The personal statement is a terrific opportunity to share with admissions committees an interesting and unique aspect of your life. However, many applicants are understandably frightened of having to face the “camera” and speak personally about their lives while also trying to impress. So, how much should you tell, and how much is too much?…
The Miraculous 15-Minute ROUGH, ROUGH Draft
Anyone who sits down to write always faces the daunting first few moments of staring at the blank computer screen or notebook page. Even for accomplished novelists or famous journalists, the beginning can be very scary. And, for someone who hasn’t written much but a memo or email in ages, this can be an even…
Don’t Discount a Summer Job
The summer between my sophomore and junior year of high school, I worked two jobs. Every weekday morning, I finished swim team practice, put on my bright orange counselor t-shirt, and boarded the school bus with my 5-12 year old charges. After 8 hours of playground games and sunscreen applications, I’d scoot across town…
Summarizing Your Activities on the Common Application
You’ll find the activities chart just above the essay questions on the Common Application. It looks straightforward, and in some ways, it is. However, given the differences between communities, high schools and your individual passions, it is important to give some thought to the way you represent your extracurricular time. The Common Application specifically asks…
The Top 20 Most Common GRE Words
Okay, I know, every list purports to be the Top 10 or 20 GRE words. Just study those words and, voila, you’ll get the coveted 800 verbal score. While no list can truly be the definitive list of top GRE words, the ones below have been culled from my years as a GRE instructor….
Advantages and Disadvantages of Combined BS/MD Programs
This is the second post in a series about combined undergraduate and medical programs. If you are fully committed to the idea of pursuing a medical career, a combined program seems like the best of both worlds. In one application process, you can assure yourself of your future medical career, eliminate uncertainty and stress…
Do Veterans Truly Need Unique MBA Admissions Advice?
An article on the Poets & Quants website asks, “Do Veterans Need Unique Admit Advice?” A veteran who was interviewed for the article thinks that they do: he “believes that the soldiers and officers who want to pursue an MBA have unique concerns and issues” when they apply to top business schools, and he’s…
How to Get Started on Your Personal Statement with One Easy Technique
Okay, you’ve calmed down after your initial essay-writing anxiety, and you still don’t know where to begin. How do you capture your whole life in the meager number of characters allotted? Whether you’re feeling stuck or feeling overwhelmed by all the ideas bouncing around in your head, a stellar technique to start with is called…
College Admissions: On not being admitted…
The college sophomore who babysits for my family went silent a few weeks ago. She ignored my text messages, didn’t show up for her research position, and didn’t even update her status on Facebook. I worried. Susie’s been a part of our family for the past 5 years, and this behavior wasn’t normal. Eventually, she…
Tips for Completing the Cornell Supplement to the Common Application
Cornell University has the largest undergraduate population in the Ivy League, and it’s supplement is also one of the most complex. Undergraduate students at Cornell are admitted into one of seven schools: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Art, Architecture and Planning, College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering, the School…
Columbia University’s Application: Tips to Compel
When I was a high school student, my parents agreed that I could apply to any colleges I wanted, with the exception of those in California and New York City. Consequently, I didn’t set foot on Columbia’s campus until more than a decade later. Among both fellow Ivies and its New York City brethren, Columbia…
Tips for Completing Your Application to Brown University
This is part of a series of posts providing advice you can use when completing The Common Application for 2011. You can find the entire series, including tips for the Common App’s required essays and advice on completing the activities section at https://blog.accepted.com/acceptedcom_blog/tag/2011-common-application-tips. A hallmark of the Brown University education is its flexibility. Unfettered by…
Tips for Completing Your Application: Duke University, Dartmouth College
This is part of a series of posts providing advice you can use when completing The Common Application for 2011. You can find the entire series, including tips for the Common App’s required essays and advice on completing the activities section at https://blog.accepted.com/acceptedcom_blog/tag/2011-common-application-tips. Several colleges offer applicants the opportunity to submit a personal letter of recommendation. For Duke University, it’s…
Tips for completing the Harvard College Application
This is part of a series of posts providing advice you can use when completing The Common Application for 2011. You can find the entire series, includng tips for the Common App’s required essays and advice on completing the activities section at https://blog.accepted.com/acceptedcom_blog/tag/2011-common-application-tips. As one of the most selective colleges in the country, many students apply to Harvard,…
Tips for Completing Your Application to Princeton University
This is part of a series of posts providing advice you can use when completing The Common Application for 2011. You can find the entire series, including tips for the Common App’s required essays and advice on completing the activities section at https://blog.accepted.com/acceptedcom_blog/tag/2011-common-application-tips. To me, Princeton has one of the more interesting applications. Like Harvard, they eliminated early action/early decision,…
2012 Cambridge Judge MBA Essay Questions, Tips
The 2014 Cambridje Judge tips are now available. Click here to check them out! The 2012 Cambridge Judge essay questions are unchanged from 2011 and we have made only minor changes to the tips. Founded in 1990, the Judge Business School at University of Cambridge has powered its way up the international rankings, mainly because…
Tips for Completing Your Yale University Application
This is part of a series of posts providing advice you can use when completing The Common Application for 2011. You can find the entire series, including tips for the Common App’s required essays and advice on completing the activities section at https://blog.accepted.com/acceptedcom_blog/tag/2011-common-application-tips. Yale offers both regular decision and single choice early action. Under single…
GMAT Math Tip: Halving and Doubling
Doing well on the GMAT is a function of accuracy and timing. With only 75 minutes to complete 37 math questions, you have approximately 2 minutes to complete each question. You need to find ways save time, and the “halving and doubling” math tip described in the video and examples below will help you do…
It’s not too late to start volunteering!
Yes, you can keep yelling at yourself for not starting earlier, but that won’t get you anywhere, will it? Instead, start volunteering now. It’s true that adcoms would rather see a long history of community service rather than just a short stint, but you can’t turn back the clock. You can start now. Why is…
Interview with a Current Kellogg Part-time MBA Student
Accepted.com is continuing a blog series featuring interviews with current MBA students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at selected MBA programs. We hope to offer you a candid picture of student life, and what you should consider as you prepare your MBA application. Interview with current part-time Kellogg student (evening program) with an engineering background,…
