Resources & Tips
CEA Blog
This is What College Admissions Officers Look For in College Applications
While the essay is a potent piece of the puzzle, it is important to remember that it is but one of the crucial components of your college application. There is also the transcript, which is undeniably one of the most important factors in an admissions officer’s assessment of any applicant. Even this pretty straightforward index […]
Why You Should Start Your College Essay Junior Year
It feels like it’s too early to start. Should you really take time out of your schedule to start writing your college essay? Yes! In a way. We agree that it’s a little early to begin the writing process in earnest, but you can never get enough of a head start on brainstorming how you […]
How to Use the College Essay to Your Advantage
So, you are settling into your comfy desk chair and cracking your knuckles, ready to start writing. You take a drink of water, open Microsoft Word and stare at the blinking cursor. You suddenly realize: you have no idea what you’re supposed to be accomplishing with this essay. Don’t worry, we are here to save […]
How to Write Your Personal Statement
So you want to know how to write your personal statement, huh? Well, let me tell you this: the best personal essays tell a story. And like all good stories, they have (drumroll, please) a beginning, a middle, and an end. As you pull the notes from your brainstorm into your outline, think about the […]
Two-Minute Cures For the Hopelessly Stressed
We have always been skeptics when it comes to activities that require you to talk to yourself — or that prevent you from talking to anyone else. But science actually backs up the power of some of the following exercises. Though they may seem a little woo-woo at first, the truth is, when you’re desperate […]
The Origins of The Common Application
A long time ago (back when applicants had to – GASP! – hand-write their applications) in a land far, far away (upstate New York), some fine academic institutions decided to take pity on the cramping hands of college applicants by creating a standardized form to help students streamline the application process. This great work of […]
Applications are submitted! Now what?
Attention! This is not an alarm! January 1st deadlines have officially come and gone! This means that you’re probably done with all of your college applications!!! YAY!! This is an incredibly exciting time for all students entering the final stretch of their senior year. Think about all of the things you didn’t have time for […]
Regular Decision Deadlines 2017-18
Deadlines are the worst. Even the word looks terrifying. It has the word “dead” in it. What’s with that? Bitter feelings aside, deadlines are inevitable. And many Regular Decision deadlines are creeping up on us. Whether you’re applying Regular Decision to safety, target, or dream schools, it’s important to make sure you get your applications […]
Don’t Make These Mistakes in Your College Essay
The admissions essay is a crucial part of your college application because it is the only chance you have to communicate with admissions officers in your own voice. You need to take advantage of every word at your disposal and send the message that you’re the kind of student that colleges should want on their […]
College Essay Checkups
We all need a little TLC sometimes, even our essays. If you’re anything like me, after you stare at your essay for too long, it all but turns into hieroglyphics. It is no longer beautifully crafted sentences diving into overarching themes and humorous anecdotes. It is words on a page and you’re sick and tired […]
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