Dear Incoming High School Seniors, If you are like many of your peers, your summer plans have been canceled. Those coveted internships dried up. Resume building jobs – gone, along with summer travel. And the pickings are slim for those who just want to earn money for college. But there is one thing you can do that will put you ahead of the game this fall: write your college essay. To those who have already begun, I salute you. But for the procrastinators out there (and I was

Now that we’ve covered some advice on how to craft your best college essay, and to write a compelling opening paragraph, let’s go in a difference direction. This week’s 5 Tips focuses is on what NOT to do when writing your college essay. Here’s what you need to avoid. DO NOT #1 Use a long string of adjectives to describe yourself: “Being a diligent, determined, and self-possessed person has helped me grow and strive in everyday life.” Oh dear. Whenever I read proclamations s

Ah, the telltale signs of autumn: crisp mornings, pumpkin spice lattes, and high school seniors panicking about their college essays. Here are five tips to soothe nerves and help applicants write their best college essay. 1) Make the story your own. This is your opportunity to stand out from the crowd. You have a unique voice and a story to tell that is all your own. Imagine, as you write, that you are telling that story to a trusted companion. 2) Being real is better than sh