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CEA Blog

10 Critical College Essay Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Topic: Admissions, advice, College Admissions, Common Application, Essay Resources, Essay Tips, Essay Writing, Quick Tips, Tips  |  Posted on August 10th, 2017  |  Written by CEA HQ

Why College Essays Matter Since many other students have similar GPAs and test scores as you (if not better, eek!), one powerful way to stand out from the crowd is to draft compelling and insightful essays. The personal statement and other supplemental essays are your chance to “be in the room” with admissions and introduce […]

How to Combat Writer’s Block and Finish Your College Essay

Topic: Admissions, College Admissions, Common Application, Essay Tips, Essay Writing, Productivity, Quick Tips, Tips, Uncategorized  |  Posted on August 10th, 2017  |  Written by Kat Stubing

So you’re two hours deep into your college essay and you just can’t seem to get anything good down on paper! We know what that feels like, we’ve all been there! Here are 4 tips on how to overcome the beast that is writer’s block.   Flip your topic on its head Maybe the way […]

Is Modesty a Mistake in the College Essay?

Topic: Admissions, advice, College Admissions, Essay Tips, Essay Writing, Quick Tips, Tips, Uncategorized  |  Posted on July 26th, 2017  |  Written by Kat Stubing

We grow up being told to be humble and stay grounded —  and then suddenly the college essay comes along and we’re supposed to toot our own horn like there’s no tomorrow? Don’t college admissions officers want to see that we’re down to earth and not about to release a Kim K-inspired selfie book? Yes […]

Our Home State Creates Tuition-Free Program

Topic: College Admissions, News  |  Posted on July 7th, 2017  |  Written by Kat Stubing

New York has passed a program to make all public schools and universities tuition-free for full-time students, and we could not be more proud as pavement-pounding, hot-dog-eating residents of Manhattan. Students who attend school full time and are on track to graduate between two and four years can take advantage of this new program. Many […]

The 3 Most Common College Essay Topics: Why CEA’s Founder Thinks You Should Write About Them Anyway

Topic: Essay Tips, Essay Writing, From The Founder, Tips  |  Posted on June 8th, 2017  |  Written by Kat Stubing

The whole point of writing a college essay is to differentiate yourself from other applicants and place yourself ahead of the pack. For this reason, many students shy away from writing about common college essay topics. CEA’s Founder and Chief Advisor, Stacey Brook, believes this doesn’t have to be the case. Stacey recently published an […]

How this Student Got Into All 8 Ivy Leagues

Topic: Admissions, College Admissions, Common Application, Inspiration, News, Productivity, Standout Students, Starting Early, Summer Preparation  |  Posted on June 5th, 2017  |  Written by Kat Stubing

  Yes, he’s done it. Martin Altenburg, a 17-year-old from Fargo, North Dakota has gained acceptance into every Ivy League plus a couple more schools for good measure. You might be asking yourself, “But don’t Ivy Leagues have some of the lowest acceptance rates in the country?” Yes, they do! But Altenburg figured out the […]

Nicki Minaj is Helping Fans Stay in School one Tweet at a Time

Topic: News, Uncategorized  |  Posted on May 15th, 2017  |  Written by Kat Stubing

Nicki Minaj brought music to her fan’s ears this weekend, but not necessarily in the way they expected. The world-renowned artist is known for encouraging her fans to get an education, whether that be in interviews or on stage. She even told Ellen’s beloved Sophia Grace and Rosie, a.k.a. the “I love pink!” girls to […]

Five Foolproof Tips for Conquering the Common Application Essay

Topic: Admissions, advice, College Admissions, Common Application, Essay Tips, Essay Writing, Quick Tips, Tips, Uncategorized  |  Posted on May 12th, 2017  |  Written by Nina Bailey

  The first time I successfully did a handstand in yoga class, it was unexpected and almost effortless. My legs kicked up, and then, as if being lifted by string, I was supporting my body with my arms. When we talk about strategies for tackling the college essay, I like to tell the story of […]

How to Write an Oddball Essay | College Application Guide

Topic: College Admissions, Common App Prompts/Topics, Essay Tips, Essay Writing, Supplemental Essays  |  Posted on December 10th, 2016  |  Written by CEA HQ

The Oddball Essay is a supplemental essay type that mines for information about not only who you are, but also how you think. Colleges are interested in the way your mind works so they can determine if you’d be a good fit for their campus community. Are you easily led down a rabbit hole of […]

How to Write a Compelling “Why This College” Essay

Topic: Admissions, Essay Resources, Essay Writing, Uncategorized  |  Posted on December 10th, 2016  |  Written by CEA HQ

The famous Why Essay is one of the most common supplemental essay types, and it’s not difficult to ascertain why that is.  When competitive colleges and universities are trying to carefully select applicants to admit to their institution, they want to find the ones who really want to be there.  The “Why This College” Essay […]

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