College Essay News and Tips: CEA’s Weekly Link Roundup

A LOT of really important stuff has happened over the past few weeks.  The Republican Debate came and went (hope you were all watching to stay informed, you soon-to-be-voters!), Hoverboards are now totally a real thing, World of Warcraft released an AWESOME new expansion, and most importantly and tragically: Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy BROKE.UP!  And, wait a minute….something else…OH, RIGHT!  THE COMMON APP WENT LIVE ON AUGUST 1ST!!  But you all already knew that, since we know that you’re all STARTING EARLY and diligently working on your essays.  If you’re feeling stuck and need a break or some other food for thought, you’ve come to the right place!  It’s another update of CEA’s weekly link roundup!  Check it out:

• Interested in applying to Harvard?  Bolstering your vocabulary with these keywords might help you seal the deal for your acceptance.
• Full disclosure: we really hate clichés.  They take away from the wonderful originality that is you!  Take heed and avoid this horrible trap!  Here are some classic college essay clichés to avoid.
• Almost more than anything else, admissions officers want you to BE HONEST.  Be YOU.  In the midst writing the big common app essay and the dozens of other essays, the stress can build and it may be tempting to think “well, do I really have to write all of those essays myself?” The answer is yes.  Admissions officers can tell if an essay is not written by you, sadly, however, buying essays written by other people is becoming a trend.
• And finally, while we encourage you, dear applicants, to let your parents in on your process and ask them for advice, we also realize that there are boundaries.  This process is about you and what you need to stay unstressed and get in to the college of your dreams.  Here are 6 things that parents should NEVER do when their child is applying for college.