Blog - Julie Kim Consulting

8 Mistakes to Avoid when Writing UC Personal Insight Questions

The UC's are some of the most competitive schools in the nation to get accepted into. Just last year, they received a record number of applicants. How can you ensure that your child will stand out? Today, I’m going to be sharing with you (and your child) 8 mistakes to avoid when writing UC Personal Insight Questions. Mistake #1: Repeating your accomplishments over and over again Sure, it’s great to show colleges your best achievements. But to mention these accolades

How To Write The BEST Supplemental Essays

If you’re a senior just about to get started on college essays and applications...you might go through a series of panic attacks or a realization that sounds like “Oh my goodness...why are there SO MANY college essays to write?” So it’s natural that one of the most frequently asked questions from high school seniors is this: Are Supplemental Essays even important? And my answer to that is YES, they are! Supplemental Essays enable admission committees to Learn more about your extracurriculars in-depth AND

5 Proven Tips to Writing Your Best College Essays (video included!)

Happy Monday, everyone! College application season is HERE, and I’m on my laptop every day editing, proofreading, and finalizing my seniors’ college essays. Here is the current situation. (FYI: My desk is usually not this messy.) This year, something feels different. I love this mess. I love this creative process. I love how each and every student is writing something so unique, vulnerable, and powerful. I love how my seniors are editing drafts after drafts (literally, we go through 30+ revisions) to

How to Find Passion: Insider secrets to discovering what your child does best

Today, we are going to talk about Julia Child -- an American chef, author, and television personality who was famous for bringing French cuisine to the American public, both through her cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, as well as through her television programs. To be honest, I didn’t know much about Julia Child’s life and journey until I watched the movie, Julie and Julia. In the opening scene of the film, Julia dines at a fancy French restaurant.

The HIDDEN key to successful Ivy League college essays

Most parents and students tend to think that the students who get accepted into their dream colleges and Ivy League schools write essays that only demonstrate their accomplishments, academic endeavors, and lofty future goals. But, let's face it, that's what everyone will write about. However, there is a secret that my students, who have successfully been accepted into their dream colleges, have used in their essays. So what is this "hidden key"? It all comes down to vulnerability. It's about

10 Pitfalls to Avoid when Brainstorming College Essays: Advice from a Harvard graduate

As I have worked through many cycles of college applications, I have been able to identify a pattern of pitfalls and mistakes that my students often make during brainstorming sessions. One of the big mistakes I see is that some students don't even sit down to brainstorm at all, and simply try to finish their essays as soon as possible. This action could be detrimental. Listen, I understand how daunting the task of writing this essay is for high school

What should I write my college essays about?

When I was preparing to write my own college essays, I felt as if I had to squeeze my entire 4 years of high school into a single page Word document. I knew I had to write about something significant in my life. However, only two ideas came to mind: one, was immigrating to America when I was in 3rd grade; the other, was when my brother was incorrectly diagnosed with Glaucoma. Focusing on these two events, I sat down

6 Strategies to Create the Perfect College List

Two years ago, one of my seniors insisted that he wanted to apply to more than 12 schools. Because he entered my senior application program later than my other rising seniors, he had already created preliminary college list on his own. After reviewing his choices, I warned him that applying to 12 or more colleges would be a lot of work, especially because he wasn't even sure why each college or university would be a good fit for him. In

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