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CEA Blog
4 Surprisingly Simple Strategies for Tackling Supplemental Application Essays
The deluge has begun. The earliest supplemental essays have started to trickle out and it’s time to bust out your rain slicker and boots… maybe even a canoe if you have one on hand. For the uninitiated, supplemental essays are the school-specific writing assignments that many colleges and universities require in addition to the Common […]
College Spotlight: University of Michigan 2016-17
The University of Michigan is a prestigious public university located in the heart of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Being such a huge university, Michigan is known for its vast degree program options (about 260 in total), being a top research institute offering research opportunities to more than 1,300 students each year, and for its Division I […]
College Spotlight: University of Chicago 2016-17
The University of Chicago is known for its intellectually rigorous core curriculum, beautiful gothic architecture, and quirky application supplement (more on those oddball essay prompts below). It’s a nerd paradise where the blustery Chicago winters are the perfect excuse to stay inside with a nice book or ten. Even though the unofficial school motto is, “If […]
6 Unconventional College Majors You Never Knew You Wanted to Try
Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past…oh, I don’t know…seven years or so, then you’ve heard the expression “there’s an app for that.” Think of the most ridiculous thing in the world, and you can probably find it in the app store. Just feel like popping a zit? There’s an app for that. […]
What You Can Learn from Stalking Your Dream College on Facebook
You’ve been warned. In this digital age, 40% of college admissions officers scour your social media profiles about as closely as your academic records. While this Facebook (or Twitter or Instagram) stalking may seem invasive, it’s also a window into your judgement, values, and sense of humor – and now, two can play at this […]
Don’t Forget About Your College Essay This Summer: CEA’s Weekly Link Roundup
As the school year starts to wind down, we can lay back, relax, and start thinking about our impending college search and application process. Nothing stressful about that, right? With senior year just around the corner, college is probably one of the only things on your mind. The summer is a great time to begin […]
Bragging Writes Winner: A Real College Essay that Really Worked!
We are thrilled to announce that Kelly Porter’s essay, “En Español, Por Favor,” is the First Place winner of CEA’s Bragging Writes college essay contest. Her thoughtful approach to the Common App’s fifth prompt, about the transition from childhood to adulthood, stood out from the pack. Kelly’s essay caught our attention from the first line, […]
Bragging Writes College Essay Contest First Runner-Up
Summer Allen is the First Runner-Up in CEA’s Bragging Writes college essay contest. She tells a story of swashbuckling intellectual curiosity as she spends one summer racing her father to the finish of Robinson Crusoe. Summer’s submission is the perfect example of how a great essay can come out of a small, personal life event. […]
Bragging Writes Essay Contest Second Runners-Up
There was a tie for Second Runner-Up in CEA’s Bragging Writes college essay contest. We just couldn’t decide between Ha Hoang’s creatively-paced piece “The Tear Catalyst” and Eva Su’s tale of accidental entrepreneurism. Both essays find creative ways to connect personal experiences with global issues and communities, either in their structure or content. This fall, […]
3 Strategies for Taking Good Notes on College Visits
Where will YOU go this summer? Is a good long stay at camp in your future? Will you head abroad to study or volunteer? How about a trip to Canada to hang out with ducklings and nice people? Is the inside of the local ice cream parlor your destination of choice? Will you be wielding […]
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