“Do you think I can get in?” is a common question Seniors (and their parents) ask us at this time of year. The idea of competing for admissions, as well as the judging eyes of an unknown admissions officer, can create anxiety for the most qualified applicant. Often, the highly competitive applicant can be…
Tag: College essays
Guest Post: Where to Start on the College Essay
Rohan is a current Freshman at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. He offers the following essay drafting suggestions, after his experiences last fall writing several dozen college application essays from October through January. ______________________ The best advice I could give is just to start writing, whether that be in the form of a…
How Common is the Common Application Essay?
In this podcast, Art Baird and Jill Yoshikawa, our company’s educational experts, generously share their 10-years of experience to help students write competitive college admissions essays within the context of the Common Application. They define an effective outline for drafting this complex autobiography. For more helpful information, please also read: Storytelling Season is Around the…
Guest Post: Advice about the College Essay from a Graduated Senior to The Class of 2013
About the Author: In a few weeks, Hunter will be a Freshman at UC Berkeley, considering a major in Physics. He applied to 10 colleges and wrote 18 short answer and full length college application essays in Fall 2011. _________________________ Tips for writing college essays (from someone who wrote quite a few): Don’t sacrifice your…
Guest Post: Parent to Parent Advice about College Applications
Norman’s daughter will be starting her Freshman year at the University of Washington in Fall 2012. He offers the following perspective, having just completing the college application process: _________________________ Applying for college is an exciting time for every family. It represents all the hopes and dreams that your student has had since he or she…
You Can Dish It. Can You Take It?
Opening up to outside review of one’s work, including college essays, can create a wincing-eyes-jaw-clenching-fidgeting reaction to the surely unfounded criticism anticipated to be unleashed. While the ultimate reward of such perspective can be a sharper argument and greater understanding, the human tendency to prevent humiliation can get the best of us. (Incidentally, as humans…
Storytelling Season is Around the Corner
A big part of our business at this time of year is listening to the minds of the young share their life stories as part of their college application process. The autobiographical writing process for anyone is grueling, but the young doing so under the time constraints presented to them as part of the overall…
Summer and the College Essay
Every summer, several parents of soon-to-be seniors contact Creative Marbles to ask about finishing college application essays before the next school year starts. In parents’ minds, the thinking goes, “Summer’s a totally unstructured time. Less distractions with school work and after-school activities. The college essay is essential to a competitive application, and I want my…