Download the Workbook

Where students complete all their brainstorming exercises, write outlines and draft their essay.

Counselor Resources

Guides for walking students through the Tool as well as answers to the most common problems faced by college counselors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the most common questions students ask and the complete table of contents for the Tool.

What are some good brainstorming exercises?

• Narrative (Challenges-Based) here

• Montage (Not Challenges-Based) here

• Still need more? here

How do I decide on a topic? / Are there things to be wary of with topics?

• Narrative here

• Montage here

What if a topic is kind of cliche?

College Essay Guy's Quick Guide to Cliche Topics

Do I need to outline?

• Yes. here

How do I outline my essay?

• Narrative starts here

• Montage:

  • I Love/I Know

  • Essence Objects/Stuff in My Room

  • Skill/Superpower

  • Career

  • Identity

  • Home

  • Extracurricular Activity

How does my outline turn into a draft?

• Narrative → here

• Montage → here

Narrative:

• How do I build a stronger beginning for my Narrative? → here

• What if my challenges aren't all that compelling? → here

• How do I better communicate what I did about my challenges? → here

• How do I improve the "What I Learned" part of my narrative / make it more insightful? → here

Montage:

• How do I build a stronger beginning for my Montage? → here

• What if my topic/thematic thread is unclear? → here

• What if my examples aren't that strong? → here

• How do I strengthen the values part of my montage paragraphs? → here

• How do I build better insights in my montage? → here

Both:

• How can I make X in my essay better?

  • Transitions → here

  • Ending → here

How do I Polish / Improve Grammar? → here

How do I make sure the essay is doing its job? And what is its job, anyway?

• Take The Great College Essay Test → here

• Polishing and Grammar → here

Where can I find great example essays? → here

Where can I find resources for other parts of the college application process? → here

For a few more thoughts on giving feedback in person, click here.