Ivy Caliber Essays – How to Write College Application Essays

Learn how to write the best (and fewest!) possible essays for your college applications. Win at college admissions!

Created by: Alpha Academia - Sarah Ballard
College Admissions Coach

What Will I Learn?

• Organize their college applications and understand what essays they need to write.
• Brainstorm a list of potential college essay topics.
• Outline college essays to guide writing and minimize the number of essays needed.
• Understand how to write about past accomplishments, current activities, and future aspirations in a single story.
• Know the difference between personal statements, specialized prompt essays, and short answer responses.
• Edit and polish college essays so they are free from errors.
• Recycle an essay to work for multiple applications whenever possible.
• Overcome writer's block or a bad draft.

Requirements

• Identify the schools you're likely to apply to.
• Gather the essay and short answer prompts required by each school's application.
• Try to start the summer before your senior year in high school to give yourself enough time to work through the process and reflect.

Target audience

• High school students and their parents will benefit from this step-by-step approach to college essay writing.
• High school counselors can refresh their skills on how to help students craft their best possible college applications.
• English teachers and writing coaches can learn a new method to minimize the number of essays needed so students can focus on their best writing.