COLLEGE ADMISSIONS SECRETS: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO GET INTO YOUR DREAM SCHOOL

1. The Importance Of Mindset When Writing An Admissions Essay

The first step to a phenomenal essay – before selecting a topic, before brainstorming or outlining or anything else – is having the proper mindset. You have to approach the essay from a position of strength, as though you are the best applicant the admissions office has ever seen. You certainly don’t want to appear arrogant, but at the same time, you don’t want to be modest either. Strike the right balance, something in between, but definitely confident.

Colleges are looking for students who are going to be successful, not only on campus, but also after they graduate. They want impressive individuals who are going to make a difference in the world. One thing we always advise our students is to not just present themselves as strong candidates, but as extraordinary ones. So remember, make sure to maintain a winning mindset throughout the essay writing process.

2. How To Best Approach The Common App Essay Prompts

To write an essay that really stands out to the admissions committee, you have to process the prompts in just the right way. We want to address essay prompts, for both the common app essay as well as for supplemental essays, and give you some insights about how to best approach them.

The common app essay has 7 prompts. Admissions officers don’t really care which one you pick, so no need to agonize over that. You can look up the full prompts on the common app website, but just very briefly, the 7 prompts are:

Share your background, interest, or talent.
Talk about lessons you’ve learned from obstacles.
Reflect on a time when you questioned a belief or idea.
Reflect on something that someone has done for you.
Discuss something that sparked personal growth.
Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find engaging.
And finally number 7: write about any topic of your choice.

If one of the first 6 prompts really resonates with you, we recommend going with that one. Otherwise, a very good option is number 7, which is basically write whatever narrative you want. Most students that we work with go with this prompt, as there is no restriction about what you can write about, it lends itself to more creativity, and you have full liberty to craft any narrative you wish. But since it is open ended, you have to make sure that you stay on topic and don’t meander or go off on tangents.

Regarding supplemental essays, these prompts are usually much more specific than those for the common app essay. But a scenario that we see over and over is a supplemental essay that is well written, has good content, but doesn’t really answer the prompt. So make sure to read these supplemental essay prompts very carefully, and make sure you have a clear grasp of exactly what admissions officers are asking.

3. How To Come Up With The Best Topic For Your Admissions Essay

If you want to create an exceptional essay, having a great topic is absolutely critical. So, how do we go about picking the perfect topic?

First, keep in mind that the essay should tell admissions officers either something that is not present anywhere else in the application, or it should expand upon something that is in the application but gives the reader more insights and puts things into context.

Second, the essay topic should be about your high school years. Admissions does not care that you won a spelling bee in 5th grade.

Back to picking a topic. Step one is deep reflection. Think about your life over the past few years, and note what is either unique, or interesting, or something that makes you stand out or portrays you in a good light. Spend plenty of time trying to come up with ideas, but don’t rush the process, and don’t force yourself to come up with something right away. Give yourself time. It’s after deep reflection that our subconscious mind gets to work and starts to come up with ideas that we may not have thought about otherwise.

We can’t emphasize enough the importance of a really strong topic. You can have a beautifully written essay with elegant prose and sophisticated vocabulary, but if the underlying content is not strong, it’s not going to be effective. Strong content is key.

4. Using Internet Resources For Your Admissions Essays

There many concerns to doing this.

First, so many social media videos share “great” admissions essays that “got me accepted” to a top college. Be wary of these claims – anyone can say anything on the internet without any verification whatsoever.

Second, there are many websites with lists of “things you should write about” or “things to absolutely avoid.” These recommendations should be taken with a grain of salt. From what we’ve seen over the years, there’s lots of terrible advice out there that is just plain wrong.

Third, many students often look for sample essays in order to emulate them, which is an awful idea. If you do read sample essays, make sure they’re from reputable websites, and read them primarily to spark some new ideas for your essay. But definitely don’t try to mimic one of these essays. Your story is unique from anyone else, and you’d be doing yourself a huge disservice by rewriting someone else’s essay.

Keep in mind that you already have what it takes to craft an amazing essay. You just have to pull back the curtain and let your brilliance shine.

5. How To Begin Writing A Spectacular Essay

Do you want to write an essay that will truly impress admissions officers?

Over the past decade, we’ve helped thousands of students craft amazing essays, and we can tell you that writing the first draft may be the most dreaded part of the entire process. But it doesn’t have to be. Here are some tips.

Once you’ve come up with a topic, having a detailed outline will be invaluable to your writing. But use the outline as a guide, a roadmap. As you write, you will most likely come up with new ideas that you haven’t previously considered. Go with it. Don’t feel obligated to adhere to the outline point by point. Writing is an art; let your artistic genius emerge. This is how amazing essays are created.

Also, keep in mind that the first draft is not the final draft. At this stage, don’t worry too much about vocabulary, sentence structure, and making everything perfect. A final edit will come later. Right now, focus on creating content, which will allow you to write much more freely and more effectively.

A final point, which may sound surprising to hear us say, is to not pay too much attention to the word count in the first draft. Doing so will be distracting and will take away from the flow of the essay. It will also hinder the quality of the content. Write everything you have to say; the essay can always be condensed later on.

6. The Beginning And The End Of Your Essay

The two most important parts of the essay are the beginning and the end.

For the beginning, you want to immediately grab the reader’s attention and get them interested in what you have to say. You also want to set the tone for what’s to come.

For the ending, it should not be a recap of the entire essay. It should be more about closing thoughts and leaving the reader with a great feeling about you. The closing is the last thing they read, and you want them to come away with, “Wow, that was amazing. What a story. We really have to admit this student.”

So remember the importance of the beginning and the end.

7. The Secret To Getting Admitted

How do you convince admissions officers to accept you to their college?

You have to persuade them that you are the best candidate they have ever seen. And how do you do this? Simple. You need to approach your essays, and well as your entire application, as a marketing campaign.

For most of the essays you’ve written up to this point in your life, the audience has been a teacher, and your objective has been to get an “A.” With admissions essays, your audience is now someone in an admissions office somewhere who knows nothing about you, and your objective is no longer to get a good grade - although the writing has to be impeccable - but to make the reader come away with: Wow that was amazing, what a story; we have to admit this student.

So remember, you’re not just filling out an application and writing essays, you are marketing yourself with the goal of gaining admission.

8. How Admissions Officers Decide Who To Accept

Let’s say you’re applying to a college that has a 5% acceptance rate. That means only 1 of 20 applicants get in. Sounds very daunting, and it is, and it isn’t. Let’s look at the first third of the group. They are strong academically, but maybe not quite up to high standards, so they are rejected. That leaves the remaining two thirds, which all have super grades and great test scores. But half of that group doesn’t have extracurriculars that are particularly impressive, so they get rejected. That leaves the remaining one third of candidates that are all amazing in terms of academics, activities, and everything else. Anyone of those students would be perfect for the university. But only one gets in.

So, which one is it? It all boils down to the essays. Whoever is best able to convey that they are the most qualified applicant wins. So make sure to devote the time, energy, and resources to produce the most outstanding essays possible.

9. Inside The Admissions Office at M.I.T.

We’ll share some insider knowledge from our experience with the admissions office at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Once an application is complete, someone is assigned the folder. They then read through everything very carefully and very thoroughly, and come up with a single sentence that describes the applicant. For example, “brilliant math wiz who plays tennis and started a community service club,” or “accomplished musician who has done extensive research and volunteers at a senior center.” The admissions committee then convenes for their daily meeting, and each reader presents a synopsis of their applicants. The committee then discusses each one, and votes: either accept, reject, or waitlist.

So, how can you use this knowledge? As you’re completing your application and writing your essays, keep in mind what you want that summary sentence about you to be, and make sure it’s something that will make you stand out from the rest of the application pool.

Getting accepted to one of the most prestigious and selective universities in the entire world is no easy task, but stay positive; you can do it.

10. How To Write Great Supplemental Essays

Once you’re done with the common app essay, the next step is to tackle the supplemental essays. These require a different approach since they are school specific.

All of the essays taken together should present a consistent picture of who you are, and the supplemental essays should reveal new aspects of your background and experiences. Make sure there is no repetition or overlap of content with the common app essay. Also, even though some prompts can be similar from one college to another, make sure to not cut-and-paste because the prompts are almost never identical. You can certainly reuse content, but make sure to carefully edit so that each essay really nails the corresponding prompt.

The more selective the college, the more supplemental essays you’ll have to write. Depending on how many colleges you apply to, the number can be quite substantial, so make sure to set aside enough time for all of the writing.

One final note. This may seem obvious, but we see this problem very often. Make sure to actually answer the prompt. Many students will write a great supplemental essay, but not really respond to what is being asked, which is clearly a negative. So don’t make this mistake.

11. Seven Tips For A Great Common App Essay

The common app essay is probably the toughest part of the entire application. Here are seven tips to help you put together a phenomenal essay.

Number 1. Pick a prompt that really resonates with you, one that you feel you can write a whole story about.

Number 2. Write a narrative that makes you stand out in whatever way you consider yourself to be unique or special or different from your peers.

Number 3. Make sure your story is engaging - it should be very interesting to read.

Number 4. At some point in the essay, offer reflections or insights into who you are and how you think. Allow the reader to really get to know you more deeply.

Number 5. Write in your voice, your own style. Be authentic and let the real you shine through.

Number 6. Be concise in your writing. Every sentence of every paragraph should serve a purpose and be in there for a reason. No extraneous wording.

Number 7. After you’re done with the writing, let the essay sit for a few days so you can return to it with a fresh perspective. Then do a final polish, which includes careful proofreading and attention to sentence structure, grammar, and vocabulary.

If you follow these tips, you’ll be well on your way to a great essay.

12. How To Write Awesome Essays For The University Of California

What’s the best way to tackle the University of California essays?

There are 8 essay prompts, or as UC calls them, the personal insight questions. Of the 8, only 4 need to be selected, but it’s extremely important that you pick the right ones - otherwise you’re going to be at a huge disadvantage. The 4 you pick should allow you to discuss very distinct aspects of your background and experiences. Taken as a whole, they should convey the most important things about you without any overlap or repetition of content between them.

In terms of what they ask for, the UC prompts are fairly specific, so when writing these essays, definitely make sure to answer the prompt, but also be sure to also give admissions officers additional insights about yourself. Go above and beyond what they are expecting in order to stand out from the typical UC applicant. For instance, for the prompt about leadership, give an example of a leadership experience, but then also talk about what you learned about leadership and how your experience will help you to be a better leader going forward.

As with any essay, make sure to spend plenty of time brainstorming and outlining your answers. If you follow these tips, you will have very good success with your UC application.

13. Nine Essay Pitfalls To Avoid At All Costs

Do not make any of these nine critical mistakes when writing your essays, or else you will absolutely get rejected.

Number 1. Don’t make the essay all about conveying information. Once admissions officers get to the essays, they will have already read the rest of your application and know all about you. The essay should be a story, a narrative, not a resume or a compilation of accomplishments and activities.

Number 2. Don’t forget that this is an essay about you – don’t spend too much time talking about others.

Number 3. Avoid topics that are too cliché. Brainstorm ideas that are unique and that are specifically about you. There’s only one you in the entire world.

Number 4. Make sure to read the prompts very, very carefully, and make sure the essay really nails the prompt. Don’t go off tangent.

Number 5. Don’t try to guess what admissions officers want to hear. Be yourself, and be genuine.

Number 6. Don’t cut and paste essays from one application to another. Even though the prompts may be very similar, the essays must at least be tweaked to make sure they really address each prompt.

Number 7. Don’t overlap content between the common app essay and the supplemental essays. They must present a coherent, consistent, and unified picture of who you are without any repetition.

Number 8. Don’t make your essay all about your youth. If there’s something notable, you can briefly mention it, but otherwise it’s totally and completely irrelevant. Admissions officers really don’t want to read about your life in elementary school. (And by the way, you may be wondering why we mention this, but we’ve seen so many essays like this. Total garbage.)

Number 9. Finally, don’t write what other people want you to write. It’s fine to solicit feedback from others, but make sure the final decision is yours.

14. Should You Use ChatGPT?

This is a big question these days and it’s a complicated topic, but I’m going to give you 8 reasons why you should NOT use it.

Number 1, and the most important. Admissions officers can usually tell right away if it was used. They read so many essays, and are very fine tuned to this. And given how many essays we read and work on with students on a regular basis, we can also tell fairly easily.

Number 2. Your essay will lack the unique voice and authenticity that are crucial in these essays.

Number 3. It won’t convey your personality.

Number 4. There will be a lack of emotional depth. It won’t express emotions, passion, and conviction. There will be no personal connection.

Number 5. Your story will lack any unique insights, perspectives, and genuine reflections that can only be conveyed through your personal writing.

Number 6. It will have limited creativity and originality, and thus fail to stand out among other essays.

Number 7. Without the human touch, it will sound robotic, impersonal, and generic.

Number 8. There are ethical concerns about honesty and integrity when using it. ChatGPT produces amazing content, there’s no question about it, but admissions essays is definitely not the place to use it.

15. The Absolute Best Extracurricular To Boost Your Application

What’s the best extracurricular activity to really impress admissions officers? Having leadership positions in clubs, doing volunteer work, excelling in sports or music – these are all wonderful and can certainly benefit your application, but there’s something else you can do that’s much more impressive. It’s doing something out of the box, something original, creating something out in the real world. This displays initiative, motivation, and drive, as well as a willingness to take responsibility and be a leader. You portray yourself as a change maker with fresh ideas and the energy to take a vision, spearhead the work, and make it happen. This type of activity is far and away the best option.

Other benefits are that you differentiate yourself by demonstrating genuine passion and commitment to your interests, and showcase how amazing you are. You also distinguish yourself from other applicants by highlighting a great side of your personality. Finally, it shows the admissions committee your potential for future accomplishments. Think of something that you are genuinely passionate about, and how you can manifest that passion and make something tangible happen.

16. An Example Of A Great Extracurricular Activity

Here’s an example of one of the best extracurricular activities that you can do. It has to be about creating something out in the real world, something original and out of the box. These types of activities impress admissions officers the most, by far.

Here’s the example. We worked with a student who wanted to volunteer at a homeless shelter, which is a perfectly good activity. But after spending some time learning about his background, we discovered that he has a strong passion for videography and just loves making videos. We suggested that he skip the volunteering altogether, and instead combine his two interests by videotaping interviews with homeless individuals, and then posting these on his website. The website completely took off, as people were fascinated learning about homelessness from first-hand accounts. The website also asked for donations, which the student then contributed to the shelter where he originally planned to work.

This project perfectly displays original thinking, initiative, and a drive to create something tangible that benefits society. So, what should you do? Think about what you’re most passionate about, and how you can manifest that passion in novel ways.

17. The Secrets To Getting Into The Ivy League

The Ivy League colleges - everyone’s dream. But how do you get in? Here are some inside secrets to give you a leg up on the competition.

First of all, to even be given serious consideration, there’s a certain baseline that you need to meet. This includes a stellar transcript. Your unweighted GPA should be a 4.0 or very close to it. And should have taken as many AP classes as possible. Your SAT should be a minimum of 1500, and your letters of recommendation should portray you not only as an intellectual genius, but also as someone with great interpersonal skills. Regarding activities, having leadership roles and doing volunteer work are essential. Finally, you must have a phenomenal set of essays. If you have all of these things, you’ll have a running chance of being admitted.

But what does it take to get to the next level and receive that coveted letter of admission? The secret, the key, is this: you have to distinguish yourself from all of the other candidates. And to do that, you have to show admissions that there’s something else really special about you in terms of having a genuine passion for something and being accomplished in pursuing this passion in a unique way. If you can show that to admissions, you stand an excellent change of getting in.

18. The Dark Side Of College Admissions

College admissions is overly subjective, it’s unconscionably intense, and worst of all, it’s very unfair. From our experience working in admissions, we can give you several examples.

For instance, the average time that an admissions officer spends reading through an entire application, including the essays, is only 11 minutes. Further, applications that are read in the morning have a higher acceptance rate than those read later in the day. Also, if two applicants with similar backgrounds happen to be reviewed on the same day, even though each would be admitted if reviewed on separate days, only one will be accepted. Finally, people are people. An applicant that may seem perfectly good one day, may not strike the admissions committee quite the same way on another day.

So, what’s our point? When you’re applying to your dream college, keep in mind that there’s a huge amount of randomness in the process. If you have a very strong background, don’t worry, you’ll get into a great school. But if you have your heart set on just one specific college, it’s almost impossible to predict the outcome.

19. Sample College Admissions Essay: Admitted to Stanford, Caltech, and UC Berkeley

Here’s an essay that got a student admitted to Stanford, Caltech, and UC Berkeley.

The student begins the essay discussing the very demanding AMC math exam. He felt that he did really well, but when he asked his teacher for his score, it was pretty bad and he felt devastated. However, he writes, “Despite the setback, this pivotal event ended up profoundly changing my entire outlook on what education means to me.”

He then talks about how even though he has great grades, his depth of understanding wasn’t as substantial as he had thought. He says, “I became obsessed with more thoroughly grasping everything I was learning.” He became much more intellectually curious, and started going beyond the surface. He states that he now “explores everything in a way that I had never done before, including my music.”

Just as his approach to academics has changed, so has his approach to his violin playing. He refined his technique, and regarding a recent performance, he says, “I was able to bring out the full richness of the piece and make the performance all the more memorable.” He then talks about a renewed passion in everything he does and how he is now able to reach his true potential.

The final sentence of the essay is especially powerful. He writes, “Someday I’ll go back to my math teacher and tell him that what he actually gave me that day was not a test score but something much more profound: a moment of awakening that would lay a new path for my entire future.”

To summarize, as a result of a failure, the student grew, matured, and became a better person. An absolutely wonderful essay.

20. The Secrets of Harvard’s Admissions Process

How does Harvard decide who to admit?

While most universities use a holistic approach to admissions, Harvard uses a very systematic scoring system. They evaluate each applicant in 6 categories. The first 4 carry the most weight, and those are: academic, extracurricular, athletic, and personal qualities. The remaining 2 categories are recommendation letters and the interview. For each category, the applicant is assigned a score of 1 to 6, with 1 being the highest score. From these scores, an overall score is calculated. If your overall score is a 1, you are admitted, period. If your score is a 2, you have a very good 65% chance of admission, and a 3 gives you a 12% change of admission. Below 3, your odds are practically zero.

So what does it take to get a 1 or 2 in these categories? For academics, you need near-perfect grades and test scores. For extracurriculars, it means impressive accomplishment and recognition in at least one area. For athletics, it requires strong performance at the varsity level. And for personal qualities, you must have exceptional leadership, character, integrity, and grit.

In the most recently accepted class, only 50 students received an overall score of 1, so don’t stress out about being perfect in each category, but do try your best to reach your full potential in each area.

21. How To Score 1560 On The SAT

We’re going to share some tips and strategies to help you maximize your score on the SAT.

For the reading and writing section, the best single advice we can give you is to read as much as possible. This will improve your reading comprehension and speed, as well as improve your vocabulary. But make sure it’s a quality source. We happen to read the New York Times every morning, but there are many great publications out there. Read books as well, but make sure they have high literary value. To supplement the reading, we recommend studying vocabulary lists.

For the math section, many problems can be solved fairly quickly if you know the right approach. To learn these strategies, you can use study guides or take a class, but there are actually many good accounts right on TikTok that are solely devoted to going through examples.

In terms of overall strategy, create a detailed study schedule, and take practice tests on a regular basis. Use the results to see which areas you need to focus your studying on.

Finally, during the test, make sure to pace yourself. If one particular question is taking you too long, skip it, and if you have time at the end, go back. But don’t leave anything blank.

Taking the SAT can be very stressful, but using these strategies should help you build confidence in your testing ability.

22. Another Example Of A Great Extracurricular Activity

Here’s another example of a great extracurricular activity. Earlier, we talked about how doing something original and out of the box is especially impressive for admissions committees.

We worked with a student who has a Filipino background, and she started a Filipino Awareness club in her high school. She was also interested in majoring in biology and then going to medical school. After doing some brainstorming, we recommended that she reach out to the Filipino community in her area, and in particular individuals who were not getting proper healthcare, either because of finances, lack of knowledge, or a language barrier. We then suggested that she contact local medical clinics and convince them to provide either low-cost or free pro bono services to these individuals.

This was an absolutely terrific activity that combined her pride in her ethnic background with her passion for medicine. It demonstrated initiative, drive, and leadership. It required a fair amount of work, but it was well worth it: she ended up getting accepted to her top choice college, which was John Hopkins University.

When coming up with your own activity, think about your interests and passions, and remember to be as original as possible. to share some tips and strategies to help you maximize your score on the SAT.

23. Sample College Admissions Essay: Admitted to Yale, Northwestern, and Vassar

The student begins the essay by discussing her piano background, which started at a very young age. She then talks about her progression over the years, which included some ups and downs. In recent years, she received many prestigious recognitions and music scholarships, and the culmination of her music career was performing at Carnegie Hall. She talks about giving back to the music community by teaching and mentoring students, and as she says, “passing down my knowledge to younger generations.”

She then recounts her volunteer work playing at a local senior center, and how she noticed that her performance brought a woman to tears, overcome with emotion. She writes, “At that moment, I realized the extent to which my music had the power to touch hearts.” She later says, “I've learned that I can express my feelings to others without speaking a word because the piano will do it for me.”

The final sentence of the essay is especially poignant: She writes, “Despite all the awards and honors I received, the most important moment in my entire music career took place at that unassuming senior center.”

To summarize, an ambitious and very accomplished musician found that connecting with others was far more important than winning awards. A wonderful takeaway, and a truly beautiful essay.

24. How To Start Working On The Common App Essay

Are you struggling with how to start working on the common app essay? Here are 4 simple steps to help you get started.

Step 1. Put yourself in the right mindset and know that you have it in you to craft an amazing essay.

Step 2. Go to the common app website and review the seven prompts. If one of the first six resonates with you and sparks some ideas, pick that one. Otherwise prompt number seven is open-ended and allows you to write any narrative you wish.

Step 3. If you chose prompt number seven, the next step is to brainstorm ideas for a topic. Take time to think about your life experiences, passions, and values. Jot down anything that comes to mind. Remember, your essay should reflect what makes you special and unique.

Step 4. Create an outline. Before you dive into writing, map out your essay structure and storyline, paragraph by paragraph. This will help your writing stay organized and ensure that your essay flows well.

If you follow these steps, you’ll be well on your way to a great common app essay.

25. How To Secure Great Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are a very important part of your college application. So, how can you get really impressive ones?

The first step is to form good relationships with your teachers and guidance counselor. Ideally, you’ll ask teachers from junior year who have taught you in core academic subjects and can speak positively about you.

When asking for a letter, be very polite and cordial, and ask well in advance of any deadlines. Also, present them with background information. Some schools provide students with a template form, often called a brag sheet. If your school does not, simply give your recommender a few bullet points highlighting the most important things about your background. In either situation, we recommend also giving them a resume so they have more detailed information about you that they can refer to.

Give them plenty of time to write the letter, and we recommend politely asking them for a date when it will be finished. This avoids situations where you are assuming it may be finished but are asking too soon or too often.

Finally, make sure to write them a thoughtful thank you letter for their time and effort. A letter of recommendation is a courtesy that they are providing, so make sure to treat it appropriately.

26. Sample College Admissions Essay: Admitted to Harvard and Brown

This outstanding essay about perseverance and tenacity helped a student gain admission to both Harvard and Brown.

The student begins the essay discussing his membership in the Model United Nations club, which had hardly any members and was completely floundering. He mentioned that when he joined the club during freshman year, he was excited about being part of a community revolving around global issues, but then felt it was, “a ship with no captain.” His friends and parents would ask him why he continued with the club, and he writes, “I had a vision for what the club could be.”

When he was finally elected president during junior year, he started to turn the club around. He advertised for new members, and then went about changing the dynamic of the club, with more engaging activities and a greater emphasis on camaraderie. The club was finally thriving, and he writes, “If I had not been true to myself and my principles, I would have missed out on the wonderful opportunities and the welcoming community that MUN now has to offer. I learned to be unwavering in my pursuit of what I believed in.”

He ends the essay as follows: “Four years ago, I entered the club room to the sound of nothing more than a ticking clock. But now, the passage of time is blurred by the wonderful buzz of energy and excitement that fills the room.”

To summarize, through perseverance, determination, and effective leadership, the student was successful in bringing a struggling club to life. A great story, and a very impressive college essay.

27. How To Ace The College Admissions Interview

The college interview can be very stressful, but if you prepare for it in the right way, it doesn’t have to be. Every interviewer is different, and you never know exactly what they may ask, but here are 3 of the most common questions.

Number 1. Tell me about yourself. Do not tell them your name, where you live, where you go to high school. They already know all of that. Instead, go through 3 or 4 key points about yourself that you consider the most important. This will be a substantial answer that gives the interviewer useful information, and also shows that you are organized and well spoken.

Number 2. Why do you want to attend our college? For this question, you should not say things like, “It’s a very prestigious school, the professors are world renowned, etc.” Instead, you should have detailed reasons why the college is a good fit specifically for you, whether it’s academics, or various opportunities to pursue your interests. This answer allows the interviewer to get to know you better without giving them useless fluff about the college.

The third most common question is: do you have any questions for me? For your response, never say, “No, I’m all set.” Instead, ask insightful questions about the college, things that are not on their website. And don’t ask the interviewer personal questions.

If you prepare good answers to these questions, you’ll be well on your way to acing the interview.

28. Super Student Almost Destroyed By Kryptonite Essays

Almost superhuman: Perfect GPA, 1580 SAT, absolutely phenomenal extracurriculars. Practically a shoo-in for any top-tier college. So what could go wrong? In this case, it was the essays that almost destroyed him.

Fortunately, he sought us out to do a final review of his application, which completely saved him. But what was so wrong with the essays?

Let’s start with the common app essay, where he made several critical errors. The first third of the essay dwelled on experiences from his early youth. Colleges just want to know about your high school years. The next part of the essay recounted almost every activity he had done. Do not rehash your resume in the essay. The rest of the narrative felt disjointed and started to meander. Make sure your storyline is well organized and has a coherent theme from beginning to end.

Regarding the supplemental essays, for the “Why Us?” essay, he used most of the word count describing how great the college is. In these essays, discuss the reasons why the college is a perfect fit for you. Finally, for the essay asking about an intended major, he went into the minutia of research he conducted, but never really answered the prompt. Never lose focus of exactly what the prompt is asking.

Once we reworked the essays and got rid of the Kryptonite, the Man of Steel emerged victorious and achieved great admissions success. When working on your essays, take the time to make sure they are nothing less than super.

29. Should Mental Health Be Discussed In College Admissions Essays?

Should you discuss mental health in your college essays? The short answer is probably not, but it really depends. Let’s consider two scenarios.

If you do write about your struggles with mental health, even if you discuss overcoming the challenge and how you grew and what you learned in the process, it may be a wonderful and uplifting story, but you won’t be portraying yourself to admissions in the best possible light, especially if there’s more to you, which we’re sure there is.

Now, let’s say your challenges resulted in founding a mental health awareness club in your high school and perhaps even doing something impressive in the community. That’s a very different story since the focus of the essay is no longer on the illness but on the resulting accomplishments that arose from it.

But let’s step back for a second and look at the big picture. The last thing colleges want is negative publicity over a mental health crisis on campus, and admissions is very sensitive to this when reviewing applications. So keep this in mind when deciding what to write about and how to write about it.

30. How To Write the Columbia University Essays

The first prompt asks about an obstacle you faced and the personal qualities, skills, or insights you developed as a result. For this essay, the particular challenge that you discuss isn’t as important as how you dealt with it and how you grew from it. We all face challenges, and Columbia wants to know that you’re not someone who gives up.

The next prompt asks why you want to attend Columbia. Two things that students often mention in this essay are the core curriculum and the fact that Columbia is in New York City. If you discuss either of these, make sure it’s in a very unique way and connects specifically to your particular background and interests.

The next prompt asks why you want to pursue your major at Columbia. Give some background about how you became interested in your major and discuss what you have done to advance your knowledge. Then, research relevant courses and other opportunities at Columbia so you can write about why Columbia is the best option for you.

The final prompt asks about a viewpoint or experience and how it has shaped the way you would learn from, and contribute to, the Columbia community. Keep in mind there are 3 parts to this prompt; make sure to address each one. Overall, you want to convey how your unique background will allow you to enrich the college experience of your peers.

Columbia is one of the top universities in the world, so make sure the essays are as strong and compelling as possible.

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