You Should Never Write This in Your College Essay

Can you write about volunteering in your college admissions essay? Well, you shouldn’t write about a community-service initiative just because you think it’s what admissions wants to hear. Some essays about volunteer efforts inevitably come off as inauthentic (because they often are).

Here is a short and sweet tip from Team CEA: make sure you NEVER write this in your college essay. Keep watching to discover the ultimate college essay don't!

Before you decide on your final college application essay topic, check to make sure you haven't made any of these common mistakes.

As you zone in on the topic you want to write about in your college application essays, mine for the details that will bring your story to life. Approach this phase of writing the personal statement as an interview: what kinds of questions would other people ask? How would you answer them?

Applicants often choose to write about cliché subjects because they THINK the resulting essays present the kinds stories admissions officers want to read. To the contrary, jumping on an essay cliché bandwagon can make it nearly impossible for an admissions officer to distinguish you from your closest competition. In this video, CEA's Founder and Chief Advisor presents The Cliché Quiz.

If you find yourself hyperventilating over your Common Application personal statement or simply want to recharge before diving into your fourth Why essay, give the exercises in this video a try. You might be pleasantly surprised at the power a posture, a few words, or some silence can have on your mentality.

In this video, we will walk you through the top 10 DOs of the college admissions essay writing process, a series of tips that will help you write a personal statement that truly makes an impact on admissions officers and helps you gain acceptance to top schools across the country. Learn what you must include in your essay for it to have a powerful impact, surefire ways to get closer to college essay success, and so much more!

How do you leave an admissions officer with a lasting impression? What makes a college essay truly memorable? Our Top 10 Dos and Don'ts for College Essay Closing Lines will show you how to effectively wrap up your essay and leave admissions with a sense of who you are that they won't easily forget.

The admissions essay is a crucial part of your college application because it is the only chance you have to communicate with admissions officers in your own voice. You need to take advantage of every word at your disposal and send the message that you’re the kind of student that colleges should want on their campus. Over our thirteen years of coaching students through the college essay process, we have identified the most common mistakes students make when writing their college essay. Don’t do these things!

Can you write about volunteering in your college admissions essay? Well, you shouldn’t write about a community-service initiative just because you think it’s what admissions wants to hear. Some essays about volunteer efforts inevitably come off as inauthentic (because they often are).

Here is a short and sweet tip from Team CEA: make sure you NEVER write this in your college essay. Keep watching to discover the ultimate college essay don't!

Before you decide on your final college application essay topic, check to make sure you haven't made any of these common mistakes.

As you zone in on the topic you want to write about in your college application essays, mine for the details that will bring your story to life. Approach this phase of writing the personal statement as an interview: what kinds of questions would other people ask? How would you answer them?