On Avoiding Sob Stories in College Essays

Originally Published on September 29, 2017: Many students and parents have the mistaken impression that sharing sob stories in college admissions essays will pull on the heartstrings of admissions officers at highly selective colleges and inspire them to want to offer the student admission. Maybe it’s a story about a … 

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How to Write a ‘Why Do You Want to Go to This College’ Essay

Sometimes the prompt is as short as two words: “Why Tufts?” Other times, the prompt, like that of Cornell’s, is rather wordy: “Students in Arts and Sciences embrace the opportunity to delve into multifaceted academic interests, embodying in 21st century terms Ezra Cornell’s ‘any person…any study’ founding vision. Tell us … 

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An Overview of the 2022-2023 Cornell University Essay Prompts

If you’re applying to Cornell University’s Class of 2027, beyond the Common Application’s Personal Statement and optional Covid essay, students are asked a Cornell-specific essay prompt (or prompts depending on the specific school within the broader Cornell University to which you’re applying). That’s right. Each of Cornell’s undergraduate schools — … 

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An Overview of the 2022-2023 Yale University Essay Prompts

In addition to the Common Application’s Personal Statement and optional Covid-19 essay, Yale University asks its applicants to the Class of 2027 to answer a series of short answers, a hallmark of the application to the Ivy League university, as well as two essay prompts. The short answers are each … 

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Our Least Favorite Word in College Essays

There are plenty of words and phrases we encourage students applying to elite schools to avoid in their college essays. Thinking of including an inspiring quote from someone else? Think again. Elite college admissions officers don’t want to hear what other people think — not even famous people — they … 

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Columbia University 2022-2023 Essay Prompts

Columbia University has released its essay prompts for the 2022-2023 admissions cycle. So what questions will applicants to the Columbia Class of 2027 be asked to answer? This year’s prompts are quite similar to last year’s prompts, reflecting a change the school made last year when it reduced the word … 

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Duke University 2022-2023 Essay Prompts

Hoping to be a Blue Devil next year as a member of the Duke University Class of 2027? Duke has released its essay prompts for the 2022-2023 admissions cycle. So what questions will applicants to Duke’s Class of 2027 be asked to answer this year? While the verbiage of the … 

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College Essays Are Opportunities

Frustrated by the University of Chicago essay prompts because they’re just so wacky? Not sure what to include as an image in The Box on the Rice University supplement? Struggling with how to respond to Wake Forest University’s top ten list question? If so, know that you’re not alone. But … 

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Cliché College Essay Topics

Thinking about writing one of your college essays set in the world of sports? Maybe you worked really hard to swim a best time in your most important event, the 100-yard breaststroke, and, while you never broke 1:01, you learned valuable life lessons along the way? Or maybe you got … 

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Vanderbilt University 2022-2023 Essay Prompts

Vanderbilt University has released its 2022-2023 essay prompt for applicants to the Class of 2027. If you happen to be wondering if Vanderbilt changed the essay prompt, the answer is yes — albeit only slightly. Last year, as our readers may remember, Vanderbilt’s admissions office asked applicants, “Please briefly elaborate … 

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