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This is another in a series of posts about some memorable applicants, their essays, and how we found them together. Alisha was a BA/BS-MD applicant from last year. Bright, funny, and very motivated to enter medicine, she was also quiet and introspective. Together, we...

This is another in a series of posts about some memorable applicants, their essays, and how we found them together. Mariana cold-called me late one night, a hint of desperation in her voice. She had tried for months to write her personal statement. Draft after draft,...

This is another in a series of posts about some memorable applicants, their essays, and how we found them together. Generally speaking, there are several topics applicants should avoid writing about in their personal statements. Politics for one. Religion is another....

The University of Notre Dame Writing Supplement consists of one (1) essay response to a required question and two (2) essay responses to questions you select from the options provided. In total, you will write three (3) essay responses. The recommended word count is...

In addition to the primary components of the Common Application and Coalition Application, applicants are asked to respond to Columbia-specific questions to tell the Admissions Committee more about their academic, extracurricular and intellectual interests. We review...

Describe when and how you became interested in art, design, writing, architecture, or the particular major to which you are applying. Describe how this interest has manifested itself in your daily life. The essay must be 250–500 words.

When the Common Application goes live August 1, 2019, applicants will be able to see the prompts for the personal essay requirement. The Common Application personal essay is sent to every college to which the applicant applies. To create an account, visit The Common...

In addition to the Common Application's personal statement (you can choose one of seven essay prompts), we ask you to submit no more than 250 words in response to Swarthmore's following short-answer prompt: "Please write about why you are interested in applying to and...

Washington University in St. Louis Tell us about something that really sparks your intellectual interest and curiosity and compels you to explore more in the program/area of study that you indicated. It could be an idea, book, project, cultural activity, work of art,...

Applicants will choose to answer two of the three questions with responses of 200 to 250 words. Imagine having a 1 a.m. debate/discussion with your peers in college about an issue you care about. What is that issue, and what is the discussion? Share your favorite...