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CEA Blog

If You’re Not Done with Your College Application Essays Right Now, You’re Late

Topic: advice, College Admissions, Essay Tips, From The Founder  |  Posted on September 14th, 2023  |  Written by Stacey Brook

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

Topic: Uncategorized  |  Posted on September 11th, 2023  |  Written by Kat Stubing

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 […]

A Message From our Founder Re: Affirmative Action and The College Essay

Topic: From The Founder, Uncategorized  |  Posted on August 14th, 2023  |  Written by Stacey Brook

Ever since the Supreme Court ruled to overturn affirmative action, students around the globe have been wondering how the decision will affect their chances of acceptance to American colleges and universities. Most critically, students of color have been grappling with how they can attempt to get a fair shake in an inherently biased admissions system […]

How to Answer the “Who in Your Life is Depending on You?” Supplemental Essay Question

Topic: College Admissions, Uncategorized  |  Posted on October 17th, 2022  |  Written by CEA HQ

If you’re applying to competitive colleges, chances are you’ve seen the following prompt once or twice in your travels across the Common App: Who in your life is depending on you? What are they depending on you for?  Several colleges and universities adopted this supplemental essay prompt within the past few years as a part […]

Write about these 3 things in your college essay (even if you think you shouldn’t)

Topic: Admissions, College Admissions, Essay Resources, Essay Tips, Essay Writing, Uncategorized  |  Posted on January 14th, 2019  |  Written by Stacey Brook

This article was originally published in USA Today. Every year, as my team at College Essay Advisors (CEA) begins to brainstorm essay topics with our students, the same refrain always emerges: “I read that I shouldn’t write about this” or “My teacher said I shouldn’t write about that.” What subjects are actually taboo in a college essay? […]

Real Tufts University Supplemental Essay Examples!

Topic: Admissions, College Admissions, Essay Resources, Essay Writing, Good Reads  |  Posted on August 1st, 2017  |  Written by Kat Stubing

Are you planning on applying to Tufts University for Fall admission? Not sure where to start on your supplemental essays? Tufts has been so kind as to release some real life college essay examples that helped students earn acceptance to the great school! We thought we’d share a few of our favorite with you so […]

The 2017-18 Yale Supplemental Essay Prompts are Out!

Topic: Admissions, College Admissions, Essay Resources, Supplemental Essays  |  Posted on July 18th, 2017  |  Written by CEA HQ

You’ve been scouring the internet for weeks, maybe even months, trying to get a jump start on your Yale application to ensure your essays are imbued with that Ivy League-worthy je ne sais quois. Well, look no further. The supplements ready — but are you ready for them? (We think you are!) This year’s application […]

Why Summer is the Best Time to Write Your College Essay

Topic: advice, College Admissions, Essay Tips, Essay Writing, Productivity, Quick Tips, Starting Early, Summer Preparation, Tips  |  Posted on June 15th, 2017  |  Written by Kat Stubing

Listen, we get it. The waves are crashing, sun is beaming, and all you want to do is chill. You’ve been working all year long to make sure your grades are up to par and that you’ve put enough energy into your (nine-thousand?) activities to make a real impact on your community and make an […]

Why We Love February Application Deadlines and You Should Too

Topic: College Admissions  |  Posted on January 20th, 2016  |  Written by Thea Hogarth

February is the shortest month of the year for a reason: it stinks. Snow piles up and begins to turn mysterious shades of yellow and brown. We finally use up the lotion we bought to ward off dry skin. And don’t even get us started on Valentine’s Day. Who thought it was a good idea […]

The Danger of Reading Real College Essay Examples

Topic: Essay Tips  |  Posted on September 3rd, 2015  |  Written by Thea Hogarth

“Real college essay examples” is one of the most commonly searched phrases in the college application Googleverse. Cloaked in mystery, the personal statement is an assignment that students rarely encounter before senior year. And yet the college-applying hordes are required to tackle this beast every year. “Surely the successful essays of my predecessors will hold […]