College Essay Mistakes: Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Two women are seated at a table, writing in notebooks together, while another person sits in the background.

You don’t have to be a gifted writer to draft a great college essay: there is room for everyone’s story at the college admissions table! Of course every student wants to submit a masterful essay with their application, but even the strongest of writers can find themselves off track if they veer into certain (writing)…

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How to Write a College Essay That Stands Out

A person sits at an outdoor table, smiling while writing in a notebook with a pencil, wearing earphones, with a laptop open in front of them and greenery in the background.

A powerful personal statement can be the difference between the “yes” pile and the “no” pile in the admissions review-room. It’s a student’s chance to go from black-and-white to full color, to step off the page and speak directly to the admissions team — not as a GPA or resume, but as an individual. It’s…

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What Are the UCs Looking For?

Three students with backpacks and books walk together on a university campus, with a brick building and blooming trees in the background.

How UC Admissions Really Work The University of California system is the largest public university system in the country, and one of the most popular and competitive in the nation as well. With nearly 250,000 freshman applications submitted each year, families often ask: What exactly are the UCs looking for? Unlike private colleges that may…

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