University of California
Ethan Sawyer
How to Write the UC Essay Prompts 2024/2025 (+ ...

This guide covers how to write the UC essay prompts (or PIQs) with exercises and essay examples to help you along the way.

Common App, Student Resources
Ethan Sawyer
How to Write a Successful Common App Activities ...

Write an impressive college activities list for your common app using this step-by-step guide and awesome activities list for college applications example, with notes on how to select the right verbs and to decide how many hours per week to list. 

How to Write a Successful Common App Activities List
Personal Statement
Ethan Sawyer
27 Outstanding College Essay Examples From Top ...

Use these outstanding college essay examples to learn how to write your personal statement and supplemental essays for the college application.

Supplemental Essays
Ethan Sawyer
Why This College Essay Guide + Examples

Stand out on your Why This College essay. Read our Why This College essay examples and follow our clear guidelines to make sure you avoid potential pitfalls, include essential details in your Why This School essay, and use our tried-and-true research tools.

Student Resources
Andrew Simpson
How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation for ...

Learn how to ask for a letter of recommendation for college with my comprehensive step-by-step guide and real-world examples

"Lateral moves" in the college essay/application revision process

"Lateral moves" in the college essay/application revision process

Because a lot of students (and parents) misunderstand how AOs read essays, they can waste time making “lateral moves” in revisions—this guide explains what they are and how to avoid them.

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Navigating College Applications with AI: What Colleges Say + CEG's Advice to Students and Counselors

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Navigating College Applications with AI: What Colleges Say + CEG's Advice to Students and Counselors

Many students, counselors, and even college admissions officers have asked us about things like whether and how students can use AI ethically. Here are our thoughts.

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How (and whether) you should write about a student’s identity or lived experience (including race) in a recommendation letter (with examples)

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How (and whether) you should write about a student’s identity or lived experience (including race) in a recommendation letter (with examples)

With recent political and judicial events, many counselors are unsure whether or how to write about things like identity or race in a rec letter—so we built this guide to help clarify.

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Can You Use Contractions in College Essays?

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Can You Use Contractions in College Essays?

We get this question a lot—so we’ve built a clear, simple guide to help you understand this and other “rules” of college essay writing.

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5 Ways Students Can Practice Self-Care in the College Admission Process

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5 Ways Students Can Practice Self-Care in the College Admission Process

Applying to college can be pretty stressful—we’ll walk you through ways to practice self-care in the admissions process.

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The Ultimate Guide to the International Baccalaureate Program: What Students Must Know

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The Ultimate Guide to the International Baccalaureate Program: What Students Must Know

Many students are either unfamiliar with the IB program, or aren’t sure how to assess whether its right for them—this guide will answer all your questions.

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Guide to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

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Guide to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

If you’re a creative student wondering whether your art can help you pay for college, this guide walks you through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

UC App Deadline

UC App Deadline

A detailed breakdown of the UC app deadlines, so you don’t miss anything important, plus guidance on building your UC application.


How to choose which college to attend: Key factors to consider

How to choose which college to attend: Key factors to consider

If you’re stuck trying to figure out which college to attend, this guide walks you through how to work through your choices.

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The Elks Scholarship Guide

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The Elks Scholarship Guide

Since paying for college is one of the most common student worries, we built this guide to the Elks Scholarship—covering what it is and how to apply—to help ease the burden.