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CEA Blog
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, […]
The Early Action and Early Decision Acceptance Rates for the Class of 2029
To absolutely no one’s surprise, this was a very competitive year for college applications. With each passing year more applicants pen Early Action and Early Decision love letters to their dream schools. In response, top schools have carried on with their tradition of accepting a very small percentage of these eager applicant pools (but still […]
How To Write Diversity Supplemental Essays When You Feel Like You Don’t Have a Story to Tell
The diversity-focused supplemental essay has been gaining traction on college applications for years. These prompts allow admissions to get a sense of a student’s background, culture, and values. They often provide meaningful context for a student’s resume, transcript, and other application materials. And, as of the 2023 Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action, they serve […]
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 […]
College Admissions Offices May Never Be Able to Use AI to Review College Essays
There’s a lot of talk surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) and its use, or misuse, in college admissions offices across the country. In fact, some colleges have already started using AI to sort through the thousands of applications they received last season. We’ve heard from students and parents who are concerned that colleges using AI in […]
Test Optional: What it Means for Your College Applications
In the wake of the pandemic, a lot of schools became test-optional, since many students weren’t able to take the SATs or ACTs due to COVID-19 shutdowns and other safety measures. Even after schools brought testing back and adjusted to new protocols, many schools continued to keep their test-optional policies in place, in part to […]
Test-Optional, Test-Flexible, Test-Blind: What’s the Difference?!
Starting in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the world as we knew it, many colleges and universities waived test score submission requirements for first-year applicants. In the years that followed, most schools continued with this trend; however, different terms started popping up to clarify the ways in which admissions would (or would not) consider […]
The Early Action and Early Decision Acceptance Rates for the Class of 2026
To absolutely no one’s surprise, this was a very competitive year for college applications. With each passing year more applicants pen Early Action and Early Decision love letters to their dream schools. In response, top schools have carried on with their tradition of accepting a very small percentage of these eager applicant pools (but still […]
Ivy League and Top-Tier School Acceptance Rates for the Class of 2025
First things first, congratulations to all those who received good news over the past few weeks — we’re so excited for you!! If you received bad news recently, please know that you’re not alone. Ivy league and top-tier school admissions have been increasingly competitive in recent years — and this year was no different. Trust […]
6 Things to Consider Before Taking a Gap Year
For some high school seniors, especially in these uncertain times, delaying their college education may be the best choice. Maybe you want to take advantage of this newfound free time to take a gap year and pursue one of your passions. A gap year — which, fittingly, bridges the gap between high school and college […]
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