Every year more than a million students use the Common Application, a standardized electronic form accepted by more than 1,000 colleges, to apply to college. And every year since 1976, the Common App, ...

After Helping Thousands of Students, Ava Mariya Gencheva Shares What Admissions Officers Actually Remember. SAN ...

In recent weeks, a wave of prestigious schools has announced that they will no longer require students to submit supplemental ...

Writing college essays that stand out is a critical step in the college admissions process. College admissions officers read thousands of essays each year, and a compelling essay can make a ...

“My Common App essay is one of the best things I’ve written,” Krishna says. “It is basically everything that I am in one piece of paper — a crash course to myself.” College essays loom large for high ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Brennan Barnard writes about the nuances of college admission. What if you were limited to 650 words to write your memoir? Upon ...

At its core, Irena Smith’s job as an independent college counselor means being a writing coach. With a PhD in comparative literature, the former Stanford admissions officer helps her teenage clients ...

Writing a college essay is a rite of passage for many students applying to attend a college or university in the United States. Although each institution has its own application requirements, most ...

The glow from the laptop reflects off his forehead as he stares at the screen, paralyzed by panicked perfectionism. The Common Application essay prompts are neatly copied onto the blank document, ...