by Amy T. Are you a student who’s had to juggle a lot of responsibilities at home, such as caring for younger siblings, helping aging grandparents, or maybe having to plan and prepare meals due to your parents’ long work hours? Have you been raised in a single-parent household, requiring you to step up in specific ways to help support your family? If so, these experiences have most likely given
by Kathleen M. One of the most difficult questions that students have to answer in essays is the question that asks you to think about how you know what you know – or what you learned from an experience. It is easy to describe what you know or the experience itself – but much harder to explain how you are different now that you have that knowledge. So as with
by Kathleen M. If you were a college admissions officer and had the opportunity to read hundreds of personal narratives, what would you want to read? Sometimes it is fun to imagine yourself as the audience. So as you read the three introductions below, think about which essay you would like to read and why. Once you have read through, click on the Details tab to find out what I
by Michelle P. For students, the phrase ‘spring break’ usually heralds a time full of sunshine, adventure, and relaxation. It also gives you both the space and time to catch up on some reading and reflection. Perhaps you have a quiet moment or two during a long trip, or you would like to bring some reading while sitting by a refreshing breeze near a lake. For students who want to
by Lillie W. Sure, the temptation is tantalizing. The touted miracles of generative AI language programs such as ChatGPT or Google Bard might seem fantastically enticing: producing a credible piece of writing that involves barely a lick of your own work, what could be better – right? If you compulsively barked “Wrong!”, congratulations to you. For this notion in indeed wrong on so many levels — both obvious and not-so-obvious
by Michelle Pick up your pen and cross out those lines about a 1st place science award or winning a statewide music competition. While accomplishments and academic awards may have been hard-earned, they may not show the most attention-grabbing or important parts of your personality in the college application essays. So what are some stronger tips on how to stand out in college essays and show your unique self? 1.
by Sarah M. One of the most important ways to make your college application essays stand out is to convey your feelings and emotions. This is a bit of a new task for many students, because generally speaking, academic writing is NOT emotional. So, how should you include more of your own inner life within a college essay? You can’t simply insert something like “I felt sad,” or “that made
by Michelle Hey Essay Narwhals! Do you remember what you had for lunch three days ago? How about what you had for lunch one month ago? Do you remember the title of that one catchy song you heard one day ago? How about the title of the catchy song you and your dance team practiced to a year ago? You can’t remember? Even for the most type-A personality, Hydro
by Albert L. If there’s one thing that we can count on in our shifting society, it’s that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) will lead us into the future with lucrative careers solving the problems of tomorrow. Even as a writer and essay mentor for many years, I too sing in the praises of entering and focusing on such fields, especially if students have the talent and passion. However,
by Michelle A singer practices their scales, from one octave to the next. A baseball batter practices their swing. Baby birds practice flying from high branches, and young whales need to be shown how to hunt by their pod. Likewise, to get good at writing, Essay Narwhals should write. Perhaps it isn’t time for you to draft your college application essays yet, so you don’t see the point in
Dear Students and Parents, IvyBoost is happy to announce that Writing and Reading Workshop (8-10th grade) will be offered this school year! With writing being such a critical component in college, it’s imperative that students have a strong foundation that will aid them in their studies and eventually help them take the SATs. The good news is that students who have trouble with writing often know what’s in their heads in an
Are you a student who loves art, writing, or maybe both? You might just have a chance to win $5000 in The Atlantic & College Board Writing Prize. In addition to the $5000 prize, the winning essay is also published in The Atlantic. The deadline for the contest is on February 28; more information on essay requirements can be found on the College Board website. (Source: College Board)
