If you’ve been following my posts, you’ve probably noticed that I regularly report on or link to past articles I’ve written on the steps...

The Common Application introduced a new prompt this year, replacing this prompt: Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like...

If I reapply to a graduate program, will admissions review my old materials? It depends on how long ago you applied and how large the...

It is so, so upsetting to get “the small envelope”. You have put in a tremendous amount of energy, effort, and time to give yourself a...

Will all of your extracurricular activities (or complete lack thereof) impact your graduate school applications? In short, it depends....

The college admissions process is exhaustive. In the whirl of studying for standardized admission tests, writing 20+ application essays,...

I’m no psychic, but I have a feeling this year’s early admit (EA) and early decision (ED) results portend increased priority applications...

There is a lot to know and consider before making the decision to transfer to a new school. With some careful planning, you can avoid...

Your university applications are submitted and it’s time to sit back and wait for the offers to come pouring in, right? Well, maybe. But...

Here is the complete list of questions I use to help my graduate school applicants ace their interviews. If you would like guidance on...

Interview season is upon us, folks. I want to share a well-known but oft-forgotten approach to answering any interview question: The...

If you’re interested in studying in the United States, you’ve probably already heard the big news — CollegeBoard is dropping the SAT...

It is officially transfer application time! For that reason, I’m going to spend the next few weeks discussing the top transfer schools,...

Arts and Humanities Ancient Masterpieces of World Literature – Harvard University How to Write an Essay – UC Berkeley Introduction...

With most Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA) results released last month, some applicants may find themselves in the challenging...

Tear your essay apart to make it better. This doesn’t sound like solid writing advice, but it’s a technique advanced writers use all the...

The “Why University X” supplemental essay is NOT a “Why University X is great” essay. Instead, it’s a “Why University X and I are perfect...

Mistake #1 - Starting the essay by introducing oneself rather than the story Many students have the perception they must introduce...

Applying to a PhD program? Read this. If you’re planning to apply to a PhD program, you’ve probably received tons of advice from...

It's always best to start your personal statement with an attention-grabbing intro. There are a lot of ways to do this - and I encourage...