Five Clichéd College Essay Topics to Avoid This Application Season (and What to Write Instead)

 Five Clichéd College Essay Topics to Avoid This Application Season  (and What to Write Instead)

As you’re deciding what to write about, you might worry that your topic needs to be catchy, or that you’ll choose something that you should have avoided. Are there topics everyone should skip?

Spoiler—I don’t actually think any essay topic is totally off-limits, but there are topics that admissions officers see frequently. If you are considering writing about one of these topics, you have two choices. You could decide to write about something else, or you could find a unique angle and absolutely crush it.

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What are Institutional Priorities? How Do They Impact Admissions Decisions?

What are Institutional Priorities? How Do They Impact Admissions Decisions?

Institutional priorities is a buzzword in college admission, but may be something students and families haven’t heard before. Institutional priorities refers to the qualities each college seeks in their applicants as they build the next incoming class. They often change from one year to the next—and sometimes even during the course of the same admissions cycle—triggered by the applications the school has actually received. They can be incredibly nuanced goals prioritizing several demographic factors at once, and they can be both broad (like aiming to enroll more in-state students) or very specific (such as when the football team needs to recruit a new quarterback).

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15 Questions to Ask on a College Tour (That Aren’t in the Brochure)

 15 Questions to Ask on a College Tour (That Aren’t in the Brochure)

Visiting a college in person is our favorite way to get to know a campus. There’s truly no replacement for walking around the quad, talking to real college students and testing out the “vibe” of each community.

Before each college tour, do some research on the school, familiarizing yourself with the basics. This will help you brainstorm some questions to investigate during your tour — our [question guide][1] of over 110 questions can help you maximize your experience on campus. Once you arrive, ask questions that focus on personal perspectives or lesser known stats to help your student explore what a good fit means to them. Below are 15 suggested questions.

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How to Highlight a Summer Job on Your College Application -

How to Highlight a Summer Job on Your College Application -

College admissions counselors are impressed by students who spend their summers working. There are four places on the Common Application where students can highlight their employment experience. Your choice of where to feature a summer job will depend upon how significant the job is in showcasing your skills, interests and personal attributes compared with your other activities.

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Guest Blog: Helping Your Engineering Student Succeed in College

Guest Blog: Helping Your Engineering Student Succeed in College

Is your child entering (considering) engineering school? Are you, as a NON-ENGINEER worried about how you’re going to be able to properly help and support them? Here are three tips for non-engineering parents of engineering students to help support their child's journey into this unknown world.

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Holiday Gift Guide for Parents of Teens

Holiday Gift Guide for Parents of Teens

The College Spy's Holiday Gift Guide for Parents of Teens will help you choose holiday gifts that your college bound teen needs and wants. Our gift suggestions come from conversations with many students. We hope you find it helpful. Happy Holidays!

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Infographic: Senior Year Timeline

Infographic: Senior Year Timeline

Senior year of high school is a busy one for college bound students. This infographic breaks down the key events and deadlines so you can stay on top of the everything that must get done on the journey from high school senior to college freshman.

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Good News, Parents: Lessons to Ease the Transition to College Can be Taught!

Good News, Parents: Lessons to Ease the Transition to College Can be Taught!

High school students who not only understand why it’s important to be self-sufficient in college but also know how to become independent decision-makers set themselves up to thrive in their first year of college. In this guest blog, Andrea Malkin Brenner, PhD discusses three areas where high school students can begin to build the adulting competencies that collegiate life requires, and suggestions for parents who want to help with skill-building.

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A "B" In A Challenging Course May Be Better Than An "A" In An Easy Course

A "B" In A Challenging Course May Be Better Than An "A" In An Easy Course

College admissions officers are impressed not just by good grades, but by good grades in challenging courses. The key to choosing the right courses for college admissions purposes is to make sure you are challenging yourself in the classroom without an unmanageable amount of stress.

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Types of Federal Student Loans…Explained

Types of Federal Student Loans…Explained

College students who apply for financial aid are likely to receive an aid package that includes at least some federal student loans. There are three types of federal loans that could be listed on the financial aid award: Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans and Direct PLUS loans. It is important to understand the differences between these three types of loans in order to decide if you want to accept them.

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Strategies for Success in Navigating Test Optional Admissions

Strategies for Success in Navigating Test Optional Admissions

With more colleges allowing applicants to apply without test scores, it is difficult to decipher how test scores (or the lack thereof) will impact an applicant’s admissions chances. This is The College Spy’s guide to test optional admissions policies.

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Infographic: How to Research Colleges When You Can't Visit

Infographic:  How to Research Colleges When You Can't Visit

The best way to decide if a college is right for your student is to visit the campus, listen to the information session, take the tour and ask questions. Unfortunately, visiting colleges is not always an option. This infographic explains other ways to research colleges.

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Answer These 3 Questions BEFORE Starting Your College Search

Answer These 3 Questions BEFORE Starting Your College Search

College is likely the first experience in which students have the opportunity to choose their learning and living environment. Taking time for reflection in order to understand their preferences will lead to better choices and happier college students.

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HELPING YOUR CHILD TUNE OUT THE NOISE

HELPING YOUR CHILD TUNE OUT THE NOISE

As a college admissions consultant, I share my enthusiasm and genuine excitement about the college process with my students. Sometimes, I am greeted with an equal level of engagement and interest. Other times, I am met with disengaged students who are feeling stressed, frustrated or even angry. Why is this the case?

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Breaking Down the Common Application

Breaking Down the Common Application

The Common Application is a single application that students can use to apply to over 900 colleges and universities. This is The College Spy’s description of the sections of the Common Application and tips on how to effectively response to each one.

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Guest Blog: Why is my official SAT score lower than my practice test scores?

Guest Blog: Why is my official SAT score lower than my practice test scores?

You’ve taken countless SAT practice tests, and in the last few you’ve managed to hit - or even exceed - your goal score. Then on test day something goes wrong and your score doesn’t come close to matching how well you’ve done on your practice tests. This situation isn’t uncommon, but there are ways to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.

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5 Types of College Application Deadlines

5 Types of College Application Deadlines

Colleges utilize five types of application deadlines. As students plan for college, an understanding of how each type can affect their admissions chances as well as how a deadline at one college can limit the deadline choice at another college should be a key part of planning the admissions process.

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