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CEA Blog
Structure: How to Build a Boss Essay
Your college admissions essay is a required writing assignment, yes, but try not to think of it as more work that will stress you out. YOU OWN THIS ESSAY. How can you be the boss of this assignment instead of letting it be the boss of you? It’s easier than it seems. Just do these […]
How this Student Got Into All 8 Ivy Leagues
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 […]
The Main Takeaways From the NYT ‘Modern Love’ College Essay Winners
“You can blame it all on Percocet.” This is the opening line of the winner of The New York Times “Modern Love” college contest. Out of 2,000 entries from college students from all across the country, there was one winner and four finalists; all of the essays were published in The New York Times. The […]
Guide to The NY Times’ Five Best College Essays on Work, Money and Class
Every year, The New York Times issues an open call for college application essays on the subject of money, work, and class. Money becomes a lens through which identity, family, and dreams, can be glimpsed. Out of the many submissions they received this year, The Times published the five best essays (four were published in […]
Five Foolproof Tips for Conquering the Common Application Essay
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 […]
4 Surprisingly Simple Strategies for Tackling Supplemental Application Essays
The deluge has begun. The earliest supplemental essays have started to trickle out and it’s time to bust out your rain slicker and boots… maybe even a canoe if you have one on hand. For the uninitiated, supplemental essays are the school-specific writing assignments that many colleges and universities require in addition to the Common […]
Bragging Writes Essay Contest Second Runners-Up
There was a tie for Second Runner-Up in CEA’s Bragging Writes college essay contest. We just couldn’t decide between Ha Hoang’s creatively-paced piece “The Tear Catalyst” and Eva Su’s tale of accidental entrepreneurism. Both essays find creative ways to connect personal experiences with global issues and communities, either in their structure or content. This fall, […]
How to Write an Eye-Catching Activity Resume
You probably never knew that taking French could help you with anything other than learning the correct pronunciation of “macaron” and the crucial definition of “escargot.” Who knew it could also help you with your college applications? Whip out those dual-language dictionaries and look up the word “résumé.” The translation is pretty simple: a summary […]
Guide to the 2016-17 Coalition Application Essay Prompts
There is an upheaval in the world of college admissions. At least that’s what the members of the newly-formed Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success would have us believe as they prepare to launch a new mass application platform this summer. Since the announcement that over 80 elite colleges would be banding together to challenge […]
4 Strategies for Getting Yourself off the Waiting List and into Your Dream School
The unimaginable has occurred. You have been waitlisted at the school of your dreams. Even Frank Bruni’s lighthearted jibes about plunging Ivy League admission rates don’t soften the blow of Yale and Harvard’s record low acceptances this year. The class of 2020 at each of these esteemed institutions comprises just slightly more than 5% of […]
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