A strong college essay doesn't summarize a résumé — it reveals how a student thinks. Rohan recently went through the admissions process himself and landed in UIC's Honors College, so he knows what a compelling personal statement looks like from the applicant's side. He digs into brainstorming and na...

Culturally responsive teaching — Cassie's specialty as a certified 6-12 English educator — turns out to be a real asset for college essays, because it trained her to take each student's specific background and voice seriously rather than defaulting to a one-size-fits-all formula. She digs into the b...

Having navigated the pre-med application process herself, Jing understands how to craft a personal statement that balances vulnerability with structure. She teaches students to identify a single compelling thread in their experiences and build every paragraph around it, rather than listing accomplis...

A strong college essay doesn't summarize a résumé — it reveals how a student thinks. Shayan, currently at UIUC's Gies College of Business, went through the application process recently enough to know what admissions readers respond to, and he's sharp at identifying the one story thread that makes a ...

I am currently an adjunct professor of chemistry at a small liberal arts college in the Chicago area. Previously, I worked in the chemical industry for several years as a researcher, but I've found that the most satisfying moments have come when I am able to share my expertise with someone else. Sim...

Writing a college essay that actually sounds like you — not like a thesaurus exploded on a personal statement — is harder than it looks. Varun went through the process recently enough to remember what admissions prompts are really asking, and he walks students through brainstorming, drafting, and tr...

A strong college essay doesn't summarize a résumé — it reveals how a student thinks. Michael works through brainstorming, drafting, and revision with an emphasis on finding the one specific story or insight that admissions readers will remember. His analytical mindset keeps the narrative focused whi...

A strong college essay needs a specific, honest story — not a list of accomplishments repackaged as a narrative. Catherine walks students through the process of identifying a genuine personal angle and shaping it into a compelling piece, from brainstorming through final revision. Her own science bac...

I am a licensed physician from Florida who is currently changing careers. I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2009 and have extensive tutoring and editing experience. While a student, I became a certified writing tutor through the Critical Writing Department. Since I completed my writ...

I'm a recent Stanford graduate (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science), and have been working at a major Management Consulting firm for a few years now. I personally scored a 2360 (out of 2400) on the SAT and 35 on the ACT and was successful in gaining admission to several top universities. I'...