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The Best College Application Essay Rubric

Don't skip editing your college essay! A rubric can help. We've put together this useful tool to guide you through the editing process.

by Kylie Kistner, MA

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9 Biggest College Essay Mistakes

If you want to write a great college essay, you'll need to avoid common pitfalls. Read the biggest college essay mistakes so you know what not to do.

by Alex McNeil, MA

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The Best Way to Write College Essays About Moving

Discover effective approaches for writing a college essay about moving, including personal insights, family context, and lessons learned.

by Alex McNeil, MA

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How to Write a College Essay About ADHD

Learn how to write a college essay about ADHD. Use the topic to understand trends and growth, highlight your strengths, or emphasize your empathy.

by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed

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4 Questions to Ask Before Writing a College Essay About Volunteering

Considering writing your college essay about volunteering? Let’s make sure it’s the best topic for you.

by Alex McNeil, MA

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How to Write a College Essay About Running

College essays about running can go wrong when they focus too much on surface-level details and not enough on you. Here are three approaches that...

by Kylie Kistner, MA

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4 Questions to Ask If You're Considering Writing Your College Essay About Video Games

Some college essays about video games are better than others. These four questions will help you decide whether it's the right topic for you.

by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed

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How to Write a Great College Essay About Veganism

Are you planning on writing your college essay about veganism? We'll explain how you can write one that stands out from all the rest.

by Kylie Kistner, MA

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The Biggest Mistake to Avoid When Writing a College Essay About Coffee

Are you considering writing your college essay about coffee? Here's the biggest mistake to avoid (and three approaches you can take instead).

by Kylie Kistner, MA

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College Essay Format (with Examples)

We go over college essay format requirements, and we lay out three narrative structures (with examples!) that you can use to write your personal...

by Kylie Kistner, MA

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How NOT to End a College Essay (and What You Can Do Instead)

Wondering how to end a college essay? We go through the four biggest conclusion mistakes and talk about what to do instead (with examples!).

by Kylie Kistner, MA

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4 Ways to Show Not Tell in a College Essay

You've heard that you should show, not tell in your writing. But what does that actually mean? And how do you do it? We break it all down for you...

by Kylie Kistner, MA

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Should you write your college essay about siblings?

Lots of applicants write their college essays about siblings. How can you write one that stands out?

by Kylie Kistner, MA

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How to Write an Insightful College Essay About Tutoring

Thinking about writing your college essay about tutoring? It can be a common topic, so we've got some advice for approaching your essay the right way.

by Kylie Kistner, MA

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9 Ways to Start a College Essay

We know—the introduction to your college essay is always the hardest. Here, we talk about introductions and offer up 9 proven ways to write your own.

by Alex McNeil, MA

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Should You Write Your College Essay About Losing a Loved One?

We discuss college essays about losing a loved one, and we offer up some advice about how to approach such a personal subject in your Common App...

by Alex McNeil, MA

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25 College Essay Brainstorming Questions

Find your perfect college essay topic with these 25 college essay brainstorming questions.

by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed

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How to Write a College Essay About Photography

Want to write your college essay about photography? We explain the challenges you might face, and we give you advice about the best approaches.

by Alex McNeil, MA

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12 Common App Essay Examples (Graded by Former Admissions Officers)

We go through 12 Common App essay examples. The examples show you want to do (and not do) when responding to the Common App essay prompts.

by Alex McNeil, MA

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16 Amazing Personal Statement Examples (2024 Update)

We've compiled 15 personal statement examples for you to read. Former admissions officers have graded them to help you write your own personal...

by Kylie Kistner, MA

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21 College Essay Examples (Graded by Former Admissions Officers)

We review 20 amazing college essay examples, focusing on personal statements and some supplemental essays. Our college essay examples are also...

by Alex McNeil, MA

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How to Write a Personal Statement for Colleges

We talk about how to write a personal statement, including finding a topic and formatting a personal statement. We also have personal statement...

by Kylie Kistner, MA

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How to Write a College Essay (Exercises + Examples)

We go through how to write a college essay. We talk about finding a Common App essay topic and drafting your college essay. We also show you examples.

by Alex McNeil, MA

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