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CEA Blog

10 Critical College Essay Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Topic: Admissions, advice, College Admissions, Common Application, Essay Resources, Essay Tips, Essay Writing, Quick Tips, Tips  |  Posted on August 10th, 2017  |  Written by CEA HQ

Why College Essays Matter Since many other students have similar GPAs and test scores as you (if not better, eek!), one powerful way to stand out from the crowd is to draft compelling and insightful essays. The personal statement and other supplemental essays are your chance to “be in the room” with admissions and introduce […]

How to Combat Writer’s Block and Finish Your College Essay

Topic: Admissions, College Admissions, Common Application, Essay Tips, Essay Writing, Productivity, Quick Tips, Tips, Uncategorized  |  Posted on August 10th, 2017  |  Written by Kat Stubing

So you’re two hours deep into your college essay and you just can’t seem to get anything good down on paper! We know what that feels like, we’ve all been there! Here are 4 tips on how to overcome the beast that is writer’s block.   Flip your topic on its head Maybe the way […]

Is Modesty a Mistake in the College Essay?

Topic: Admissions, advice, College Admissions, Essay Tips, Essay Writing, Quick Tips, Tips, Uncategorized  |  Posted on July 26th, 2017  |  Written by Kat Stubing

We grow up being told to be humble and stay grounded —  and then suddenly the college essay comes along and we’re supposed to toot our own horn like there’s no tomorrow? Don’t college admissions officers want to see that we’re down to earth and not about to release a Kim K-inspired selfie book? Yes […]

The 2017-18 University of North Carolina (UNC) Supplemental Essays are Live!

Topic: Admissions, College Admissions, Essay Resources, Supplemental Essays, Uncategorized  |  Posted on July 20th, 2017  |  Written by Kat Stubing

The time is upon us! University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has released supplemental essays for the 2017-18 application season and they are just as creative and thought-provoking as we had hoped! UNC’s supplement will provide students with four prompts, of which they will choose two. The word count for each response is 200-250 […]

The 2017-18 Yale Supplemental Essay Prompts are Out!

Topic: Admissions, College Admissions, Essay Resources, Supplemental Essays  |  Posted on July 18th, 2017  |  Written by CEA HQ

You’ve been scouring the internet for weeks, maybe even months, trying to get a jump start on your Yale application to ensure your essays are imbued with that Ivy League-worthy je ne sais quois. Well, look no further. The supplements ready — but are you ready for them? (We think you are!) This year’s application […]

Our Home State Creates Tuition-Free Program

Topic: College Admissions, News  |  Posted on July 7th, 2017  |  Written by Kat Stubing

New York has passed a program to make all public schools and universities tuition-free for full-time students, and we could not be more proud as pavement-pounding, hot-dog-eating residents of Manhattan. Students who attend school full time and are on track to graduate between two and four years can take advantage of this new program. Many […]

The 3 Most Common College Essay Topics: Why CEA’s Founder Thinks You Should Write About Them Anyway

Topic: Essay Tips, Essay Writing, From The Founder, Tips  |  Posted on June 8th, 2017  |  Written by Kat Stubing

The whole point of writing a college essay is to differentiate yourself from other applicants and place yourself ahead of the pack. For this reason, many students shy away from writing about common college essay topics. CEA’s Founder and Chief Advisor, Stacey Brook, believes this doesn’t have to be the case. Stacey recently published an […]

How this Student Got Into All 8 Ivy Leagues

Topic: Admissions, College Admissions, Common Application, Inspiration, News, Productivity, Standout Students, Starting Early, Summer Preparation  |  Posted on June 5th, 2017  |  Written by Kat Stubing

  Yes, he’s done it. Martin Altenburg, a 17-year-old from Fargo, North Dakota has gained acceptance into every Ivy League plus a couple more schools for good measure. You might be asking yourself, “But don’t Ivy Leagues have some of the lowest acceptance rates in the country?” Yes, they do! But Altenburg figured out the […]

Nicki Minaj is Helping Fans Stay in School one Tweet at a Time

Topic: News, Uncategorized  |  Posted on May 15th, 2017  |  Written by Kat Stubing

Nicki Minaj brought music to her fan’s ears this weekend, but not necessarily in the way they expected. The world-renowned artist is known for encouraging her fans to get an education, whether that be in interviews or on stage. She even told Ellen’s beloved Sophia Grace and Rosie, a.k.a. the “I love pink!” girls to […]

Five Foolproof Tips for Conquering the Common Application Essay

Topic: Admissions, advice, College Admissions, Common Application, Essay Tips, Essay Writing, Quick Tips, Tips, Uncategorized  |  Posted on May 12th, 2017  |  Written by Nina Bailey

  The first time I successfully did a handstand in yoga class, it was unexpected and almost effortless. My legs kicked up, and then, as if being lifted by string, I was supporting my body with my arms. When we talk about strategies for tackling the college essay, I like to tell the story of […]

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