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How to Write a Standout Impact Essay | College Essay Advisors
The Impact Essay is a supplemental essay type that mines for information about your involvement in a community and how you have created lasting positive change—both within that community and yourself. It is an opportunity to talk about past contributions as well as future goals, which can be an insightful window into your values, priorities, […]
Mastering Common App Essay Prompt 7: Strategies for Choosing Your Own Topic
So, you’ve come to the end of the list of options for the Common App essay and found yourself in the open sea of possibilities that is #7: “Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your […]
Unique Exercises to Uncover Your Best Topics with Common App Essay Brainstorming
No matter who you are or what kind of life you have led up until this point, there is an engaging Common App essay topic already inside of you. In fact, there are numerous amazing topics hiding in that noggin of yours; your challenge is to knock those gems loose so we can look them […]
Guide to the 2025-26 Coalition Application Essay Prompts
What do the 2025-26 Coalition Application essay prompts really mean, and how should you approach them? CEA’s Chief Advisor, Stacey Brook, is here to break it all down.
Why It’s in Your Best Interest to Write Your Common App Essay Before Your UC Essays
For students who hope to submit applications to a range of colleges, including the UCs, we always recommend writing your Common App 650-word personal statement before your UC personal insight essays. (And for good reason!) Here’s why: 1) The Common App Prompts are Confirmed First The Common Application prompts are usually confirmed in January or […]
Personal Statements and Statements of Purpose: What’s the Difference?
So you’ve decided to apply for grad school—hooray! Now comes the fun part: more standardized testing, accumulating transcripts, and drafting essay after essay. As you go through your schools’ requirements, you may see requests for “personal statements” or “statements of purpose.” They’re the same thing, right? Not quite. As the names suggest, the personal statement […]
How to Answer the Required UC Transfer Application Essay in a Memorable Way
If you’re hoping to transfer to a University of California (UC) school next fall, you will have to write four essays. Transfer applicants are asked to respond to one required question (more on this below) and choose three of seven remaining prompts to respond to in 350 words or fewer. These seven prompts overlap with […]
If You’re Not Done with Your College Application Essays Right Now, You’re Late
Every year it happens. September rolls around, Labor Day BBQs end the summer with a side of slaw, and students all over the world wake up and realize that, in addition to schoolwork, they have to start working on their college admissions essays. As someone who has been advising students on their college essays for […]
Guide to the 2023-24 Coalition Application Essay Prompts
What do the 2023-24 Coalition Application essay prompts really mean, and how should you approach them? CEA’s Chief Advisor, Stacey Brook, is here to break it all down.
Guide to the 2022-23 Coalition Application Essay Prompts
What do the 2022-23 Coalition Application essay prompts really mean, and how should you approach them? CEA’s Chief Advisor, Stacey Brook, is here to break it all down.
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