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5 Tips for Writing About Extracurricular Activities You Started at the Last Minute

5 tips for writing about extracurricular activities you started at the last minute

You are this close to finishing your application, but in the section that asks you about your extracurricular activities, you freeze up. I don’t really have any extracurricular activities, you think. What should I do now? How will I be able to stand out from the competition? We’re glad you asked. Team Accepted has worked …

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‘Twas the Night Before Deadlines: A Cautionary Tale of Cliches

cautionary tale of cliches

‘Twas the night before deadlines, and all through the world, Our consultants sat cramming, coffee brewing, brows furrowed; Though the essays were written with effort and care, There were still a few things that were cause for despair! The clichés! Oh, forsake! Terrible, were they – That all our consultants could think was “oy vey!” …

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Encore: Writing a Compelling Personal Statement [Episode 397]

Podcast interview with Mary Mahoney1

[powerpress] It’s a busy time of year now. We here at Accepted are busy helping applicants with the end-of-the-year application crunch and normally I would be enjoying the company of extended family at this joyous time of year. Thanks to COVID, however, our extended family is not gathering in person. I suspect that your celebrations …

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6 Tips for Getting Started on Your Application Essays

6 tips for getting started on your application essays

Sometimes the hardest part of writing a personal statement or application essay for college or grad school is finding the discipline to sit down and focus. Often, once you accomplish that, the ideas begin to form and the words begin to flow.  The following 6 tips will help motivate you to start writing, and then …

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Writing a Compelling Personal Statement [Episode 368]

Podcast interview with Mary Mahoney scaled

[powerpress] How can you write a stand-out personal statement? [Show summery] Dr. Mary Mahoney, Associate Professor of English at Elmira College and Accepted consultant, draws from her expertise in the medical humanities to deliver advice for writing a compelling personal statement. Listen to the show! A professor of English and Accepted admissions consultant shares top …

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How Much Overlap Can There Be Between My Resume/CV and My SOP?

How much overlap can there be between my resume and my SOP

When submitting an application for college or graduate school, it’s important to view the application holistically. The application includes multiple elements, such as a CV/resume, a personal statement, and grades, among other things. Because this application is key to receiving an admissions offer, it is important to be selective and strategic in choosing which elements …

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How to Get Started on Your Personal Statement with One Easy Technique

how to get your personal statement started

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? What is clustering? Whether you’re feeling stuck or feeling overwhelmed by all the ideas bouncing around in your head, a stellar technique to start …

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Encore: Focus on Fit in Admissions [Episode 334]

Podcast interview with Linda Abraham Focus on Fit Encore

[powerpress] I am taking time off for family this week, and as a result I decided to air an encore of one of our most popular shows ever, Focus on Fit. I chose it not only because of its popularity, but because the topic is relevant to so many, if not all, specialties. A solid …

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How to Use Powerful Details to Create Strong Essays

create strong essays with powerful details

To really draw your readers into your goal-focused essay, you’re going to want to lay the scene for your future accomplishments. After all, what better way to convince the adcom of your ambitions than to illustrate them in your essay? First, identify your goal. When you begin your essay, try showing yourself having reached your …

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Generic-itis Prevention [Warning: If Untreated, Can Cause Rejection]

Generic itis Prevention

Each year, Accepted consultants are witnessing a recurring epidemic. And it’s worse than you can imagine: Generic-itis. What generic-itis looks like Here is an example of a severe case of generic-–itis that I drafted based on several different examples I recently read, along with 25 years of experience in this business: I find Top Choice’s …

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Two Grad School Applicants Walk Into a Bar…

Two Grad School Applicants Walk Into a Bar...

This might be a great opening line for a comedy night at a university student center, but can you use humor in a graduate school application essay? Should you even try? The answer is…maybe. If you have a funny bone, use it If you can use humor effectively, it will help you stand out from …

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