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What is a diversity essay in a school application? And why does it matter when applying to leading universities? Most importantly, how should you go about writing such an essay? Diversity is of supreme value in higher education, and schools want to know how every student will contribute to the diversity on their campus. Diversity …
by Marie Todd
When you feel you have taken the draft of your college essay as far as you can on your own, share it with a few carefully chosen friends, mentors, and/or family members that you trust. Ask these individuals to keep the following questions in mind as they read your essay and to offer you their …
by Marie Todd
A common writing problem we see in applicants’ early drafts is that the writer will refer to something important but never fully explain what that thing is. For example, an applicant might claim that a particular fight his parents had affected the way he now views education, but he doesn’t offer any details about the …
by Marie Todd
We understand that getting started actually writing your college essays can be difficult. Even if you’ve gone through all the steps of thinking, brainstorming, and maybe even the “clustering” and “circling” of interconnected ideas, you might still feel intimidated by the writing process. And after all, there’s a lot on the line with your college …
by Steven Tagle
Stanford University is one of the most prestigious and fiercely selective universities in the United States, with an acceptance rate of under 4%. One former admissions officer revealed that during the initial sorting, with occasional exceptions, applications with “more than two Bs, SAT section scores below 700, a disciplinary infraction, or unremarkable extracurriculars” were relegated …
The personal statement is your opportunity to stand out and make a lasting impression on your target school’s adcom. How can you make your essay original? How much should you tell? And at what point are you crossing the line into TMI? When I applied to college, I wrote a personal statement describing some challenging …
by Marie Todd
Making an outline for your essay before you begin writing can be extremely helpful in keeping you focused on the details of your story and its most vital elements. Outlines also keep you mindful of the architecture of the story you’re trying to tell: What comes first? What needs to follow? Schools tend to have …
“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”– Anton Chekhov Whether you’re applying to college, a master’s program, business school, or a competitive fellowship, these five words should be your writing mantra: “Show me. Don’t tell me.” The statement “Show me. Don’t tell me” sings to me …
by Steven Tagle
College admissions officers are more and more likely to visit your social media accounts and form opinions about you based on your profile and content. Will what they see help or hurt you? According to a 2023 survey by Kaplan involving admissions officers from 205 top schools around the country, your social media content can …
by Marie Todd
There are many places to find sample college essays, such as here and in the many books written to help students apply to college. When reading sample essays, you want to pay attention to how they are structured and try to understand what makes them effective. Then, you can combine what you’ve learned with the …
Asking someone to write you a letter of recommendation can feel awkward – you’re essentially requesting that a busy professor, supervisor, or mentor take time out of their schedule to advocate for you and your future. It’s a big ask. But here’s the good news: you can make it much easier for your recommender to …
by Marie Todd
The central theme of your essay doesn’t have to be something earth-shattering or particularly amazing, but it does need to be something that genuinely matters to you and will therefore convey key aspects of your character. Your theme might be something that engages you, something you’re interested in describing, or something you want to explore …
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