COVID-19 looms large for all of us this year, including high school students. For many, it might be tempting to write their essays about their experiences—but should they? We’ll talk through this question and offer our perspective as former admissions officers who have read tens of thousands of admissions essays over the years. In other segments, we’ll go over how students can help themselves financially this summer and hear about one of our expert’s experiences selecting her college and studying abroad in London.

by Elyse Krantz, former admissions officer at Barnard College

Your love of playing cello…

Your fascination with mountain biking…

Your desire to speak out against prejudice…

Your journey to become student body president…

A strong Common App essay can be written on virtually any topic.

How’s that college essay coming? Not well? Then check out this insight from former Reed College admissions officer Ian Fisher on how to approach your personal statement in this installment of the College Coach video series, Ask the College Admissions Expert. Ian lets you know what college admissions officers are looking for in an application essay, how to choose a good college essay topic, and how to get started.

by Lauren Randle, former admissions officer at Georgetown University

It’s been a tough few months, but you weathered it, and the school year is finally wrapping up. For the juniors, you might be feeling exhausted from all that the last semester brought and the ways you’ve had to adapt. My sincerest hope for you is that you’re able to return to school next fall and resume the things that make a high school experience: activities, close friendships, traditions. I want you to have that time to enjoy as a senior with as little stress as possible.

The College Board made a splash a few months ago with its new Adversity Score. After some negative backlash and bad press, they scrapped the score and replaced it with their new Landscape tool. Tune in to find out what all the fuss is about and if the name is the only thing that’s really changing. Breaks from college can wind up being quite expensive for students depending on what they choose to do and how far they travel to do it. We have some thoughts on how not to break the bank during the upcoming winter break. Finally, in Office Hours, we’re breaking down the supplements for Virginia Tech and Santa Clara.

The Bowdoin supplement asks applicants to first identify which of the lines from “The Offer of the College,” a poem written in 1906 by Bowdoin president William DeWitt Hyde, most resonate with them. Applicants are then invited to provide an optional short essay of 250 words to reflect on their chosen line and how it has meaning for them.

The first time I read over Smith College’s supplemental essay question, my response was, “Wow! This one is different!” See for yourself:

We know that colleges ask a lot of hard questions on their applications. This one is not so hard and we promise, there is no hidden agenda – just have fun! If you had a theme song – a piece of music that describes you, what would it be and why? Please include the name of the song and the artist. (200 words)

You know you love Harvey Mudd, but now it is time to articulate why by clearly showcasing the synergy between you and the college and providing the admissions committee with a holistic picture of who you are and what you will bring to their community. 

While many might think of Carleton College when they hear “Northfield, Minnesota,” there’s another fabulous school in this small town—St. Olaf College. Like its neighbor, St. Olaf is a small, liberal arts college. But if you’re planning to apply, you’ll want to be sure you demonstrate deeper knowledge of the college and its culture in your supplemental essay responses than that! So let’s look at what those questions are and how you might answer them.

Over time, I have had a number of students struggle with writing their responses to the Emory University supplemental essay prompts, and this year they seem to be equally, if not more perplexing.  The difficulty of writing something really illuminating in 150 words or less makes it even more challenging, and having multiple prompts to choose from doesn’t seem to mitigate student’s stress very much.