#collegeessaytransitions

Moving Fluidly From Paragraph to Paragraph

The beginning of the college application process marks the beginning of transitioning, from home and high school to college and beyond. This journey of moving from one place and state-of-mind to another can be practiced, and nearly perfected, in application essay writing. I call it the Art of the Seamless Transition. A reader might not even know when a writer has nailed this “move” because of its magic: Thought A has morphed into Thought B ...

How to Turn Down the Temperature of An Overheating Senior
It may seem like an oxymoron, but there is a way to ease into the hectic college application season after a relaxing summer vacation.

During my first counseling session with families, I stress the importance of mitigating any stress until after September. In October, November and  December, parents won’t have to “pump up the volume” on anxiety because in-school college counselors and ex-missions directors, the College Board and the ...

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The Common Application Essay Prompt 1 is my favorite within this year’s Essay section. I call it the “four-in-one” because students have multiple options within a focused topic. It’s a brilliant choice for most writers who need structure, but crave freedom.

I reveal this preference for Prompt 1 to “my ...

College Application Essay Boot Camps:

In this five-week, or five-day, virtual one-on-one summer Boot Camp, I work with rising seniors on identifying a Common Application Essay prompt that sparks self-inquiry, a desire to write and, most importantly, contributes to the student’s narrative without repeating the obvious.

The purpose of the Boot Camp is to apply heat to the student, to create a call-to-action concerning the application process. By responding to the various college essay prompts and exercising a few essay openers, the ...

A Case for Not Recycling Essays on New Common Application
Why reinvent the wheel if, according to prompt 7, an “already written” wheel is acceptable?

Because fresh is better when it comes to self-expression. An essay written by a high school junior at the beginning, middle or end of the academic year will be dated by summer. I would even argue that an essay written in the summer might need noodling in the fall to remain current. And by ...

Next Step Advice on Your High School Senior’s Next Step

Notifications: On the one hand, it’s what students have been waiting for since they pressed SEND on their college applications and on the other hand, it’s also what they’ve been dreading since they hit SEND on their applications. There’s always a tiny love-hate struggle when presented with choice; we want to have options and then, when we have too many, we want fewer or for someone else to make a decision ...

I get asked this quite often. And I always think of this quote:

“Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” – Robert Frost

Even though a student’s high school may have an arsenal of on-site counselors or advisors, many juniors benefit from an off-site strategist and coach to help navigate the often not-so-straightforward path to college.

Just as a hiker can be equipped with a ...

Use Admissions Essays To Practice Writing Skills

I could tell 8th and 9th graders applying to on-going schools that tackling private and boarding school admissions essays are an educationally enriching way to spend the first half of January. But they wouldn’t believe me even though it’s true.

My students want to know only one bit of information: how long will it take to complete their applications, upload, and submit. And like the clichéd scenario of parents driving and the children asking, “Are ...

Slow and steady wins the race.
Train everyday to win on game day.
Switch-up the routine to avoid burn out.

These adages can be applied to many activities, not just sports. Your students could try repeating them like mantras right about now. The Good News: your student isn’t alone. I just got off the telephone with one parent who was begging me to convince her son to finish his Supplemental Essays by mid-December instead of waiting until the deadline. The student ...

3 Ways to Reduce College Application Season Stress

Applying to college Early Decision (ED) or Early Action (EA) may seem like the cure-all for what ails your senior, but the SUBMIT button shouldn’t be pressed hastily. Sure, there’s often an immediate euphoria from uploading essays and getting the process started, and, for students who have a strong “this is the school for me” feeling, early decision application is an excellent option. But for the majority of students who didn’t “fall in love” ...