essay advice assumes the opposite problem. Not enough material, not ...
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The Danger of Writing to the Prompt Instead of Through It
Key Takeaways “The prompt asked about a challenge, so I wrote about my challenge.” That sounds reasonable. It’s also exactly how a lot of essays end up sounding l...
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Reflection Isn’t a Compliment You Give Yourself
Key Takeaways “I learned that I’m actually really resilient.” That sentence shows up in draft after draft. It’s not wrong. It’s just not finished. Ess...
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Your Recommendation Letters Are Part of the Narrative Too
Key Takeaways “I have two teachers who both said yes. Does it matter which one I pick?” Yes. It matters more than most students think. Students often treat recommenders...
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Writing About Identity Without Making It a Trauma Essay
Key Takeaways “I feel like I have to write about being the only Black kid in my AP classes, but I don’t want it to sound like a sob story.” This sentence, or some...
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