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How to Write a Standout Impact Essay | College Essay Advisors

Topic: Admissions, College Admissions, Essay Tips, Essay Writing, Supplemental Essays  |  Posted on May 13th, 2025  |  Written by Becca Myers

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, […]

Transforming Good Essays into Great Ones with Common App Essay Revisions

Here it comes—the behemoth that lurks in the dark, prompting you to look over your shoulder, a cold sweat dripping down your neck. Your breath quickens as you pick up your pace—but no matter how fast you go, it’s still just behind you. It’s the one admissions essay to rule them all: the dreaded Common […]

Mastering Common App Essay Prompt 7: Strategies for Choosing Your Own Topic

Topic: Common Application, Essay Tips, Essay Writing, Uncategorized  |  Posted on October 10th, 2024  |  Written by CEA HQ

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

Topic: Common App Prompts/Topics, Essay Resources, Essay Tips, Essay Writing, Uncategorized  |  Posted on October 4th, 2024  |  Written by CEA HQ

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 2024-25 Coalition Application Essay Prompts

Topic: Essay Tips, Essay Writing  |  Posted on August 2nd, 2024  |  Written by Stacey Brook

What do the 2024-25 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.

Personal Statements and Statements of Purpose: What’s the Difference?

Topic: Admissions, Essay Resources, Essay Tips, Essay Writing, Postgrad, Uncategorized  |  Posted on April 16th, 2024  |  Written by CEA HQ

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

Topic: Admissions, Essay Tips, Essay Writing, Uncategorized  |  Posted on November 13th, 2023  |  Written by Kat Stubing

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 […]

Guide to the 2023-24 Coalition Application Essay Prompts

Topic: Essay Tips, Essay Writing  |  Posted on June 13th, 2023  |  Written by Stacey Brook

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

Topic: Essay Tips, Essay Writing  |  Posted on March 9th, 2022  |  Written by Stacey Brook

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.

How to Write a Compelling Diversity Essay | College Essay Advisors

Topic: Essay Resources, Essay Tips, Essay Writing  |  Posted on July 26th, 2021  |  Written by CEA HQ

Colleges ask for diversity supplemental essays because they are looking to both enrich the campus environment with varied perspectives and get a better sense of how you will interact with students who differ from you. In this way, the diversity essay is an opportunity to talk about your background while also acknowledging your role as […]

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