How to Choose the Right CS/Tech Story for Your Essay
2603, 2026

How to Choose the Right CS/Tech Story for Your Essay

By Lan N. Supplemental essays are an opportunity to showcase your most meaningful experiences. Depending on the prompt, your focus might shift between personal growth, a favorite extracurricular, or an academic accomplishment. These days, many students are interested in computer science or tech programs. If that’s you, your resume likely already includes an internship, a club leadership role, or a technical personal project. The challenge is picking the best one

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A Quick College Admissions Timeline: Key Dates for UCs, Ivies, & More
0708, 2025

A Quick College Admissions Timeline: Key Dates for UCs, Ivies, & More

Applying to college can be stressful, but knowing the timeline makes everything easier. Whether you’re aiming for the University of California (UC) schools, Ivy League universities, or other top choices, staying on top of key dates is essential. This quick admissions timeline breaks down what to do—and when—to help you stay organized and ahead of the game. August 1, 2025 – Opening Day! The application season for students intending to start

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The Importance of the Activities List for Common App & UC App
1507, 2023

The Importance of the Activities List for Common App & UC App

by Jennifer L. Both the Common App and the University of California (UC) application request students to include a list of activities that they have participated in over the course of their high school years. How important is this activities list?  Very important!  This section of the application is another big opportunity for colleges to get to know more about you.  With carefully selected words and constructed phrases, you can

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0902, 2017

Common App Adds 2 More Essay Options

The Common App essay prompts for 2017-2018 have recently been revealed! Other than some revised wording on a few prompts, 2 new essay prompts were added to the list: Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more? Share an essay on

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2209, 2014

In 2015-16, Common App Might Not Require Members to Offer Writing Prompts

Describe your experience of using the Common Application for college applications in under 250 words or less. Time-consuming? Yes. Stressful? Certainly. Limited in college choices? Perhaps not. Last week, an announcement was made that for admissions in 2015-16, colleges who do not have an essay or recommendation requirement can join the Common Application. Originally, the Common Application’s mission statement required colleges to use holistic review to select applicants, which usually

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0209, 2014

Be Careful with Common App Writing Prompts

The Common Application for 2014-15 has been released for an entire month. For students who are working on the Common App, how can you be sure that you have filled in every required question? One area students may be especially concerned with are the application essays. On the Common App, there are 2 types of writing questions which students need to look out for. The first type of writing questions

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