Resources & Tips


CEA Blog
The Additional Information Essay: When and How to Use It
It is not often discussed, but the Common Application offers students the opportunity to complete another essay in addition to the personal statement: the Additional Info Essay. If you are wondering whether you should be writing and submitting an Additional Info Essay, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to find out what the […]
Quick Facts about Georgetown, Yale, and the California Institute of Technology
So you’re narrowing down the list of colleges that you’re interested in attending, or at the very least applying to, and finding that it’s harder than it looks. But with application fees up to your eyeballs and college essays up to your clavicles, you know you need to make some decisions. Good news! We have […]
How to Outline Your Personal Statement Like a Boss
Okay, so you have drilled and drilled until your fingers could tap no more and your noggin was verifiably empty. You have thousands of words on the page and you have color coded your best material for building out the big picture and filling in the meaningful details. Now what? Could it be that it’s […]
New Additions to The Supplemental Essay Guide: TU and JHU!
Fear not, young students, for we have heard your pleas! We have added supplemental essay guides for both the University of Texas at Austin and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore!! Yay!!! While the University of Texas requires one long essay and three short essays from most applicants, JHU only requires […]
How to Use Your Memories to Find the Perfect Essay Topic
So you’re working on your college applications and just can’t seem to come up with a good topic for your essay! You hate all of your ideas and you know a good topic is the foundation for a fantastic essay! Don’t panic! Your predicament is quite normal and you’re one of many students sweating your […]
What It’s Like to be a College Admissions Officer
Imagine you’re a college admissions officer. You’re pumped to dive into your pile of new applicants. You’re jazzed to see what the students of 2017 have to bring to your academic community. You’re responsible for viewing over 1,000 applications per season! This means 40 applications a day and 8.5 an hour! This gives you about […]
Follow this Timeline to Write a Winning College Essay
More goes into an essay than brainstorming, writing, and revising. You have to make sure you’re advancing through the process at the right speed. But how much time should you dedicate to each phase of the process?! Don’t worry, we have answers! Follow this timeline to keep yourself in check and ensure that when all […]
How to Write an Amazing Closing Line
The last line of the essay is just as important as the first. The opening line sets a stage of intrigue and the closing line makes the final mark; don’t miss the chance to leave a lasting impression. The closing line can tie your story up in a neat little bow or leave admissions lingering, […]
The Most Interesting Supplemental Essay Prompts of 2017
Supplemental essays can be a real drag. You have already poured your heart and soul into the personal statement and all you want to do is kick back and watch Homecoming King for the third time. We get it. Fortunately, some schools are stepping up their game to make answering their supplemental prompts FUN! Yes, […]
The University of California Essay Prompts 2017-18
All University of California schools require the same application – which is awesome for students who are interested in multiple campuses! The application doesn’t come without its downfalls, however. Students have to write four essays to be considered for admission. Since most students are also applying to other universities that accept the Coalition or Common […]