Musings

In a previous post, we distilled the purpose of the college application into a single phrase: to prove the student will be successful in college and beyond.  Now, we’ll focus on how students can prove they’ll be successful. The only way to prove future success is through the students’ experiences to date. These experiences must … Continue reading The Five Traits Colleges Look for in Applicants

“What is the purpose of the college application?” My team at Prompt and I always ask students this critical question. Students who don’t know the answer will struggle to write compelling college applications. After all, how can writing be successful if the author doesn't know what the audience is looking for? Students tend to give … Continue reading The Purpose of the College Application

To write, or not to write. That is the question I’ve been pondering for the new, 250-word COVID-19 question the Common Application added to the Additional Information section for 2020. My short answer is: most students should write it. I’m an advocate for students using all available space to tell their story, including the Additional … Continue reading A Short Guide to the 2020 Common App COVID-19 Essay