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,

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

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.

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