# Don't Sweat The Essay > College Essay Coach, Admissions Strategist, Fast Turnaround Essay Editor > Generated by All in One SEO Pro v5.0.3, this is an llms-full.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. ## Posts ### [The News Room](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/the-news-room/) **Published:** May 4, 2026 **Author:** Hirsch Fishman --- ### [Common App Essay Prompts 2026-27 -- A Love Story](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/18/common-app-essay-prompts-2026-27-love-story/) **Published:** April 18, 2022 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** **Looking for college app essay help? I’ve got a confession to make: I love the** **Common App Essay prompts.** **As a coach for 18 years, I’ve seen the prompts evolve. Nine years ago they changed dramatically. Every year, the list is studied and analyzed by colleges and the Common App Organization. Fortunately, the consensus is last year’s list of prompts work well. They make it (relatively) easy for students produce a personal statement that conveys valuable information about who they are.** **There are 7 Common App essay prompts. Applicants need to CHOOSE ONE and write an essay that’s 250 to 650 words. As intimating as this feels before you do it, once you start writing, you might feel you won’t have enough room! But it’s better to write long than not write enough.** **Many students are drawn to #7: Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.** **While #7 looks great at first glance — Hey, I can do anything I want! — that has a downside.** **With #7, you have no guiding structure. That idea is great if you want to write a short story, a poem, or a piece of experimental prose. No rules, no outlines, nothing that’s required. But the absence of guidance can often lead to freezing up, shutting down, not knowing where to start. Too many choices.** **The other — with the except of #1 — offer real structure and intention. Those can be helpful in choosing a topic, knowing where to start, and what to say next.** **Look for Outlines in the Common App Essay Prompts 2026-27** **Most prompts are made up of three sections that you should focus on; think of it as a 3-act play. In the list below, I have underlined each section. Prompts #4 and #5 are more before and after stories.** 1. **Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.** 2. **The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?** 3. **Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?** 4. **Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you? (BEFORE AND AFTER STORY)** 5. **Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. (BEFORE AND AFTER STORY)** 6. **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?** 7. **Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.** **What’s a college looking for in sticking with these prompts for so many years?** **They want to see that you can write well, organize your thoughts, and reflect on your experience. The college essay prompts are designed to elicit a spark of personality, your intellectual curiosity, and your desire to be part of an academic community.** **Most colleges require additional essays known as supplements that vary enormously from school to school. You might write about your academic interests, subjects you want to study and/or why you want to attend that college. Supplements can range in length from 35 characters to 650 words. [The University of Chicago essays](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/07/14/the-best-university-of-chicago-application-essays-prompts-2021-22/) are famously quirky. Students can even submit their own ideas or use a prompt from years before.** **To find out how I can help you with your college essay prompts, [Please click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/).** To learn more about my values as a college admissions essay coach, [click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/a-college-app-essay-tutor-confesses/). If you’re interested, I can help with [college selection](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/resources/how-to-choose-colleges/). **Please shoot me an email or call me (Eastern time!) to learn more about the Common App essay prompts 2022 and strategies for your applications.** **<Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> 1-855-99-ESSAY** **And thanks for stopping by.** ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-content/uploads/images-2.png) ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/18/common-app-essay-prompts-2026-27-love-story/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/18/common-app-essay-prompts-2026-27-love-story/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/18/common-app-essay-prompts-2026-27-love-story/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Common%20App%20Essay%20Prompts%202026-27%20--%20A%20Love%20Story&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2022%2F04%2F18%2Fcommon-app-essay-prompts-2026-27-love-story%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/18/common-app-essay-prompts-2026-27-love-story/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/18/common-app-essay-prompts-2026-27-love-story/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/18/common-app-essay-prompts-2026-27-love-story/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** best college essay prompts, Common App Essay Prompt **Tags:** 2022-23 college admissions, 2022-23 Common App Essay, college application essay coach, college essay coach, college essay consultant, Common App essay prompts 2026-27, Common Application Essay 2022-23 --- ### [Brown's AI Cheating Scandal](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/07/08/browns-ai-cheating-scandal/) **Published:** July 8, 2026 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** #### “The only thing I can’t resist is temptation,” said Oscar Wilde once. So it is with AI. Its effects on academic life are only becoming clearer. This sad news from [Brown University](https:///www.brown.edu), the dream of many students I work with, is disheartening. But is it shocking? Well, yes. That too. BTW: The Brown professor bringing the story to light is blind–has been blind since he was 17 years old. –Liz #### The Ivy League Cheating Scandal No One Wants to Talk About #### From [Chronicle of Higher Education](https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-ivy-league-cheating-scandal-no-one-wants-to-talk-about) #### “Roberto Serrano believes half his class used AI to cheat. He says administrators at Brown don’t seem to care.” By [Evan Goldstein](https://www.chronicle.com/author/evan-r-goldstein) July 6, 2026 Roberto Serrano has been teaching economics at Brown University for 34 years. The past year was the hardest — both tragic and dismaying. In December, a man walked into a classroom and opened fire, killing and injuring 11 students. Two of the victims were Serrano’s students. In March, he gave the midterm exam in his ECON 1170 course, and the grade distribution strongly suggested that many students had cheated by having AI solve the problems. The final exam, administered in May, erased any doubt. A massive cheating scandal is bad enough. The anemic response of Brown administrators, Serrano feels, made matters worse. After weeks of frustration at the inaction of the university, Serrano went public in late June in the Spanish newspaper *El País*. He’s since received hundreds of emails — most encouraging, many in solidarity, one declaring him the “king of idiots” for giving a take-home exam in 2026. I spoke with Serrano, a renowned game theorist, about that decision, whether colleges are too lenient about enforcing academic integrity, and going blind at the age of 17. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity. **Evan Goldstein:** You have for many years taught an advanced undergraduate course in mathematical economics. This year, for the first time, you decided to offer the midterm and final as take-home exams. Here was the grade distribution for the midterm: Among the 86 students in the class, the average score was 96. Forty students — nearly half — earned a perfect 100. What was your initial reaction? **Roberto Serrano:** I immediately knew that something was fishy. In previous editions of the course, the average grade in the midterm ranged from 65 to 80. Historically this course has attracted very strong students, and the enrollment was never too high — up to 31 and as low as eight. So my first surprise was that there were so many students registered. I assume that was because they looked at the syllabus and saw that the two exams were going to be take home, which I had never done in the course. **Goldstein:** When you and your graders look more closely at the exams, you also detected evidence of AI use. **Serrano:** I asked my assistants to run the exam through ChatGPT, and ChatGPT did a decent job solving the exam. However, some of its answers were really odd. For example, there was one question in which the student was asked to prove something, and if you understand the material and know what you’re doing, it’s a direct argument. ChatGPT, for some reason, constructed this very convoluted argument that eventually took it to the right conclusion but in an odd way. Lo and behold, that convoluted argument appeared in quite a few of the exams. So I told the class — imagine how uncomfortable this was — about my strong suspicion that there had been massive cheating in the midterm. I said, “I’m not going to declare it void for now. I’m going to give the class a chance to prove me wrong. If the distribution of grades in the final exam looks roughly similar to the distribution of grades on the midterm, then I’ll count the midterm. If not, I will declare the midterm null and void. Also, the final will be in person.” **Goldstein:** You administered the final in mid-May. The average score dropped from 96 to 48. Whereas 86 students took the midterm, only 59 even showed up for the final. Of the students who did not show up, 22 had scored 100 on the midterm. **Serrano:** Between the midterm in March and the final in May, there was a consistent flow of students dropping the class — many of them had scored 100 on the midterm. Of the 59 students that took the final, 19 of them failed, so they also failed the course. Quite a few showed up, signed the exam, and turned it in blank. The average grade for this final was by far the lowest in the history of this course. **Goldstein:** Whatever scintilla of doubt you had been willing to entertain after the midterm was gone when you saw the results of the final. **Serrano:** I had a hypothesis that was tested with the final. The result speaks for itself. **Goldstein:** I’ve seen this incident characterized as the largest cheating scandal in Ivy League history. **Serrano:** I have heard that, but I don’t have the information to know if that’s the case. I have been teaching at Brown for 34 years, and I have unfortunately had to deal with cheating incidents. I’ve also heard of cheating incidents that have affected my colleagues. None of them are on the scale of this one. **Goldstein:** So at least in your experience, this is unprecedented? **Serrano:** Nothing comes close. With AI, the cost of cheating has become zero. It’s very easy for students to succumb to the temptation. I presume many of the cheaters were shocked when they learned the results because many of them assumed that not everybody’s going to be doing this. So when it was revealed that 40 of them had scored 100 on the midterm, they may have thought: Oh my God, I’ve been caught. > We cannot afford to have a society where a significant fraction of our brightest young minds are of the opinion that it’s perfectly OK to cheat. **Goldstein:** Let’s talk about the reason you decided for the first time to make the midterm — and initially the final — into a take-home exam. As many *Chronicle* readers will remember, Brown was the scene of a horrific shooting in December. Two people died; nine more were injured. Two of those injured were students of yours. One of the students who was killed, Ella Cook, had sought you out a few days prior to the shooting to see if you would be her adviser. **Serrano:** The shooting happened on a Saturday, and my wife and I started to see a lot of police cars and ambulances heading towards the East Side, the part of Providence where Brown is located. Immediately we started to get messages about an active shooter on campus. Later I found out that the room where the shooting took place was the scene of a review session for the final exam of the “Principles of Economics” course, which is taught by a colleague whose office is right by mine. I kept thinking of her. What really shook me to the core was the news on Monday when the names of the two mortal victims were released. I saw Ella Cook. I had had a wonderful conversation with her in my office. I was so impressed with her maturity, with her energy. That’s the only conversation I had with her. **Goldstein:** I appreciate you sharing all of that. In the wake of the shooting, there is a general sense of the grief and disorientation felt by you and your students. Some of them are afraid to physically come to class. So you figure a take-home exam would be less stressful and more appropriate to the circumstances? **Serrano:** That’s exactly right. Some of the students were still terrified of classroom settings. **Goldstein:** You had notified the dean of your decision to switch the take-home final to an in-person one based on the alarming midterm grades. He greenlit that move. So the dean knows about your suspicions. Who else did you tell and how did they react? **Serrano:** When I informed the class what had happened with the midterm, I also put it in writing, and I sent that to the dean and the provost to keep them informed. I got no reaction whatsoever. After the final-exam results were in, I sent another message to the class making it official that I was declaring the midterm null and void. I also submitted the case to the Committee on the Academic Code. I copied the provost and the dean. I got no reaction from the provost — I continue to be completely ignored. The dean wrote back to say this is a wake-up call. He also said that I would need to submit for each individual student a separate memo. I said I’m not going to do that because it’s a huge amount of work. That is absolutely insane. In the preface of my memo to the Committee on the Academic Code, I said that I’m sending the case to them but they’re accustomed to dealing with individual cases or cases involving two or three students. I estimate about 50 students cheated in my class. So we need decisions from the top about how to deal with this. The committee never acknowledged that it received my case. **Goldstein:** It’s two months later now. Have you heard anything? **Serrano:** No. But I did hear yesterday from my department chair after the *El País* article was published. They want the names of the students involved. I told him what I told the dean: That’s a crazy amount of work. And frankly, it sounds to me like a stalling tactic. But what I said I can do is send a spreadsheet with the names of each student and their Brown ID, and two more columns, one with the midterm exam and one with the final exam. It speaks for itself. So it seems like something is going to happen. But I think it’s very odd the committee never acknowledged receipt of my submission. I am still very frustrated, because this is such an important fight and the faculty should not be left alone to fight it. We need the support of university administrations. When an incident of this magnitude happens, we cannot afford to remain silent, even if it’s unclear what to do. Yes, this is a new horizon here. Fine. Let’s have a conversation about the right uses of AI, how it should and should not be used as part of our learning mission. But when academic integrity is violated, we must all come out and defend it strongly. **Goldstein:** I’m hearing two main things driving your frustration. One is that the procedures in place to handle academic misconduct are inadequate to the world of AI we now inhabit, and the university has been too sluggish to acknowledge and rectify that. Second, which is related, is that Brown administrators have not treated the incident with the gravity you feel it deserves. **Serrano:** I would think the administration would have done at least two things. One, to offer moral support to the instructor to let me know that I’m not alone here. Second, to send a message to the entire class that made clear that they’re going to start an investigation. If you do nothing, which is what happened, then we are sending the wrong message to students. As a game theorist, I’m interested in changing the behavior of people, in improving the behavior of people. You’re not going to improve behavior unless you put in place the right incentives. When somebody cheats, that should have consequences. \[Asked for comment, a Brown spokesman said the university “treats every allegation of academic integrity with the utmost seriousness” and that “multiple academic leaders” have been in touch with Serrano. To date, the spokesman says, Serrano “has not provided the necessary details to the Standing Committee on the Academic Code to pursue this path toward resolution.”\] **Goldstein:** As a game theorist, what do you think is driving the seemingly meek response of campus leaders? **Serrano:** There’s a complex answer to that, and it’s not just about Brown. There’s a lot of money involved with donors and powerful families, and many of those families have students attending the university. Some might think, Let’s not talk about this because it’s going to be bad for the Brown name. Better to turn the page. That’s a very naïve and incorrect analysis. It’s important to come out in strong defense of academic integrity. We cannot afford to have a society where a significant fraction of our brightest young minds are of the opinion that it’s perfectly OK to cheat. I told the class after the midterm that if all you did in this exam is press a button so that an AI agent solved it for you, why are you here? Why are you a student at a university if you refuse to learn, refuse to do the hard work that is necessary? I don’t know if you saw, but there was an[ op-ed](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/opinion/chatgpt-ai-college-school-graduation.html?eafs_enabled=false) in *The New York Times* by a Stanford graduate. **Goldstein:** [Theo Baker](https://www.chronicle.com/article/theo-baker-is-a-f-king-menace). **Serrano:** Right. He described a generalized culture of cheating. Students aren’t interested in learning so much as meeting powerful people and obtaining that Stanford label. They are essentially choosing to become idiots. Also, the value of that label will go down if these universities produce mediocre graduates that refuse to work. The market will notice and react. Look, I’m an optimist in many ways. Perhaps related to my blindness, I think it’s important to always be optimistic. If you look at previous technological revolutions, they always create in the short run a period of chaos. Society needs time to adjust. The problem with AI is that it has come so quickly and so strongly, like a tsunami. It caught us unprepared. Now we need to get better prepared. **Goldstein:** You mentioned the possible financial incentives at play among administrators, and the general disorientation as we all adjust to AI and its evolving capabilities. I want to suggest one more possible culprit, a prevalent mindset on campuses. Here’s a quote that Love Wallace, who is the associate dean of the college for the academic code — the person who chairs the committee you submitted your cheating case to — gave to the[ *Brown Daily Herald*](https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2026/04/after-ai-cheating-concerns-economics-professors-see-in-person-exams-as-a-path-forward)*: “*Students who violate the academic code are almost never doing it from a malicious place. Generally speaking it’s a split-second decision that comes from a place of trying to handle immense external or internal pressure.” **Serrano:** That statement from Love Wallace caused a huge amount of anger in my department, so much so that colleagues put pressure on the chair to raise a complaint to the dean and ask for a retraction or some other action. Her words convey absolutely the wrong message to students. In terms of my exam, you cannot tell me the cheating was a split-second decision. This was an exam with unlimited time, and this was an exam in which many of the cheaters cheated all the way to get a grade of 100. That is not a split-second decision. It is a deliberate attempt to cheat by many, many, many students. So that statement from Ms. Wallace doesn’t hold water. **Goldstein:** You went blind at the age of 17 as you were transitioning from high school to college. Your father played an important role in helping you adapt. Every afternoon after class your father would help to decipher your hard-to-read notes because you were scribbling with failing eyesight, and then you translated those notes into Braille, which you had just started learning. Incidentally, years later, the university you attended in Madrid awarded your father an honorary degree in recognition of his contribution to your formation as an academic. You attend graduate school at Harvard, but your father does not go with you. You tape lectures so you can listen to them later. You take notes in Braille. Friends organized to record themselves reading academic papers so that you could listen and learn. **Serrano:** It was amazing. When we all arrived, I don’t think my classmates knew initially that there was a blind student in the class. They organized volunteers, and every week two of them would record the relevant paper for the week. **Goldstein:** Here’s some armchair psychologizing: Your education was an exercise in extraordinary perseverance. It was hard for you in ways that few of us can fully appreciate. This would quite naturally cement in your mind an ironclad connection between effort and learning — a staunch belief that the latter depends entirely on the former. Few, if any, of your students face hurdles akin to the ones you’ve overcome. Yet an astonishing number of them apparently opted to take a shortcut. I imagine that’s particularly galling to you. **Serrano:** Yes, perhaps. A culture of effort and hard work should be inherent to learning. I worry many of our students now have the wrong idea, believing that the answer to any question can be obtained with a couple of clicks of the mouse. I tell them that years from now, their grades won’t matter. What will matter is how much they learned and how much stayed in their brain. As for me, I try to de-dramatize my blindness. There are people in the world with problems much more serious than mine. As an economist, I tend to understand the world as people solving constrained-optimization problems. My blindness is just one more constraint. ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/07/08/browns-ai-cheating-scandal/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/07/08/browns-ai-cheating-scandal/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/07/08/browns-ai-cheating-scandal/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Brown%27s%20AI%20Cheating%20Scandal&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2026%2F07%2F08%2Fbrowns-ai-cheating-scandal%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/07/08/browns-ai-cheating-scandal/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/07/08/browns-ai-cheating-scandal/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/07/08/browns-ai-cheating-scandal/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Brown AI Cheating **Tags:** Brown Ai Cheating --- ### [Harvard Supplemental Essays 2026-27](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/07/03/harvard-supplemental-essays-2026-27/) **Published:** July 3, 2026 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** They’re here: the 2026-27 [Harvard supplemental essays](https://college.harvard.edu/guides/application-tips). And they look a lot like last year’s. All are required, and you’ve got 150 words to make your case, beyond your Common App essay. Make every word count, use details unique to your life, and refrain from using Claude and the other robots when your own brain is much more interesting and appropriate. Please! 1. Harvard has long recognized the importance of enrolling a student body with a diversity of perspectives and experiences. How will the life experiences that shaped who you are today enable you to contribute to Harvard? 2. Describe a time when you strongly disagreed with someone about an idea or issue. How did you communicate or engage with this person? What did you learn from this experience? 3. Briefly describe any of your extracurricular activities, employment experience, travel, or family responsibilities that have shaped who you are. 4. How do you hope to use your Harvard education in the future? 5. Top 3 things your roommates might like to know about you. I have worked with many applicants to Harvard and many students who get in because they have outstanding records and, in some cases, they have “hooks”– they are super legacies or parents who teach there. I have also worked with outstanding students who did not get in but who got into other top universities. These [are comments](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/) from families I’ve worked with on these and other essays and applications. I’m celebrating July 4th weekend by working with students on their applications and essays. Drop me a line. ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/07/03/harvard-supplemental-essays-2026-27/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/07/03/harvard-supplemental-essays-2026-27/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/07/03/harvard-supplemental-essays-2026-27/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Harvard%20Supplemental%20Essays%202026-27&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2026%2F07%2F03%2Fharvard-supplemental-essays-2026-27%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/07/03/harvard-supplemental-essays-2026-27/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/07/03/harvard-supplemental-essays-2026-27/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/07/03/harvard-supplemental-essays-2026-27/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Uncategorized --- ### [Yale Supplemental Essays 2026-27](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/20/yale-supplemental-essays-2026-27/) **Published:** June 20, 2026 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** Yale supplemental essays are out for 2026-27–and there are only minor changes from last year. There’s less to write and worry about. Best of all, they’ve gotten rid of the WHY YALE? essay, which students usually struggle to answer, because why not Yale? You can read the prompts on [their website](https://admissions.yale.edu/essay-topics), or right here: 1. Students at Yale have time to explore their academic interests before committing to one or more major fields of study. Many students either modify their original academic direction or change their minds entirely. As of this moment, what academic areas seem to fit your interests or goals most comfortably? Please indicate up to three from the list provided **Tell us about a topic or idea that excites you and is related to one or more academic areas you selected above. Why are you drawn to it? (200 words or fewer)** 2. Respond to one of the following prompts in 400 words or fewer. - Reflect on a time you discussed an issue important to you with someone holding an opposing view. Why did you find the experience meaningful? - Reflect on your membership in a community to which you feel connected. Why is this community meaningful to you? You may define community however you like. - Reflect on an element of your personal experience that you feel will enrich your college. How has it shaped you? 3. SHORT TAKES: 200 characters (approximately 35 words): - If you could teach any college course, write a book, or create an original piece of art of any kind, what would it be? - What is one aspect of yourself that you hope to grow or develop during college? - What is something about you that is not included anywhere else in your application? Many students wonder if admissions officers really read the essays. YES, they do, and the more selective the college, the more carefully they read them. But they read them fast. They’re trained to pick up what they want to know in flash. If Yale is on your list, and you’re wondering how to approach the essays, how to present yourself, your interests, experiences and ambitions, please get in touch. Most of the students I work with are aiming for the most selective colleges and universities. You can read about their experiences [here.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/) Drop me a line or fill out a contact form and I’ll be in touch. ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com. ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/20/yale-supplemental-essays-2026-27/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/20/yale-supplemental-essays-2026-27/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/20/yale-supplemental-essays-2026-27/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Yale%20Supplemental%20Essays%202026-27&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2026%2F06%2F20%2Fyale-supplemental-essays-2026-27%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/20/yale-supplemental-essays-2026-27/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/20/yale-supplemental-essays-2026-27/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/20/yale-supplemental-essays-2026-27/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Yale supplemental essays 2026-27 **Tags:** Yale supplemental essays 2026-27 --- ### [Merit Aid Could Be Worth $100,000](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/01/24/merit-aid-for-college-applicants/) **Published:** January 24, 2021 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** #### Merit aid may be the answer for you. Today’s *New York Times* has a [fascinating article](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/23/business/financial-aid-college-merit-aid.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage) about merit aid for college applicants. All but the most selective colleges entice students to attend with financial help based on grades, NOT family income. Need-based aid is determined by income and assets. Merit aid is different. #### **As we know, paying for college is one of the most daunting issues for the majority of families. With tuition plus room and board often approaching $75,000 A YEAR for many private colleges, today’s families face bewildering choices.** #### Unfortunately, Ivy League and other highly selective colleges and universities (ie University of Chicago, MIT, Tufts) offer only need-based financial aid. To learn more, check each college’s **NET PRICE CALCULATOR (Google name of college + “net price calculator”) for a sense of the aid that might be available to you. These colleges are in such demand, they don’t need to offer “merit aid.”** #### **By contrast, state universities and less selective colleges are now offering it. Today’s NYT article is an overview of the subject, not a step-by-step guide.** ### **Start Early for Merit Aid** #### **Take note: The key is getting students on board early in high school. Explain that good grades can mean financial rewards when they apply to college. The article is a great starting point. Here are a few paragraphs that get to the heart of the issue, with a link to the rest:** #### “It started innocently enough, with private colleges seeking a bit more prestige a few decades ago. They hoped extra money for high-achieving students might attract others who wouldn’t need inducements. #### “Instead, a full-on arms race broke out, slowly, and then seemingly all at once. If one school started offering a discount, similar colleges vying for the same kids had to do the same. #### “A few savvy families began to realize that they could [ask for a better deal](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/25/your-money/college-financial-aid-coronavirus.html) — and reject offers from schools that would not play along. And so on, up the food chain, until tonier brands like [Oberlin](https://www.oberlin.edu/financial-aid/basics/scholarships-offered) and [Connecticut College](https://www.conncoll.edu/admission/scholarships-and-grants/) had to hold their noses and enter the game too. #### “Students with straight-A averages were surprised to find themselves the subject of occasional outright bidding wars.” **[READ THE REST](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/23/business/financial-aid-college-merit-aid.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage)** #### Finally, the phenomenon of widespread merit aid for college applicants is relatively new and unpredictable. Please keep it in mind as you apply if you do not qualify for need-based financial aid. #### If you have questions about your college application essays or any aspect of applying to college, including what has changed [since COVID](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/08/college-admissions-2022-23-rethinking-strategies-since-covid/), please shoot me an email or pick up the phone. <Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> 1-855-99-ESSAY. #### Thanks for stopping by. ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-content/uploads/download-18.jpg) ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/01/24/merit-aid-for-college-applicants/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/01/24/merit-aid-for-college-applicants/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/01/24/merit-aid-for-college-applicants/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Merit%20Aid%20Could%20Be%20Worth%20%24100%2C000&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2021%2F01%2F24%2Fmerit-aid-for-college-applicants%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/01/24/merit-aid-for-college-applicants/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/01/24/merit-aid-for-college-applicants/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/01/24/merit-aid-for-college-applicants/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Brown admissions, College Application Essay, merit aid college applicants **Tags:** college admissions, college advisor, college essay coach, college essay consultant, college essay prompts, college personal statement, college prep, essay tutor, merit aid, merit aid for college applicants --- ### [How to Choose Colleges: 2 Great Resources](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/02/15/how-to-choose-colleges-2-great-resources/) **Published:** February 15, 2021 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** ### How to choose colleges can feel like a mystery, yet creating your list has never been more important. With acceptance rates plunging and tuition soaring, students need information and resources to do it well. ### The nation’s selective colleges accept as many students this year as they did 20 years ago, even as 10 times more students are applying. Since colleges are not expanding their populations, students need to expand their horizons. ### Look for state schools with programs that have your name and your interests on them. Hunt for [hidden gems](https://ctcl.org) that will give you a fabulous education — and maybe a lot of merit aid. ### We are a land of colleges and universities – about 4000 of them. They are institutions as **varied and complex as our fifty states – times eight.** ### **There are Ivy League universities; undergraduate schools of engineering, computer science, journalism, and business; music and acting conservatories; and community colleges. There are small women’s liberal arts colleges, small and medium-size liberal arts colleges, a network of [HBCUs](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/15/hbcu-applications-growing/) (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), and huge state universities with major sports stadiums and [football coaches ](https://espnlafayette.com/10-highest-paid-college-football-coaches-in-2021/)whose salaries are much higher than those of university presidents. Hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world apply to US colleges because of this huge variety of resources.** ### **Tens of thousands focus on the top 10, 20 and 30 colleges. These often include Ivies, [Northwestern](https://northwestern.edu), Tufts, and the most selective state universities. Those are the [University of Michigan](https://umich.edu), University of Texas, and the vast University of California system. But even as application numbers soar, the real estate at these places stays the same. They accept as many students this year as they did 20 years ago.** ## How to Choose Colleges 2022-23 #### People choose their colleges based on interests, geography, weather, and family resources. #### Google matters. If you want to major in Computer Science, google will spit out top CS undergraduate programs. Don’t apply only to the top 10! Dig deeper than that! #### You can find just about everything you need by searching: “top X programs,” and the rankings go far beyond the top ten. But there’s much more information that’s important to this process. #### For example, Google will tell you just about anything, but if you’re looking for business schools, I love the site [Poets and Quants](https://poetsandquants.com/), which focuses on MBAs but has an info-packed [undergrad website right here](https://poetsandquantsforundergrads.com/?__hstc=106186652.d272dd143cd6d5407230132462870750.1655379426234.1655379426234.1655379426234.1&__hssc=106186652.3.1655379426238&__hsfp=1490454355). **Once you have a few ideas, these are two great resources to help you choose colleges to apply to. One is free, and the other is about $20.** #### #### #### **[College Niche](https://niche.com)** is a free website listing all high schools AND colleges in the U.S. Each page publishes extensive information about admissions figures, requirements, costs, 10 most popular majors, and — best of all – REVIEWS, often from hundreds of students, broken down by different aspects of the college experience. You can also enter your GPA and test scores and see a scattergram of your chances of admission. #### #### You can search by college name or by state. The REVIEWS are at the bottom of the page, and there is a DROP-DOWN MENU to the LEFT that allows you see reviews by category. — see the arrow below. When you read reviews, read several dozen, not 2 or 3, so you get a wider view. #### #### ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com//wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2020-04-05-at-11.12.28-PM.png) \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ #### **Another resource for choosing colleges is the series of guidebooks published every August by Princeton Review, called *The Best 387 Colleges. Note:* the number in the title goes up 1 or 2 every year.** #### #### Often available at many **Barnes and Noble** branches, you can order the book online from **BN** and [**AMAZON**](https://www.amazon.com/Best-385-Colleges-2020-Depth/dp/0525568425/ref=sr_1_1?gclid=CjwKCAjw5fzrBRASEiwAD2OSV2hlp-hZlOMjM81D-g82qn3c4XNW7kIE2Dg2-yXhrfu5IBt2su_T-RoCMAgQAvD_BwE&hvadid=381151515116&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9004077&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=2255112718134712902&hvtargid=aud-647846986441%3Akwd-832841718447&hydadcr=1777_9636518&keywords=best+385+colleges&qid=1568684538&sr=8-1), and the publisher’s own site. [**Best 387 Colleges**](https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/best-colleges) has lots of quirky “best lists” in front, but the heart of the book are 2-page overviews of these 385 “best colleges.” You can also get plenty of information on rankings and much more**.** #### The book itself offers 2-page overviews offer great information in the text and sidebars. You can read about what’s important in admissions, student comments, the vibe, the study scene, the most popular majors, and — my favorite — ratings in the lefthand sidebar for **PROFESSOR INTERESTING RATING** and **PROFESSOR ACCESSIBLE RATING**. For example, for **PENN STATE**, those numbers are 81 and 84. For **HARVARD**, 78 and 81, and for **HARVEY MUDD** 98 and 99. In case you want to know whether you’re likely to have much of a relationship with your professors. #### #### #### #### Figuring out how to choose colleges for your list will take time, research, and, if possible, a visit or three. Should you consult these resources and are want to pursue additional help, please contact me. #### If you are at another point in your application journey and need to write essays, please see my recent articles, including why I love [this year’s Common App essay](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/18/common-app-essay-prompts-love/) prompts, “The College Admissions Essay Prompts Are Your Friends” and “[A Great College Essay: Wanna Write One?”](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/07/28/what-makes-a-great-common-app-essay/) #### If you want to learn about what’s changed in college admissions since COVID, read [“College Admissions 2022-23: Rethinking Strategies Since COVID”](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/08/college-admissions-2022-23-rethinking-strategies-since-covid/) #### Click here to learn what students and parents say about working with me. For more about my values as a coach, please [click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/a-college-app-essay-tutor-confesses/). #### Thanks for stopping by. <ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com> or pick up the phone for help in how to choose colleges or start your applications: 1-855-99-ESSAY. ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/02/15/how-to-choose-colleges-2-great-resources/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/02/15/how-to-choose-colleges-2-great-resources/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/02/15/how-to-choose-colleges-2-great-resources/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20How%20to%20Choose%20Colleges%3A%202%20Great%20Resources&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2021%2F02%2F15%2Fhow-to-choose-colleges-2-great-resources%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/02/15/how-to-choose-colleges-2-great-resources/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/02/15/how-to-choose-colleges-2-great-resources/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/02/15/how-to-choose-colleges-2-great-resources/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** choose wisely, college list **Tags:** choosing a college, choosing colleges, college list, college lists, college niche, how to choose a college, How to choose college 2022-23, how to choose colleges --- ### [You Can't Write College Application Essays Unless You Know Where You're Applying: Here's Help](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/04/05/you-cant-write-college-application-essays-unless-you-know-where-youre-applying-heres-help/) **Published:** April 5, 2020 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** I don’t need to tell anyone reading this post that this is a spring for high school juniors unlike any other. Instead of being in school, you’re home, taking classes online. Instead of playing sports, maybe you’re playing ping pong with your siblings. Instead of visiting with your friends, you’re … well, wondering how long this #StayHome stuff is going to last. The rest of us are too. And one thing you’re not doing is making visits to colleges, to check out which ones you might want to apply to in the fall. Since you can’t visit colleges, here are 2 great resources for learning about colleges in the meantime: **[College Niche](https://niche.com)** is a free website listing all high schools AND colleges in the U.S. and each page publishes extensive information about admissions figures, requirements, costs, 10 most popular majors, and — best of all – REVIEWS, often from hundreds of students, broken down by different aspects of the college experience. You can also enter your GPA and test scores and see a scattergram of your chances of admission. You can search by college name or by state. The REVIEWS are at the bottom of the page, and there is a DROP-DOWN MENU to the LEFT that allows you see reviews by category. — see the arrow below. When you read reviews, read several dozen, not 2 or 3, so you get a wider view. ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com//wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2020-04-05-at-11.12.28-PM.png) \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ **My other recommendation is the series of guidebooks published by Princeton Review, called *The Best 385 Colleges —* though the number goes up 1 or 2 every year.** The book, easily available at many **Barnes and Noble** branches, and online from **BN** and [**AMAZON**](https://www.amazon.com/Best-385-Colleges-2020-Depth/dp/0525568425/ref=sr_1_1?gclid=CjwKCAjw5fzrBRASEiwAD2OSV2hlp-hZlOMjM81D-g82qn3c4XNW7kIE2Dg2-yXhrfu5IBt2su_T-RoCMAgQAvD_BwE&hvadid=381151515116&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9004077&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=2255112718134712902&hvtargid=aud-647846986441%3Akwd-832841718447&hydadcr=1777_9636518&keywords=best+385+colleges&qid=1568684538&sr=8-1), and the publisher’s own site, [**Best 385 Colleges**](https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings?rankings=best-385-colleges), has lots of quirky “best lists” in front, but the heart of the book are 2-page overviews of these 385 “best colleges.” You can also get plenty of information on rankings and much more on their **[site](https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/best-colleges).** If you go for the book itself, the 2-page overviews offer great information in the text and sidebars. You can read about what’s important in admissions, student comments, the vibe, the study scene, the most popular majors, and — my favorite — ratings in the lefthand sidebar for **PROFESSOR INTERESTING RATING** and **PROFESSOR ACCESSIBLE RATING**. For example, for **PENN STATE**, those numbers are 81 and 84. For **HARVARD**, 61 and 61, and for **HARVEY MUDD** 98 and 99. In case you want to know whether you’re likely to have much of a relationship with your professors. If you consult these sources and are still interested in consultations by the hour for potential colleges and universities for you or high school junior, please email at <Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> ~ ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com//wp-content/uploads/fullsizeoutput_3eb1.jpeg) ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/04/05/you-cant-write-college-application-essays-unless-you-know-where-youre-applying-heres-help/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/04/05/you-cant-write-college-application-essays-unless-you-know-where-youre-applying-heres-help/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/04/05/you-cant-write-college-application-essays-unless-you-know-where-youre-applying-heres-help/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20You%20Can%27t%20Write%20College%20Application%20Essays%20Unless%20You%20Know%20Where%20You%27re%20Applying%3A%20Here%27s%20Help&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2020%2F04%2F05%2Fyou-cant-write-college-application-essays-unless-you-know-where-youre-applying-heres-help%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/04/05/you-cant-write-college-application-essays-unless-you-know-where-youre-applying-heres-help/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/04/05/you-cant-write-college-application-essays-unless-you-know-where-youre-applying-heres-help/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/04/05/you-cant-write-college-application-essays-unless-you-know-where-youre-applying-heres-help/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** ACT test optional, Best College Application Essays, Brown admissions, Brown essay prompts, Brown supplement essay prompts, Brown supplements, Brown University application essays, College Application Essay, college application essay prompts, college application essays, Common App Essay Tutor, Common application essay consultant, Common Application essay help, great college application essay, Harvard Admissions, how parents can help, How to Write College Application Essay, Yale Admissions **Tags:** college admissions, college admissions consultant, College App Essay Coach, college application essay, college application essay help, college application essay tutor, college essay tutor, Common App essay, Common App essay prompts, Common application essay tutor, personal statement coach, personal statement consultant, Yale Application essays --- ### [University of Chicago Essay Prompts 2022-23](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/07/19/university-of-chicago-essay-prompts-2022-23/) **Published:** July 19, 2022 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** #### The University of Chicago essay prompts are famous — and infamous. No other college asks you to stretch your mind this way. And they’re a blast to read even if you have no intention of applying. #### This year’s UChicago essay prompts do not disappoint. For instance: #### **Essay Option 2:** What advice would a wisdom tooth have? *–Inspired by Melody Dias, Class of 2025* #### **Essay Option 3:** You are on an expedition to found a colony on Mars, when from a nearby crater, a group of Martians suddenly emerges. They seem eager to communicate, but they’re the impatient kind and demand you represent the human race in one song, image, memory, proof, or other idea. What do you share with them to show that humanity is worth their time? *—Inspired by Alexander Hastings, Class of 2023, and Olivia Okun-Dubitsky, Class of 2026* #### TO READ ALL THE NEW University of Chicago Essay PROMPTS, AND SOME PAST PROMPTS: [CLICK HERE.](https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/uchicago-supplemental-essay-questions) #### As you read and maybe even consider applying to U Chicago, keep in mind: #### UChicago essay prompts are invitations into your how your mind works, where it wants to go, places it wants to explore. #### In general, supplemental essay prompts are a dialogue between the college and the applicant. Each college’s prompts are asking you to join in a conversation. If the prompts don’t speak to you — if you don’t want to be part of this conversation — move on to a college whose questions you want to answer. #### Yes, these are often funny, but they are not jokes. OR maybe they invite you to deconstruct a joke. Or construct one. The university is giving you a preview of what you’ll be doing there. If that doesn’t appeal to you, there are lots more colleges to choose from. #### In fact, here’s what I’ve written in past years about these prompts AND the second required prompt from U Chicago, in addition to the Common Application Essay. #### **“What if the moon were made of cheese? Or Neptune made of soap? Pick a celestial object, reimagine its material composition, and explore the implications. Feel free to explore the realms of physics, philosophy, fantasy…the sky is the limit!”** #### What’s the University of Chicago looking for with these kooky questions? First, they want to know how you think. What you think about. What you care about. How comfortable you are with questions that don’t have straightforward answers. They’re interested in ambiguity, uncertainty, creativity. In people who think not just outside the box but who create new boxes. #### But if these prompts leave you smh, that might be a message from the universe that the University of Chicago isn’t the right place for you. That’s valuable information. Move on. There are dozens of other outstanding colleges with more straightforward essay prompts. [Yale](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/06/19/2020-21-yale-application-essay-prompts/) and [Stanford](https://admission.stanford.edu/apply/transfer/apply.html) each have different flavors of demanding essays. #### If you find these enchanting, keep reading. #### For better and worse, there are no word limits on these prompts — think 450-ish — and you must also answer a much more ordinary application prompt: “**How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future?** Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.” #### Above all, keep in mind: University of Chicago is a Common App college. You will need to submit your [Common App Essay](https://www.commonapp.org/blog/2022-2023-common-app-essay-prompts) and two Chicago supplements. #### But the fun — if this is your idea of fun — is in these krazy kwestions — all provided by students. I love this one: #### **What’s so easy about pie?** *—Inspired by Arjun Kalia, Class of 2025* #### AND THIS ONE: #### **It’s said that history repeats itself.** But what about other disciplines? Choose another field (chemistry, philosophy, etc.) and explain how it repeats itself. Explain how it repeats itself. *—Inspired by Ori Brian, AB’19* #### Whether the University of Chicago essay prompts are your cup of tea, I’ve got plenty of resources about essays and admissions throughout my website. Please take a stroll around. #### To learn about all that has changed in college admissions since COVID and test-optional policies, please [read this!](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/08/college-admissions-2022-23-rethinking-strategies-since-covid/) #### **To find out more about what I can do for you and your application, Please click here. For information** about my values as an essay coach, please [click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/a-college-app-essay-tutor-confesses/). And if writing the Common App Essay is still a mystery to you, try my recent posts [here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/18/common-app-essay-prompts-love/) and here #### **If the University of Chicago essay prompts are on your horizon, shoot me an email or pick up the phone. But whether it’s UChicago essay prompts or any other college, I’m on the East Coast and open for business.** #### **[Liz@DontSweatTheEssay](mailto:ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com)** **1-855-99-ESSAY** ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/07/19/university-of-chicago-essay-prompts-2022-23/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/07/19/university-of-chicago-essay-prompts-2022-23/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/07/19/university-of-chicago-essay-prompts-2022-23/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20University%20of%20Chicago%20Essay%20Prompts%202022-23&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2022%2F07%2F19%2Funiversity-of-chicago-essay-prompts-2022-23%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/07/19/university-of-chicago-essay-prompts-2022-23/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/07/19/university-of-chicago-essay-prompts-2022-23/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/07/19/university-of-chicago-essay-prompts-2022-23/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** essay prompts 2022-23, U Chicago Essay prompts, University of Chicago Essays **Tags:** UChicago essay prompts, University of Chicago essay prompts --- ### [U Chicago Supplemental Essay Prompts 2026-27](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/07/10/u-chicagos-supplemental-essay-prompts-2025-26-are-here/) **Published:** July 10, 2025 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** ### ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-content/uploads/download-3-1.jpg)UPDATE! U Chicago supplemental essay prompts never disappoint! The lastest are [HERE. ](https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/essay/) ### As always, they are quirky, wacky, mind-bending, a ton of fun–or “Not sure I want to apply to this college after all.” And their publication is one of the highlights of the college app essay season for us college application essay nerds. ### There are two required supplements, in addition to the Common App essay. The first prompt is straightforward and academic: **How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago. (no word limit)** ### But it’s the second batch of essay prompts you can choose from — or make up your own! — that turn heads, bend minds, and elicit answers as wild and wonderful as the questions themselves. ### Here’s a sample. If these college app essays make you smile and set your brain spinning, go for it. On the other hand, if they leave you scratching your head and turning away, that’s useful information. This may not be the right college for you. ## **Question 2: Extended Essay** (Required; Choose one) #### 1. Food for thought: How do thoughts eat? — Inspired by Ernest Leong, Class of 2026. #### 2. The James Webb Space Telescope, launched in 2021, utilized origami-inspired techniques to compactly store and deploy its sunshield in space. Choose an artistic practice and use its principles to propose an elegant solution to a problem — Inspired by Akhil Korra, Class of 2028 #### 3. Sometimes metaphors get mixed up. For one reason or another, one could say, “we’ll burn that bridge when we get there” or “the world is your china shop”. Make up your own mixed metaphor. Explain how it could make sense, be understood, or even applied. — Inspired by Julia Nieberg, Class of 2029 #### 4. The Olympics have long celebrated the pinnacle of human athletic achievement. But what if they expanded to honor the mundane? Imagine a new Olympic event built around an everyday activity like speed dishwashing or competitive grocery bagging. How is it scored, officiated, and judged? Why is it a worthy addition? — Inspired by Ewan Smith, Class of 2028. #### AI: Allen Iverson. NASA, or the North American Saxophone Alliance. Share a potentially confounding, comedic, or captivating example of MIA (Mistaken Identity of Acronym) and tell us its backstory. — Inspired by Jeeho Byun, Class of 2030 ### [READ THE REST HERE](https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/essay/) ### If you want some guidance with these college app essays or any others, please contact me by [email](mailto:ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com) or phone (East Coast) 1-855-99-ESSAY. For more about who I am and how I work, please visit my [testimonials page.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/) ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/07/10/u-chicagos-supplemental-essay-prompts-2025-26-are-here/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/07/10/u-chicagos-supplemental-essay-prompts-2025-26-are-here/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/07/10/u-chicagos-supplemental-essay-prompts-2025-26-are-here/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20U%20Chicago%20Supplemental%20Essay%20Prompts%202026-27&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2025%2F07%2F10%2Fu-chicagos-supplemental-essay-prompts-2025-26-are-here%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/07/10/u-chicagos-supplemental-essay-prompts-2025-26-are-here/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/07/10/u-chicagos-supplemental-essay-prompts-2025-26-are-here/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/07/10/u-chicagos-supplemental-essay-prompts-2025-26-are-here/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** u chicago supplemental essay prompts 2025-26 **Tags:** college app essay, Common App essay prompts, U Chicago Essays, U chicago supplemental, u chicago supplemental essay, u chicago supplemental essay prompts 2025 --- ### [The College App Essay & Joan Didion's Rejection from Stanford](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/college-app-essay-joan-didions-rejection-from-stanford/) **Published:** May 8, 2022 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** I bet Joan Didion’s college app essay to Stanford was pretty darn good. But it wasn’t enough to get her admitted to the Farm, as it’s known. I’ve known this story for most of my adult life. [Joan Didion](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/23/books/joan-didion-dead.html), one of the most influential writers of the late twentieth century — who meant the world to young women writers like me when we discovered her — was rejected by Stanford and ended up at UC Berkeley. She was from a wealthy family in Sacramento, a true daughter of the West whose work was imbued with the influence of that landscape on her sensibility. She wrote memorably about studying Hemingway at Berkeley, and in particular of typing out his work to learn its lessons for her own writing. When she died in December 2021, it was impossible to avoid reading tributes to her in every publication — and on every Facebook page — for several months. But until a few minutes ago, when I read her essay on this matter, “On Being Unchosen By the College of One’s Choice,” recently collected in a new volume, I never knew anything more about her application to or rejection from Stanford. As you read about her rejection in 1952 in the essay itself just below, I hope the takeaway is that college is what you make of it. And that being rejected by your “dream school” — whether it’s Stanford, MIT, UMich, or the University of Vermont — is one moment in your life. It may be a painful moment, shot through with self-doubt, but it’s not a judgment on who you are or what you’re capable of. Didion published the essay in a magazine in 1968, having been inspired to look at her ancient rejection letter to soothe the nerves of a 17-year-old cousin “who is unable to eat or sleep as she waits to hear from what she keeps the calling the colleges of her choice.” When Joan got her letter, she writes, “I went upstairs to my room and locked the door and for a couple of hours I cried. For a while I sat on the floor of my closet and buried my face in an old quilted robe…” She reports that in the fall, she went to a community college and made up the credits she needed to attend UC Berkeley. The following year, a friend at Stanford “asked me to write him a paper on \[Joseph\] Conrad’s *Nostromo,* and I did, and he got an A on it. I got a B- on the same paper at Berkeley,” and that helped her get over having been rejected. “Of course it is harder to get into college now than it once was,” Didion writes in 1968…. For the essay in its entirety, here goes. And if you’re unfamiliar with the work of Joan Didion, you might want to start with her first book of essays, *[Slouching Towards Bethlehem](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/424.Slouching_Towards_Bethlehem).* Her prose might give you some ideas about your own college app essay, or just make you want to keep reading her work. “On Being Unchosen By the College of One’s Choice,” *This piece appeared in The Saturday Evening Post April 16, 1968.* --- “Dear Joan,” the letter begins, although the writer did not know me at all. The letter is dated April 25, 1952, and for a long time now it has been in a drawer in my mother’s house, the kind of back-bedroom drawer given over to class prophecies and dried butterfly orchids and newspaper photographs that show eight bridesmaids and two flower girls inspecting a sixpence in a bride’s shoe. What slight emotional investment I ever had in dried butterfly orchids and pictures of myself as a bridesmaid has proved evanescent, but I still have an investment in the letter, which, except for the “Dear Joan,” is mimeographed. I got the letter out as an object lesson for a 17-year-old cousin who is unable to eat or sleep as she waits to hear from what she keeps calling the colleges of her choice. Here is what the letter says: “The Committee on Admissions asks me to inform you that it is unable to take favorable action upon your application for admission to Stanford University. While you have met the minimum requirements, we regret that because of the severity of the competition, the committee cannot include you in the group to be admitted. The Committee joins me in extending you every good wish for the successful continuation of your education. Sincerely yours, Rixford K. Snyder, Director of Admissions.” I remember quite clearly the afternoon I opened that letter. I stood reading and re-reading it, my sweater and my books fallen on the hall floor, trying to interpret the words in some less final way, the phrases “unable to take” and “favorable action” fading in and out of focus until the sentence made no sense at all. We lived then in a big dark Victorian house, and I had a sharp and dolorous image of myself growing old in it, never going to school anywhere, the spinster in *Washington Square*. I went upstairs to my room and locked the door and for a couple of hours I cried. For a while I sat on the floor of my closet and buried my face in an old quilted robe and later, after the situation’s real humiliations (all my friends who applied to Stanford had been admitted) had faded into safe theatrics, I sat on the edge of the bathtub and thought about swallowing the contents of an old bottle of codeine-and-Empirin. I saw myself in an oxygen tent, with Rixford K. Snyder hovering outside, although how the news was to reach Rixford K. Snyder was a plot point that troubled me even as I counted out the tablets. Of course I did not take the tablets. I spent the rest of the spring in sullen but mild rebellion, sitting around drive-ins, listening to Tulsa evangelists on the car radio, and in the summer I fell in love with someone who wanted to be a golf pro, and I spent a lot of time watching him practice putting, and in the fall I went to a junior college a couple of hours a day and made up the credits I needed to go to the University of California at Berkeley. The next year a friend at Stanford asked me to write him a paper on Conrad’s *Nostromo*, and I did, and he got an A on it. I got a B- on the same paper at Berkeley, and the specter of Rixford K. Snyder was exorcised. So it worked out all right, my single experience in that most conventional middle-class confrontation, the child vs. the Admissions Committee. But that was in the benign world of country California in 1952, and I think it must be more difficult for children I know now, children whose lives from the age of two or three are a series of perilously programmed steps, each of which must be successfully negotiated in order to avoid just such a letter as mine from one or another of the Rixford K. Snyders of the world. An acquaintance told me recently that there were ninety applicants for the seven openings in the kindergarten of an expensive school in which she hoped to enroll her four-year-old, and that she was frantic because none of the four-year-old’s letters of recommendation had mentioned the child’s “interest in art.” Had I been raised under that pressure, I suspect, I would have taken the codeine-and-Empirin on that April afternoon in 1952. My rejection was different, my humiliation private: No parental hopes rode on whether I was admitted to Stanford, or anywhere. Of course my mother and father wanted me to be happy, and of course they expected that happiness would necessarily entail accomplishment, but the terms of that accomplishment were my affair. Their idea of their own and of my worth remained independent of where, or even if, I went to college. Our social situation was static, and the question of “right” schools, so traditionally urgent to the upwardly mobile, did not arise. When my father was told that I had been rejected by Stanford, he shrugged and offered me a drink. I think about that shrug with a great deal of appreciation whenever I hear parents talking about their children’s “chances.” What makes me uneasy is the sense that they are merging their children’s chances with their own, demanding of a child that he make good not only for himself but for the greater glory of his father and mother. Of course there are more children than “desirable” openings. But we are deluding ourselves if we pretend that desirable schools benefit the child alone. (“I wouldn’t care at all about his getting into Yale if it weren’t for Vietnam,” a father told me not long ago, quite unconscious of his own speciousness; it would have been malicious of me to suggest that one could also get a deferment at Long Beach State.) Getting into college has become an ugly business, malignant in its consumption and diversion of time and energy and true interests, and not its least deleterious aspect is how the children themselves accept it. They talk casually and unattractively of their “first, second and third choices,” of how their “first-choice” application (to Stephens, say) does not actually reflect their first choice (their first choice was Smith, but their adviser said their chances were low, so why “waste” the application?); they are calculating about the expectation of rejections, about their “backup” possibilities, about getting the right sport and the right extracurricular activities to “balance” the application, about juggling confirmations when their third choice accepts before their first choices answers. They are wise in the white lie here, the small self-aggrandizement there, in the importance of letters from “names” their parents scarcely know. I have heard conversations among 16-year-olds who were exceeded in their skill at manipulative self-promotion only by applicants for large literary grants. And of course none of it matters very much at all, none of these early successes, early failures. I wonder if we had better not find some way to let our children know this, some way to extricate our expectations from theirs, some way to let them work through their own rejections and sullen rebellions and interludes with golf pros, unassisted by anxious prompting from the wings. Finding one’s role at 17 is problem enough, without being handed somebody else’s script. END DIDION…. The college application and the college app essay have changed since Didion applied back in the 20th century. For 21st century guidance, please explore my website. You might like articles on why the college admissions essay prompts are your friends right here, and why I love these particular prompts [right here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/18/common-app-essay-prompts-love/), or the University of Chicago’s ultra-quirky supplements [right here. ](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/07/14/the-best-university-of-chicago-application-essays-prompts-2021-22/) And if you need help choosing a college, I’ve got a few ideas [right here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/09/19/hard-to-write-great-college-app-essays-if/). **To find out more about what I can do for you and your college application essay, Please click here.** To learn more about my values as a college admissions essay coach, please [click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/a-college-app-essay-tutor-confesses/). If you’re still investigating where to apply to college, I’ve got a few ideas [right here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/09/19/hard-to-write-great-college-app-essays-if/). Drop me an email or pick up the phone (East Coast time). And search through my website for tips on writing and applying in 2022. <Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> 1-855-99-ESSAY ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/college-app-essay-joan-didions-rejection-from-stanford/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/college-app-essay-joan-didions-rejection-from-stanford/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/college-app-essay-joan-didions-rejection-from-stanford/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20The%20College%20App%20Essay%20%26%20Joan%20Didion%27s%20Rejection%20from%20Stanford&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2022%2F05%2F08%2Fcollege-app-essay-joan-didions-rejection-from-stanford%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/college-app-essay-joan-didions-rejection-from-stanford/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/college-app-essay-joan-didions-rejection-from-stanford/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/college-app-essay-joan-didions-rejection-from-stanford/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** 2022-23 Common App essay, 2022-23 Common App essay prompts **Tags:** college app essay, college essay coach, college essay prompts, college essay tutor, Common App essay, Common App essay prompts 2022, personal statement --- ### [Do Admissions Officers Check Social Media Pages? Yes.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/25/do-admissions-officers-check-your-social-media-pages/) **Published:** May 25, 2022 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** I have it on good authority that 36% of admissions officers check social media pages when considering your college application, according to a 2020 survey by the Kaplan test company. And a full 65 percent of AOs think that checking an applicant’s social media feeds is a perfectly reasonable form of information gathering. What does this mean? It’s a good idea to know this as you post on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, and even the disappearing Snapchat. Before you start applying is a good time to clean up your act and your posts. This piece from the NYTimes is a few years old, but still relevant. In 2017, [Harvard rescinded acceptances](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/07/opinion/how-to-keep-your-college-admission-offer-start-with-digital-literacy.html?contentCollection=smarter-living&hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=smarterLiving-promo-region®ion=smarterLiving-promo-region&WT.nav=smarterLiving-promo-region&_r=0) to “at least 10” (ten!) students once they were accepted because of offensive behavior on a PRIVATE Facebook page – with no chance of appeal. What you do online matters! I’d hope that expectations of what to post and what to avoid would be obvious, but in case they aren’t, here are some guidelines. Parents, if you’re reading this, please share with your high school students. - Don’t use profanity, don’t insult others, don’t say anything that could be interpreted as sexist, racist, homophobic, or insulting to a religion or a group of people. - Don’t send sexts of yourself, even if you think they are going to an individual. I have read more stories than I can count about kids sending private photos that end up on social media accounts and go viral. - Don’t insult teachers or your school. - Don’t suggest any violent activity, even in jest. - Don’t post photos of yourself doing illegal drugs and don’t make reference to them. If you have posts that might fall under any of these categories, delete them. If you’re worried about your social media pages, clean them up, delete the accounts, and behave in the future. If you’ve posted something that’s on the edge and you’re not sure how offensive it might be — err on the side of Take It Down. You’ll have plenty of time to debate the boundaries of free speech in college. Other Admissions Resources My website is packed with college application resources of all kinds. Please take a stroll around. You might be interested in “The College Admissions Essay Prompts Are Your Friends,” and why I love the prompts [right here.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/18/common-app-essay-prompts-love/) **To find out more about how I can help you strengthen your college applications, please click here.** To learn about all that has changed in college admissions since COVID and test-optional policies, please [read this!](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/08/college-admissions-2022-23-rethinking-strategies-since-covid/) Read about my values as a coach: [click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/a-college-app-essay-tutor-confesses/). If you’re interested, I can help with [college selection](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/02/15/how-to-choose-colleges-2-great-resources/). For information about merit aid in college applications, please [read this.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/01/24/merit-aid-for-college-applicants/) And make sure that college admissions officers who check your social media find nothing objectionable. **<Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> 1-855-99-ESSAY** **And thanks for stopping by.** ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-content/uploads/images-2.png) ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/25/do-admissions-officers-check-your-social-media-pages/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/25/do-admissions-officers-check-your-social-media-pages/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/25/do-admissions-officers-check-your-social-media-pages/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Do%20Admissions%20Officers%20Check%20Social%20Media%20Pages%3F%20Yes.&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2022%2F05%2F25%2Fdo-admissions-officers-check-your-social-media-pages%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/25/do-admissions-officers-check-your-social-media-pages/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/25/do-admissions-officers-check-your-social-media-pages/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/25/do-admissions-officers-check-your-social-media-pages/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Uncategorized --- ### [JFK's Harvard App Essay & His Shocking Grades](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/14/jfks-college-application-essay-to-harvard-his-shocking-grades/) **Published:** May 14, 2022 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** JFK’s college application essay to Harvard has been floating around the Internet for years, but his terrible high school grades have escaped my notice–till now. When I went looking for it tonight, I saw his entire application to Harvard–a photocopy that’s in the Kennedy Library archives. And I was surprised by what I discovered! There is no polite way to say this. His high school grades at the Choate School ranged from mediocre to terrible, from average to failing. His uneven grades were consistent, it seems, from year to year. The slender, uninspired essay and the grades are striking evidence of how times have changed — and of how much they needed to change to bring more equity into the college admissions process. If we think of Ivy League colleges as valuing the highest academic achievement, let’s not forget that for most of their existence — Harvard opened its doors in 1636 — they valued the student’s and his family’s social status just as much, and sometimes more. When JFK applied to Harvard, his prominent father (Harvard College ’12) was chairman of the recently created Security and Exchange Commission, the federal agency that oversees the stock market. JFK’s slender essay, submitted with his application in May 1935, answers the question, “Why do you wish to come to Harvard?” “The reasons that I have for wishing to go to Harvard are several. I feel that Harvard can give me a better background and a better liberal education than any other university. I have always wanted to go there, as I have felt that it is not just another college, but is a university with something definite to offer. Then too, I would like to go to the same college as my father. To be a ‘Harvard man’ is an enviable distinction, and one that I sincerely hope I shall attain.” No, this is not a joke. Not satire. I am not trying to amuse you! This really was the 35th president’s college application essay. In the page below reporting JFK’s high school grades, it’s hard to understand exactly what years the grades refer to. But the numbers themselves took me aback. In one column, his grades were: English 85; French 55; Physics 50; History 85. In another area of the page, his grades in Algebra were 65 and 71. His grades for June 1933, listed near the bottom of the page, were Latin 75; French 60; Math 82. Another shocker in the application was a letter to a Harvard dean from JFK’s father in August 1936, as his son was about to begin Harvard. “Jack has a very brilliant mind for the things in which he’s interested,” his father wrote, “but is careless and lacks application for those in which he is not interested. This is, of course, a bad fault. However, he is quite ambitious to do the work in three years. I know how the authorities feel about this, and I have my own opinion, but it is a gesture that pleases me very much because it seems to be the beginning of an awakening ambition.” It’s no secret that the wealthy and prominent have enormous advantages in obtaining education, from nursery school on. But unlike JFK in 1935, and unlike later generations of applicants to elite colleges, schools today put much more emphasis on academic achievement and (sometimes) less on family status. And legacy, though still considered an advantage at most colleges, is much less of a benefit than it used to be. Having two parents who graduated from Elite University no longer guarantees admission to their offspring. The history of higher education in the U.S. is the story of the country itself–the good, the bad, the ugly, and the constantly evolving. Applicants to college, preoccupied by anxiety and uncertainty, lose sight of all the history here. And that they too are part of the evolving story. ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2022-05-13-at-2.31.51-PM-300x235.png) Times have changed. For information on writing the 21st century college application essay, please see my recent article, “The College Admissions Essay Prompts Are Your Friends.” and “[A Great College Essay: Wanna Write One?”](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/07/28/what-makes-a-great-common-app-essay/) Thanks for visiting. Please take a look around my website for resources for your college application essay and applications. If you’re interested, I can help with [college selection.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/02/15/how-to-choose-colleges-2-great-resources/) Click here to learn what students and parents say about working with me. To learn more about my values as a college admissions essay coach, please [click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/a-college-app-essay-tutor-confesses/). Drop me an email or pick up the phone (East Coast): <Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> and 1-855-99-ESSAY ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/14/jfks-college-application-essay-to-harvard-his-shocking-grades/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/14/jfks-college-application-essay-to-harvard-his-shocking-grades/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/14/jfks-college-application-essay-to-harvard-his-shocking-grades/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20JFK%27s%20Harvard%20App%20Essay%20%26%20His%20Shocking%20Grades&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2022%2F05%2F14%2Fjfks-college-application-essay-to-harvard-his-shocking-grades%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/14/jfks-college-application-essay-to-harvard-his-shocking-grades/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/14/jfks-college-application-essay-to-harvard-his-shocking-grades/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/14/jfks-college-application-essay-to-harvard-his-shocking-grades/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** 2022-23 college admissions essays, 2022-23 College app essays, college app essay **Tags:** college, college app essay, college essay coach --- ### [Amherst Admissions -- A Peek Backstage](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2016/07/12/amherst-admissions-office-peek-backstage/) **Published:** July 12, 2016 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** #### Thank you, Amherst Admissions Office, for this peek backstage! What a privilege it is to see video of AOs discussing an applicant. #### [This fascinating video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-OLlJUXwKU) – a behind-the- scenes peek at how Amherst College makes decisions about whom to admit and whom to put on the waiting list – has been online for a while, but every time I look at it, I learn something new. #### Keep in mind as you watch that the students being considered in this room are those who have made the penultimate cut: they’re the top candidates left standing near the end of the process, so their academic credentials have already been noticed. #### The message here is *not* that hardship = admissions to Amherst but that the committee values success despite impediments. A top student who has faced considerable hardship is one who impresses. But many others students do too. #### Speaking of Amherst: Take a look at [my recent blog post](https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=496294306933140737#editor/target=post;postID=8628363703359825038;onPublishedMenu=template;onClosedMenu=template;postNum=7;src=postname), which includes four Common App essays that earned students a place at Amherst. They’re wonderfully creative and unpredictable, and they got the attention of those folks sitting around the table, along with the students’ stellar records. #### Keep in mind that the video does not report every moment of these intense meetings. #### What did you learn from watching the video? Does it make Amherst more or less appealing as a college prospect? #### If you’re on this page, you’re probably a student or a parent trying to help an applicant. If you need guidance on college app essays, here are three recent posts on the Common App essay prompts, “[Common App Essay Prompts: A Love Story,” ](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/18/common-app-essay-prompts-love/) “The College Admissions Essay Prompts Are Your Friends” “[A Great College Essay: Wanna Write One?”](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/07/28/what-makes-a-great-common-app-essay/) ### Why Consult an Essay Coach? #### If you’re here, you might be thinking of working with an essay coach. If so … #### Click here to learn what students and parents say about working with me. To learn more about my values as a college admissions essay coach, please [click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/a-college-app-essay-tutor-confesses/). #### If the Amherst Admissions office is on your radar, drop me an email or pick up the phone (East Coast): #### <Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> and 1-855-99-ESSAY ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2016/07/12/amherst-admissions-office-peek-backstage/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2016/07/12/amherst-admissions-office-peek-backstage/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2016/07/12/amherst-admissions-office-peek-backstage/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Amherst%20Admissions%20--%20A%20Peek%20Backstage&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2016%2F07%2F12%2Famherst-admissions-office-peek-backstage%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2016/07/12/amherst-admissions-office-peek-backstage/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2016/07/12/amherst-admissions-office-peek-backstage/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2016/07/12/amherst-admissions-office-peek-backstage/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** apply to Amherst College, great college application essay **Tags:** Amherst admissions, Amherst financial aid, apply to Amherst --- ### [The Common App Essay Prompts are Terrific!](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/03/10/common-app-essay-prompts-2022-23/) **Published:** March 10, 2022 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com//wp-content/uploads/images-1-8.jpg)These prompts have a history of generating terrific essays. In this winter of so much change and unsettling news, the Common App essay prompts will stay the same — great news for students and families grappling with college admissions. That’s because they are such good sources of inspiration. These Common Application prompts consistently generate interesting personal statements from students across the country and around the world when it comes to college essay prompts. In the words of the Common Application **[Organization itself](https://www.commonapp.org/blog/2022-2023-common-app-essay-prompts):** “Over 95% of every group who responded–students, counselors, teachers, and admission officers–agree that the prompts spark effective essays.” It’s not necessary or urgent to begin writing just yet, but it IS time to take a look at the prompts. Pick ONE prompt and write an essay from 250 to 650 words total. Enjoy looking them over, but don’t worry about starting to write anytime soon. The earliest college applications essays are not due until fall. ### **The 2022-23 Common Application Essay Prompts** 1. **Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.** 2. **The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?** 3. **Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?** 4. **Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?** 5. **Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.** 6. **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?** 7. **Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.** ### How an Essay Coach Might Help #### For specific pointers on how to approach the Common App essay prompts and your other college admissions challenges, please see my recent post right here and [here.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/18/common-app-essay-prompts-love/) #### And please feel free to shoot me at email or pick up the phone (East Coast time zone): #### **To find out more about what I can do for you and your college admissions applications, Please click here.** To learn more about my values as a college admissions essay coach, please [click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/a-college-app-essay-tutor-confesses/). #### If you’re interested, I can help with [college selection](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/02/15/how-to-choose-colleges-2-great-resources/). ## <ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com> 1-855-99-ESSAY ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/03/10/common-app-essay-prompts-2022-23/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/03/10/common-app-essay-prompts-2022-23/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/03/10/common-app-essay-prompts-2022-23/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20The%20Common%20App%20Essay%20Prompts%20are%20Terrific%21&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2022%2F03%2F10%2Fcommon-app-essay-prompts-2022-23%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/03/10/common-app-essay-prompts-2022-23/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/03/10/common-app-essay-prompts-2022-23/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/03/10/common-app-essay-prompts-2022-23/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Common App Essay Tutor, Common application essay consultant, Common Application essay help **Tags:** college admissions, Common App essay prompts, Common Application essay prompts 2022-23, Essay Coach --- ### [Can I Revise the Common App Essay? Yup.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/12/09/can-i-rewrite-my-common-application-essay-for-2021-22-yes-you-can/) **Published:** December 9, 2021 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** #### ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com//wp-content/uploads/download-1-150x150.png)The answer is yes! You CAN revise the Common App essay for any colleges you have not yet submitted it to. Which means you cannot revise the essay if you’ve been deferred in an application. #### As thousands of college applicants and their families prepare to hear from first-choice institutions to which they’ve applied ED or Restricted Early Action, it’s a good idea to think about what lies ahead. #### Some students will get YES’s, many will get NO’s, and others will get MAYBE’s, AKA Deferrals. #### If you’re in the NO or MAYBE category, you will need to keep applying to other institutions. As you do, you might want to see whether your Common Application essay could benefit from being revised. You ARE permitted to write a new one for additional colleges. You CANNOT submit the revised essay to a college you’ve already applied to. #### You might also want to revisit your Activities List, Honors list, or any supplementary materials, including the optional COVID essay. #### If you would like me to review your application and see whether it might benefit from a revision based on the colleges you’re applying to and your record, please shoot me an email or call me: <ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com> \~~~~ 1-855-99-ESSAY ### Why Work with an Essay Coach? Here’s a hint. #### If you are at another point in your application journey and need to write essays, please see my recent articles, including why I love [this year’s Common App essay](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/18/common-app-essay-prompts-love/) prompts, “The College Admissions Essay Prompts Are Your Friends” and “[A Great College Essay: Wanna Write One?”](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/07/28/what-makes-a-great-common-app-essay/) #### Click here to learn what students and parents say about working with me. To learn more about my values as a college admissions essay coach, please [click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/a-college-app-essay-tutor-confesses/). And if you’re interested, I can help with [college selection.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/02/15/how-to-choose-colleges-2-great-resources/) #### In case you can’t tell already, I love to write and to help students with their college applications essays and applications. #### Call or email to learn more about working with a college essay coach. #### 1-855-99-ESSAY or <Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/12/09/can-i-rewrite-my-common-application-essay-for-2021-22-yes-you-can/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/12/09/can-i-rewrite-my-common-application-essay-for-2021-22-yes-you-can/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/12/09/can-i-rewrite-my-common-application-essay-for-2021-22-yes-you-can/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Can%20I%20Revise%20the%20Common%20App%20Essay%3F%20Yup.&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2021%2F12%2F09%2Fcan-i-rewrite-my-common-application-essay-for-2021-22-yes-you-can%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/12/09/can-i-rewrite-my-common-application-essay-for-2021-22-yes-you-can/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/12/09/can-i-rewrite-my-common-application-essay-for-2021-22-yes-you-can/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/12/09/can-i-rewrite-my-common-application-essay-for-2021-22-yes-you-can/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** 2022-23 college personal statements, can I revise my common app essay, college application essay tutor **Tags:** best college app essays, best personal statements, Can I revise Common App essay, college admissions, College App Essay consultant, college application essay, revise common app essay --- ### [A College Essay Consultant on 7 Expert Tips for 2022-23](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/10/08/college-essay-consultant-7-tips/) **Published:** October 8, 2020 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** As a seasoned college essay consultant, I was recently asked to contribute to “[7 Expert Tips for the Common App Essay,](https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/expert-common-app-essay-tips/)” published by BestColleges.com. It’s a beginner’s look at the personal statement. Once you read it, please come back and delve into my many posts on the subject. My strategies are based on decades as an Ivy League writing professor and 12 years as a college essay consultant. My posts include The College Admissions Essay Prompts Are Your Friends. and [A Great College Essay: Wanna Write One?](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/07/28/what-makes-a-great-common-app-essay/) “For high school seniors, fall means college application season. And college applications often mean applying through the [Common App](https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/what-is-common-app/), an online system that lets you apply to multiple schools at the same time. In other words, you only have to fill out everything once — including a personal statement. “But just how important is the Common App essay? This application component gives schools the opportunity to learn more about you as a person and what’s important to you. You should use this space to tell your story and reveal aspects about your personality that admissions officers can’t detect through other parts of your application. [READ THE REST](https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/expert-common-app-essay-tips/) ### Are you considering working with a college essay consultant? If you want to know what students and parents say about working with me, please click here. To learn more about my values as a coach, please [click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/a-college-app-essay-tutor-confesses/). Please, shoot me an email or give me a call 1-855-99-ESSAY [ElizabethBenedictOK@Gmail.com ](mailto:ElizabethBenedictOK@Gmail.com) ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/10/08/college-essay-consultant-7-tips/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/10/08/college-essay-consultant-7-tips/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/10/08/college-essay-consultant-7-tips/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20A%20College%20Essay%20Consultant%20on%207%20Expert%20Tips%20for%202022-23&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2020%2F10%2F08%2Fcollege-essay-consultant-7-tips%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/10/08/college-essay-consultant-7-tips/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/10/08/college-essay-consultant-7-tips/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/10/08/college-essay-consultant-7-tips/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** College Application Essay, College Application Essay help, college application essay prompts, Common application essay consultant, Common Application essay help, great college application essay **Tags:** Amherst Supplements, best college essays, college application essay, common app essay coach, Tip college common app essay, writing common app essay --- ### [College App Essays for Early Decision](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/12/12/college-app-essays-for-early-decision/) **Published:** December 12, 2022 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** You wrote your hearts out in your [college app essays](https://www.commonapp.org/blog/2022-2023-common-app-essay-prompts) for Early Decision and Restricted Early Action apps. And this week is **The Week.** Yes, this is a true nail biter of a time for you, your families, and me! (No, it’s not all about me, but my work involves me in the lives of many students. I’m holding my breath for everyone!) Please, everyone, keep in mind: There will be a lot of joy coming up — and a lot of disappointment. If a college admits 10 percent of the applicants, everyone else will be deferred or rejected. If you are rejected, it’s OK to rage, weep, and curse the universe. But DO NOT — I repeat DO NOT — take this as anything more than a disappointment or a setback. It is not — I repeat NOT — the end of the world. It’s the end of chapter of your life. There will be many more chapters with happy endings. Mourn for a day or two and pick yourself and move on with the rest of your applications, if you have not already done them. Don’t worry: There is still time! But for heaven’s sake, don’t wait until the last days of December to write more college app essays. AND strongly consider applying to another college ED2. What’s ED2? [READ ABOUT IT HERE](https://www.collegetransitions.com/blog/early-decision-ii/). If you are deferred and you want to be considered in regular decision, follow the instructions from the college (fill out a form or send a letter in January, whatever they tell you). And if you are super serious and want to add an activity to your updated letter to be sent in January or early February, you can take a college course or do some interesting volunteer work (see Idealist.org for many opportunities). For help or advice with this, please [**contact me**](mailto:%20Liz@dontsweattheessay.com.mail). **As a parent, it’s hard to see your hardworking kid be disappointed. There will be a lot of disappointment to go around. But there are hundreds — really thousands — more colleges to apply to and many that are fantastic. If you want help with additional colleges, please contact me.** If you want someone to review the college app essays and activity lists you already wrote, I am available to do a quick-turnaround review. Keep in mind, many people contact me once about their college app essays and applications at this time of year. If you think you’ll want some extra help, please don’t delay… [Here’s what others](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/) have said about working with me. Please feel free to email me <Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> or call — East Coast — 1-855-99-ESSAY. **Categories:** college application essay coach, college application essay consultant, College Application Essay help, College essay prompts **Tags:** college app essay, college app essays early decision, early decision, restricted early action --- ### [Best Ever University of Chicago Application Essay Prompts 2022-23](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/07/17/best-ever-university-of-chicago-application-essay-prompts/) **Published:** July 17, 2018 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** ### **UPDATE! The 2022-23 U Chicago essay prompts are out!** #### [**Click right here to read about them.**](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com//2021/07/14/the-best-university-of-chicago-application-essays-prompts-2021-22/) #### The following post is from two years ago, but the University of Chicago is so unconventional that you can use a prompt from any year if you wish. Read on and use your imagination: #### “You’re on a voyage in the thirteenth century, sailing across the tempestuous seas. What if, suddenly, you fell off the edge of the Earth?” #### If you’re applying this fall to the University of Chicago, this is one of the supplemental essay prompts you can choose from. You can also use any prompt from a previous year, including this one, a paragon of pith: “What’s so odd about odd numbers?” #### The University of Chicago is famous – or infamous – for their unusual and unusually demanding additional essays. Some of us wait eagerly every year to see what the admissions folks will come up with. The answers are finally here. #### Wondering where they get these quirky questions? The answer, on the website, might surprise you: “Each year we email newly admitted and current College students and ask them for essay topics. We receive several hundred responses, many of which are eloquent, intriguing, or downright wacky.” #### I work with many students who plan to apply to Chicago before they know about The Essays. When they see the prompts, they have one of two responses: “WOW, this is the place for me.” Or: “Hmmmm. I have nothing to say about any of these.” If you’re in the first category, Chicago might be a good fit for you. #### If you’re in the second, take this as useful information about yourself and the University. It may not be the college for you – and that’s absolutely fine. There are dozens of other outstanding choices. Where can you find them? Try **The Best 391 Colleges**, updated every year, published by Princeton Review. #### The supplemental essays are a kind of dialogue between college and applicant. While many of the prompts are straightforward – “Why do you want to attend Our College?” – many others are creative,, personal, and/or intellectually demanding. #### For example, the University of Pennsylvania has one supplement, and you can learn a lot about yourself and the university if you sit down to write it: “How will you explore your intellectual and academic interests at the University of Pennsylvania? Please answer this question given the specific undergraduate school to which you are applying. (400-650 words)” If you are a student short on intellectual and academic interests because your focus is marketing or the arts, Penn might not be the right place for you. Again, this is not a criticism of you; it’s valuable information about the kind of students Penn is looking for. If that’s not you, don’t hesitate to move on. #### Whether or not you’re planning to apply to Chicago, I bet you’ll find these essay topics fun to read. The infamous essay is *one of two additional essays required for Chicago. See below for the second.* #### If you need help choosing colleges and/or writing your essays – Common App or supplements – shoot me an email at **<Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com>**. #### Here’s the intro on **[Chicago’s website](https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/uchicago-supplemental-essay-questions)**, followed by this year’s prompts: #### “The University of Chicago has long been renowned for our provocative essay questions. We think of them as an opportunity for students to tell us about themselves, their tastes, and their ambitions. They can be approached with utter seriousness, complete fancy, or something in between.” #### 2022-23 UChicago Supplement #### Question 1 *(Required)* #### How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago. #### Question 2: Extended Essay *(Required; Choose one)* #### **Essay Option 1** #### Was it a cat I saw? Yo-no-na-ka, ho-ka-ho-ka na-no-yo (Japanese for “the world is a warm place”). Może jutro ta dama da tortu jeżom (Polish for “maybe tomorrow that lady will give a cake to the hedgehogs”). Share a palindrome in any language, and give it a backstory. *– Inspired by Leah Beach, Class of 2026, Lib Gray SB ’12, and Agnes Mazur AB ‘09* #### **Essay Option 2** #### What advice would a wisdom tooth have? *–Inspired by Melody Dias, Class of 2025* #### **Essay Option 3** #### You are on an expedition to found a colony on Mars, when from a nearby crater, a group of Martians suddenly emerges. They seem eager to communicate, but they’re the impatient kind and demand you represent the human race in one song, image, memory, proof, or other idea. What do you share with them to show that humanity is worth their time? *—Inspired by Alexander Hastings, Class of 2023, and Olivia Okun-Dubitsky, Class of 2026* --- #### Some classic questions from previous years… #### Joan of Arkansas. Queen Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Babe Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Mash up a historical figure with a new time period, environment, location, or occupation, and tell us their story. *—Inspired by Drew Donaldson, AB’16* --- #### Alice falls down the rabbit hole. Milo drives through the tollbooth. Dorothy is swept up in the tornado. Neo takes the red pill. Don’t tell us about another world you’ve imagined, heard about, or created. Rather, tell us about its portal. Sure, some people think of the University of Chicago as a portal to their future, but please choose another portal to write about. *—Inspired by Raphael Hallerman, Class of 2020* --- #### What’s so odd about odd numbers? *—Inspired by Mario Rosasco, AB’09* --- #### Vestigiality refers to genetically determined structures or attributes that have apparently lost most or all of their ancestral function, but have been retained during the process of evolution. In humans, for instance, the appendix is thought to be a vestigial structure. Describe something vestigial (real or imagined) and provide an explanation for its existence. *—Inspired by Tiffany Kim, Class of 2020* #### **The University of Chicago Essay Prompts Page is [RIGHT HERE](https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/uchicago-supplemental-essay-questions)** #### If you’d like help drafting these essays or any others, please contact me: #### <Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/07/17/best-ever-university-of-chicago-application-essay-prompts/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/07/17/best-ever-university-of-chicago-application-essay-prompts/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/07/17/best-ever-university-of-chicago-application-essay-prompts/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Best%20Ever%20University%20of%20Chicago%20Application%20Essay%20%20Prompts%202022-23&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2018%2F07%2F17%2Fbest-ever-university-of-chicago-application-essay-prompts%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/07/17/best-ever-university-of-chicago-application-essay-prompts/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/07/17/best-ever-university-of-chicago-application-essay-prompts/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/07/17/best-ever-university-of-chicago-application-essay-prompts/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** ACT test optional, Best College Application Essays, college application essay, College Application Essay, College Application Essay help, college application essay prompts, college application prompts, Common App Essay Tutor, Common application essay consultant, Common Application essay help, great college application essay, Harvard Admissions, hiring a consultant, how parents can help, How to Write College Application Essay, Ivy League Admissions, Personal Essay Coach, Personal Essay Tutor, SAT/ACT, SAT/ACT Test Prep, Test Optional, Tips for College Application Essays **Tags:** best college essay prompts, college app essay, college application essay editor, College Application Essays, Common App essay, common app essay coach, common app essay tutor, personal statement, university of chicago essay prompt --- ### [Application Essays Make the Difference](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/04/05/college-application-essays-help-top-students-gain-admission/) **Published:** April 5, 2024 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** Your personal statement and supplements are critically important these days. For MIT applicants and University of California applicants, with their unique sets of essays, they are just as important. Essays matter whether you’re a top student with outstanding ECs or an uneven student who needs to demonstrate academic seriousness. As an essay coach-tutor for 17 years, I know that even the best essays alone cannot overcome a uneven record for most. But dull essays *can* hurt an outstanding record. The competition these days is unprecedented. You need essays that present your interests, talents and goals with clarity and detail–and just enough emotion. Everyone knows about the [Common Application essay](https://www.commonapp.org/blog/common-app-announces-2024-2025-common-app-essay-prompts)–a new genre of its own in American life. Good news: the prompts for the coming year are the same as last year’s! I’ve written many posts about [how to approach this](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/15/common-app-essay-prompts-2022-23-are-your-friends/). But did you know that the supplemental essays are just as important these days? The more selective the universities, the more demanding and more important they are. Universities whose supplements are especially demanding: Harvard, [Yale,](https://admissions.yale.edu/essay-topics) Princeton, [Brown](https://admission.brown.edu/apply/how-apply), [Stanford](https://admission.stanford.edu/apply/first-year/apply.html), [UChicago](https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/uchicago-supplemental-essay-questions), [Barnard](https://barnard.edu/barnard-writing-supplement-questions). Acceptance rates to these universities are three to five percent–which means they turn down 95 percent of the applicants. **What Matters Most?** There’s no secret sauce or magic bullet — choose your metaphor — for gaining admission to these and other top institutions. When people ask, “Does it matter if my son has taken six APs and gotten all fives on them?” Yes, it matters. But so does everything else in his/her/their record! One element will not “make the difference.” Your application is a mosaic made up of dozens of pieces of information, both hard (grades, test scores) and soft (letters of recommendation, ECs, essays). Additional factors you have no control over include your zip code, your school district, whether you’re first generation college student, and who in these areas you are competing with. For everyone, it’s critically important to apply widely and apply beyond your list of “reaches.” Even top students are turned down from colleges that everyone thinks they “should get into.” As a coach, I work on college application essays with students applying across the board, from Stanford to Florida State U, from Harvard to Texas A&M. I also work with transfer students and applicants to medical school, law school, and even summer camp programs that require essays. **Acceptances This Year** This past year, I worked with many talented students who were accepted to **Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, Duke, Wharton (U Penn), Northwestern, Northeastern, UMichigan, UCLA, Purdue, Emory, Barnard, Colgate, Mount Holyoke, Colby, Bates, Florida State University, Arizona State University, and the College of Charleston**. A student applying to medical schools was admitted to **Yale, Brown, GWU, Georgetown and New York Medical College**. Another client was admitted early to **Columbia Law School**. (I helped her with her application to Barnard some years before.) Someone once asked me if I care more about the kids who apply to Harvard than those who apply to less selective colleges. I was shocked by the question. I care about *all* the students I work with, regardless of where they’re applying! **A Stanford Mom’s Testimonial:** One mother wrote to me after her son was admitted early to Stanford: “I can’t thank you enough for working with my kid and getting the best out of him. He had no idea how to do this kind of writing, and not only did you teach him how to write college essays, but you also helped him learn how to express himself, how to make his point in 200 words (or 50!), how to tell a good story about himself, how to interpret a question and brainstorm possible ways to approach it, and so much more! (B. said you also introduced him to art/people/ideas he hadn’t been exposed to. He thinks you’re absolutely brilliant… and I agree!) “You also had tremendous patience and made B. feel positive about the process. He told me repeatedly how grateful he was to be working with you, and that he couldn’t imagine having a better experience doing college essays than he had with you. We got to enjoy our relationship without too much nagging on my part, because you told me to trust you, and once I let go (with your gentle encouragement), I got to sit back and let the magic happen between you two. B’s mantra has been, “The best decision you made was getting Liz” and there’s no hyperbole there.” **STANFORD CLASS OF 2028.** * Read more testimonials [here. ](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/) * Please contact me for information about your applications to college, graduate school or summer programs. Email is fast and efficient. <ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com> * If for some reason you don’t hear back from me quickly, please call 1-855-99-ESSAY. ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/04/05/college-application-essays-help-top-students-gain-admission/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/04/05/college-application-essays-help-top-students-gain-admission/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/04/05/college-application-essays-help-top-students-gain-admission/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Application%20Essays%20Make%20the%20Difference&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2024%2F04%2F05%2Fcollege-application-essays-help-top-students-gain-admission%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/04/05/college-application-essays-help-top-students-gain-admission/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/04/05/college-application-essays-help-top-students-gain-admission/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/04/05/college-application-essays-help-top-students-gain-admission/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** College Application Essay **Tags:** best college application essays, college essay coach, college essay tutor, personal statement, writing skills, Your college application essays --- ### [HBCU Applications on the Rise](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/15/hbcu-applications-growing/) **Published:** June 15, 2022 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** Many forces are altering the college admissions landscape. Among the changes, HBCU applications are on the rise The nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities are experiencing a renaissance. Endowments are growing, and this[ June 11 New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/11/us/hbcu-enrollment-black-students.html) article tells the story of a woman who just turned down Yale for [Spelman: ](https://www.spelman.edu/) “Once the primary means for Black Americans to get a college education, historically Black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, now account for just 9 percent of such students. But top-tier HBCUs — long bastions of Black excellence — as well as others are increasingly becoming the first choice for some of the nation’s most sought-after talent. This is according to interviews with dozens of students, guidance counselors, admissions advisers and college officials across the country. #### “They belong to a generation whose adolescence was shaped not only by the election of the first Black president but also by political and social strife that threatened the lives and liberties of Black Americans. For many families, the embrace of historically Black colleges has been influenced by concerns about racial hostility, students’ feelings of isolation in predominantly white schools and shifting views on what constitutes the pinnacle of higher education.” [READ THE REST](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/11/us/hbcu-enrollment-black-students.html) #### Luckily, students can apply to [Howard](https://howard.edu/), [Spelman](https://www.spelman.edu/), [Morehouse](https://morehouse.edu/), and other HBCUs through the Common Application. I have worked with students applying to these colleges and would be happy to give you guidance on the applications and essay requirements. **Don’t wait to send send me an email or call to find out more. Whether your questions involve college choices, strategies for applications or the Common App essay prompts, I can answer your questions. My website is full of resources for essays and college admissions matters.** **And for general information on how to choose colleges, please [click here.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/02/15/how-to-choose-colleges-2-great-resources/)** **While you’re here, take a look around my website. To find out more about what I can do for you and your application essay, Please click here.** To learn about all that has changed in college admissions since COVID and test-optional policies, please [read this!](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/08/college-admissions-2022-23-rethinking-strategies-since-covid/) To learn more about my values as a college admissions essay coach, please [click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/a-college-app-essay-tutor-confesses/). For information about merit aid in college applications, please [read this.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/01/24/merit-aid-for-college-applicants/) If you’re interested in HBCU applications or other related matters, I am a click away. **<Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> 1-855-99-ESSAY** ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/15/hbcu-applications-growing/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/15/hbcu-applications-growing/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/15/hbcu-applications-growing/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20HBCU%20Applications%20on%20the%20Rise&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2022%2F06%2F15%2Fhbcu-applications-growing%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/15/hbcu-applications-growing/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/15/hbcu-applications-growing/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/15/hbcu-applications-growing/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** HBCU New York Times **Tags:** HBCU, HBCU admissions, HBCU applications, Howard, Morehouse, Spelman --- ### [Help Choosing Colleges from Admissions Officers: UChicago, Vanderbilt, and...](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/09/help-choosing-colleges-from-admissions-officers-uchicago-vanderbilt-and/) **Published:** June 9, 2022 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** Who doesn’t need help choosing colleges? Are you curious about the University of Chicago, Vanderbilt, Wesleyan, University of Delaware, and the Olin School of Engineering? If so, read on! The Coalition for College has an online panel discussion June 21 at 8pm Eastern. It’s called [Inside College Admissions: How Decisions Are Made. ](https://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/event/inside-college-admissions) Admissions officers will discuss what happens backstage and answer your questions. This list represents a nice range of universities. And it may introduce you to schools you didn’t know much about. For those who don’t know the Coalition for College, it’s the alternative application portal to the Common Application. Here’s what they say about the panel discussion: “Admissions counselors from Coalition schools take us behind the scenes in this panel discussion. If you’ve wondered how decisions are made, what admissions officers are looking for when they review applications, and how to put your best foot forward when applying, then join us for this discussion and ask your own questions, as well.” Register for the event [here](https://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/events) — as well as other upcoming events. **For general information on how to college colleges, please [click here.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/02/15/how-to-choose-colleges-2-great-resources/)** Or discover why the **Common App essay prompts might be your friends.** **For further help, please shoot me an email or call (Eastern time!).** **And to learn what it’s like working with me, Please click here.** To learn about my values as a college coach, please [click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/a-college-app-essay-tutor-confesses/). **<Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> 1-855-99-ESSAY** ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/09/help-choosing-colleges-from-admissions-officers-uchicago-vanderbilt-and/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/09/help-choosing-colleges-from-admissions-officers-uchicago-vanderbilt-and/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/09/help-choosing-colleges-from-admissions-officers-uchicago-vanderbilt-and/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Help%20Choosing%20Colleges%20from%20Admissions%20Officers%3A%20UChicago%2C%20Vanderbilt%2C%20and...&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2022%2F06%2F09%2Fhelp-choosing-colleges-from-admissions-officers-uchicago-vanderbilt-and%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/09/help-choosing-colleges-from-admissions-officers-uchicago-vanderbilt-and/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/09/help-choosing-colleges-from-admissions-officers-uchicago-vanderbilt-and/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/09/help-choosing-colleges-from-admissions-officers-uchicago-vanderbilt-and/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Uncategorized --- ### [College Admissions 2022-23: Rethinking Strategies Since COVID](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/08/college-admissions-2022-23-rethinking-strategies-since-covid/) **Published:** June 8, 2022 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** Call it a variant of long Covid: the drastic effect the pandemic will have on college admissions 2023, based on the last two college applications cycles. The upcoming cycle is likely to be much like the last two: crazy high application numbers, crazy low acceptance rates, and enough disappointment to power a small country. For the last two years, it’s been harder than ever to get into an Ivy League or one of the nation’s many selective colleges. Numbers have shrunk from Northwestern University to Northeastern, from UCLA to Bates College in rural Maine. When the Covid lockdown closed SAT and ACT testing sites for more than a year, even the most competitive universities were forced to go “test optional,” beginning 2020-21. Those who’d taken the tests could submit their scores and did if they were high. Others were magically at liberty to leave that space blank. With the doors to the kingdom wide open, students with crummy SATs or none at all changed the landscape. They applied in droves to HYPSM (Harvard Yale Princeton Stanford MIT) and to many other high-ranking colleges. They top-loaded their lists with reaches and skimped on targets and safeties. And because this was uncharted territory, they tried to cover their bases. Eighteen, 20, or even [25 submissions](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/04/14/florida-teen-27-college-scholarship-offers/7320038001/) became the new normal. As college applications exploded, college admissions rates plunged, some as low as 3 percent. This left thousands of super high-achievers feeling they’d only been accepted at the University of Crushing Disappointment, safety schools they never imagined would be their only choices. That first year of Covid, upwards of 20 percent of those admitted to HYPSM took a gap year. Who wanted to start Harvard on Zoom? And whose parents wanted to pay for an Ivy education via laptop? Many others, disappointed with their acceptances, sat the year out, too. They’d spend the bonus year burnishing their credentials and try again. The number of kids going gap rose to some 130,000, about double the previous year. College applications swelled for other reasons, too. Just before lockdown, the University of California system went “test blind” — no tests accepted, on the theory that testing is biased against minority and low-income students who can’t afford high-priced test prep. In the latest cycle, 149,000 students applied to UCLA, compared to 113,761 just two years before. The applicant rate soars, but the real estate – the number of dorm rooms — stays the same. The Anti-Elitist Movement Still another factor that’s moved the needle with college essays and applications: the trend against elitism and legacy admissions. This movement was intensified by Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. Months before the pandemic, Amherst College announced it would no longer consider legacy in admissions decisions, following Cal Tech’s, UC Berkeley’s, and Johns Hopkins’ earlier decisions. While no other colleges have made that announcement, the mood is shifting against privilege and in favor of first-generation and under-represented minority students. Gone are *some* of the rich kid legacy perks that got C-student George W. Bush into Yale and John F. Kennedy into Harvard, even though his Choate report card includes cringeworthy grades: a 55 in French, a 50 in physics, and 65 in algebra. The good news: Times have changed. The bad news: In 2022, the college application landscape is more unforgiving than ever. What’s a student to do? **Think Smart: College Admissions 2022-23** What can we expect for the coming year? And how can students stave off another year of high expectations and devastating disappointments? The competition will most likely continue to be fierce. The only universities I’m aware of that have reinstated the SAT/ACT requirement are MIT and Georgetown. That means application rates at other highly competitive colleges will stay higher than usual. Which means that the rest of the students’ application will be even more important. Focus will be on GPA, recommendations, extra curriculars (including sports), and college application essays (Common App, supplements, University of California [Personal Insight Questions](https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/applying-as-a-freshman/personal-insight-questions.html), etc.). Take note: In some cases, students who submit test scores at the most selective colleges could have a slight advantage. In this market, every advantage counts. Bottom line: Test scores can help, but they won’t help everyone in a competition as tight as this one. College Reputations Change And keep in mind: Colleges and their reputations change. Such changes typically happen slowly, but we’re living through a time when they’re happening at lightning speed. Five years ago, UCLA, USC, Boston College, BU, and Northeastern had acceptance rates two and three times what they are today. As these institutions choose more competitive students, their prestige rises too. **Check-list for College Admissions 2022-23:** - Even though most college and universities are test-optional, if you’re a STEM student, submitting test scores makes sense. If you’re applying to hyper-selective college/university without test scores, ask yourself if your college essays, gpa, and ECs including sports are competitive with the top students in your school. - Even though top colleges are test optional doesn’t mean they have lowered their expectations for student excellence. They are looking for it in other places, especially in grades, recommendations and college essays and applications that show passion, smarts, and real intellectual curiosity, whether you want to study STEM or philosophy. - Don’t shy away from “reaches,” but think of them as “super reaches.” Reorient your expectations. Move colleges that used to be “targets” to “reaches” and proceed accordingly. - Add colleges you’d never considered – and WOULD want to attend – to your targets and safeties. - Consider colleges that might be “hidden gems” through [Colleges That Change Lives, ](https://ctcl.org/)originally a 1996 book by Loren Pope and now a terrific non-profit resource. Research Honors Programs in your state schools. - Consider the network of HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), with its own [application portal right here](https://commonblackcollegeapp.com/). If you’re a woman, consider one of 30 remaining women’s colleges, including Wellesley, Barnard, Smith, Agnes Scott, and Bryn Mawr, some affiliated with Ivy League and co-ed institutions. - **Understand the role of s****ports at many Ivies’ and Stanford’s admissions.** **[This link](https://redwoodbark.org/67247/opinion/the-athletic-advantage-unfairness-in-college-admissions/) lays out the advantages athletes have**. **Not everyone who gets into Stanford REAX or regular does a sport, but sports are super important at Stanford–and at HYP, but not nearly as much at MIT or Cal Tech, for instance. The Stanford Athletic Department offers 36 varsity sports—20 for women, 16 for men and one coed—with approximately 900 students participating. Harvard has 42 nation-leading Division I intercollegiate sports teams. Princeton has 37 varsity teams for men and women. Princeton teams have won more Ivy League championships than any other school during the last two decades, and several Princeton teams have won national titles. A number of Princeton athletes participated in the 2016 Olympics, and one earned a gold medal. You don’t have to be a star athlete to get into these colleges (and I’ve worked with many students who aren’t), but it can be an advantage.** - Consider devoting your college essay and applications energy to choosing a favorite college for ED. But be realistic and financially smart. Unless your academic record is truly stellar*,* and unless you stand out in other ways (including athletic), and financial aid is not an issue, pinning your ED or Restricted Early Action (REAX) hopes on Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Brown, Duke, or Columbia might not make sense. - Take note: it’s not “easier” to get in Early Decision. Colleges don’t lower their standards for ED applicants – they raise them. The higher percentages for REAX and ED admissions are inflated because they include recruited athletes. The students they choose early are ones they believe other top colleges will also want. - What’s the risk of applying ED or Restricted Early Action to HYPSM? People often say, “Why not try? What have I got to lose?” What you have to lose is that if you’re denied or deferred – 90-95 percent of applicants are – you’re back in the regular decision pool. Now you’re competing with 45,000 to 50,000 other students, where it’s even harder to stand out and where the acceptance rates are even lower. - Take matters into your own hands early on. Curate your college list wisely. And take care with the rest of your application. Ask teachers for recommendations the spring before senior year. Keep your grades up. And don’t fill out your application forms the night before, or the week before. Devote as many weeks to your college app essays and applications as you would to any piece of writing that really matters. Essays do matter, along with everything else in which you’ve invested so much of your ambitions. The College Admissions 2022-23 Cycle is Here Students still have time to change the Expectation/Disappointment narrative in their lives and their upcoming college applications. **Please shoot me an email or call me (Eastern time!) to find out more about your college essays and applications, including the Common App essay prompts, for 2022-23.** **My website is full of resources for college admissions 2022-33 and college applications. Please take a look around.** **To find out more about what I can do for you and your application essay, Please click here.** To learn more about my values as a college admissions essay coach, please [click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/a-college-app-essay-tutor-confesses/). **For general information on how to choose colleges, please [click here.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/02/15/how-to-choose-colleges-2-great-resources/)** If you’re interested, I can help with [college selection](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/02/15/how-to-choose-colleges-2-great-resources/). For information about merit aid in college applications, please [read this.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/01/24/merit-aid-for-college-applicants/) **<Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> 1-855-99-ESSAY** ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/08/college-admissions-2022-23-rethinking-strategies-since-covid/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/08/college-admissions-2022-23-rethinking-strategies-since-covid/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/08/college-admissions-2022-23-rethinking-strategies-since-covid/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20College%20Admissions%202022-23%3A%20Rethinking%20Strategies%20Since%20COVID&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2022%2F06%2F08%2Fcollege-admissions-2022-23-rethinking-strategies-since-covid%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/08/college-admissions-2022-23-rethinking-strategies-since-covid/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/08/college-admissions-2022-23-rethinking-strategies-since-covid/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/08/college-admissions-2022-23-rethinking-strategies-since-covid/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** 2022-23 college admissions essays, 2022-23 College app essays, 2022-23 College Essay, college admissions 2022-23 **Tags:** application strategies since COVID, applying to college since COVID, Choose colleges, College admissions 2022-23, college applications COVID, college essays and applications --- ### [AI-Proof Your Common Application Essay](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/06/ai-proof-your-common-application-essay/) **Published:** June 6, 2026 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** #### Last year, I was pummeled with one question: “How’s AI affecting your college application essay work?” I shrugged. I didn’t know yet. #### Answers are coming into focus. This morning, I read a story on Reddit about the Common Application Essay that convinced me I need to share my thoughts. And share what I’m learning about university positions on AI in admissions. We are at the starting gate of a complicated new world that’s growing more complex by the day. #### A student wrote to the popular Reddit [Applying to College](https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/) forum (A2C), with this problem: After writing a draft of her Common Application Essay with no help from AI, she put it into an AI-detection site. The result: Many signs of AI. She asked the forum how to fix this. #### I hear and read about this problem from many different people and sources. AI-suspicion is everywhere. And AI-use is everywhere, including college admissions. [Cal Tech](https://www.admissions.caltech.edu/apply/first-year-applicants/supplemental-application-essays/ethical-use-of-ai-guidelines-for-fall-applicants), [Virginia Tech](https://news.vt.edu/articles/2025/07/admissions-changes-2025.html), [U Berkeley](https://gradpilot.com/ai-policies/university-of-california-berkeley), and the [University of California in general](https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/shaping-your-personal-narrative-piq-tips-and-more-uc-admissions-experts) have spelled out how they use AI in admissions and/or their AI admissions rules–which only reveal how complicated the whole thing has become. I’m going to try to make it simpler for those writing college essays. #### **What Not Let AI Write Your Essays?** 1. #### Writing is a form of thinking. If you let a robot do it, you will never develop the patience to sit with uncertainty and never experience the joy of figuring out what you want to say–and how to say it. Writing is a skill, like soccer, reading music, or playing an instrument. You get better the more you do it. And if you let a robot do it for you, the thinking/writing part of your brain will not develop. This is neuroscience, not a scare-tactic. 2. #### I grew up with Susan Sontag’s famous comment rattling around in my brain: “I never know what I’m thinking until I sit down at my typewriter.” OK, I concede you no longer sit at a typewriter, but (it bears repeating) writing IS a form of thinking that needs to be nurtured, nourished, and practiced, like hitting a tennis ball or memorizing lines for the play you’re in. #### **Can Admissions People Tell a Robot Wrote it?** #### As students apply to college in 2026, how can you AI-proof your college application essay before you write it? And since there isn’t just one essay for most applicants, how to AI-proof supplemental essays too. #### Are you writing about why you want to major in biology or why you want to attend the University of Fill-in-the-Blank? If you outsource your essay writing brain to a robot, it might save you time, but Claude’s electronic fingerprints will be all over it. How do I know? The *New York Times* just published [an article](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/27/opinion/writing-creativity-ai.html) that I highly recommend, “370,000 College Essays Tell Us About A.I.’s Effects on Creativity,” by Rebecca Winthrop. And once you finish it, please read the many and conflicting reader comments at the bottom. #### If you’re on the fence about using AI to write your college application essays, this reader comment might push you off: #### ***We award scholarships to incoming freshmen for our university. Last year we had a tough time choosing since all the 150-word essays sounded exactly alike. This year we told candidates that using AI will immediately disqualify them. Yes, of course, we can tell. Now.*** #### **How to AI-Proof Your College Application Essay: Follow the most basic guidelines for ALL good writing!** #### **Make it personal.** I know, that sounds obvious, but how do you do that? Tell a story from your life that locates you in a place or a relationship or a conflict. Here are three first sentences of Common App essays, with tiny modifications for privacy. - #### Our boarding passes for the Delta flight to Singapore said STANDBY. Our boarding passes to everywhere say STANDBY: Paris, Rome, Geneva, Johannesburg. My mother worked for the airline, and we could travel anywhere–if we went STANDBY. - #### The apartment on Chimbai Road was not the comfortable sanctuary I had remembered. - #### I’m driving down I-95 in my 1997 Toyota, with 340,000 miles on it, when it starts to redline. #### In addition to pulling us in, each in different ways, these openings are specific and personal. We’re in a location, and there’s some kind history or present conflict that demands the writer’s attention–and the reader’s. #### **Tell a story only you can tell.** This doesn’t mean that it needs to be “original,” in the sense that no one has ever experienced this before. Colleges are looking for thoughtfulness, depth, and insight, not science-fiction or outlier experiences. You don’t need to write about bungee-jumping in Tasmania. A great college app essay might be about a family tradition and what it means to you, about auditioning for a play and how it opened up a new version of yourself, or how teaching yourself to play the drums/flute/electric guitar gave you access to creativity and rhythms that helped you appreciate Robert Frost’s poetry (“Some say the world will end in fire/Some say ice/From what I’ve tasted of desire…”). #### **Details, details, details.** Have you ever shopped for lipstick? Isn’t it amazing how many different shades there are, all for red? Have you chosen Rouge Charnel, Amor Fou, Runway Red, Uncut Ruby, or Ruby Woo? Isn’t it fun to see what these lipstick people have done with variations on red? Believe it or not, you can do something similar when you write about your own experience if you’re committed to the details. I’m not talking about poetic metaphors and flowery writing, but ***specificity*.** #### **Examples of detailed specificity from college app essays**: - **When I was six, I wanted to marry my dentist. I liked the fluidity of her movements and the precision of her work. Yet I was afraid of all the equipment around me.”** - **My sister and I attached a camera to record our first kite flight, but instead, we got a video of the kite repeatedly attacking the ground while we ran for our lives.”** - **I’m a cello dropout. I’m also a flute dropout. In third grade, the school music teacher paired me with what was supposed to be my life-long musical companion, twice.** - **By the ninth grade, I was embarrassed by how much I liked philosophy. I didn’t think it would win me many friends, but when I mentioned Emerson to my classmate Sam—who insisted he didn’t like philosophy—he asked probing questions and engaged in a lively debate about self-reliance and intuition.”** #### **Bottom Line on Generative Use of AI for Writing.** #### In the land of AI, which is where all of us live in now, it’s hard to keep up with all the changes in what AI can do, what we can and should–and should not–do with it. As a writer myself, I have never used generative AI to do anything. It’s never crossed my mind. The “serious writers” I know feel the same way. I don’t expect high school students in 2026 to share my feelings on this. But I do hope you will think twice–think fifty or sixty times–before outsourcing your precious brain to an AI-data center. #### I’ve been helping students around the world apply to college for [18 years.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/) Please feel free to [get in touch](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/contact-liz/) with your questions and concerns about applying to college, writing college app essays, and presenting yourself in this highly competitive, ever-changing universe. ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/06/ai-proof-your-common-application-essay/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/06/ai-proof-your-common-application-essay/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/06/ai-proof-your-common-application-essay/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20AI-Proof%20Your%20Common%20Application%20Essay&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2026%2F06%2F06%2Fai-proof-your-common-application-essay%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/06/ai-proof-your-common-application-essay/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/06/ai-proof-your-common-application-essay/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/06/ai-proof-your-common-application-essay/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Uncategorized **Tags:** AI, AI-detection, AI-Proof, College Application Essays, Common App essay, supplemental essays --- ### [What's Up and What's Down in College Admissions?](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/03/whats-up-and-whats-down-in-college-admissions/) **Published:** June 3, 2026 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** #### I created **Don’t Sweat the Essay** 18 years ago because college application essays were so daunting to so many students. #### I’ve worked on Common App essays, MIT essays, and the California PIQ essays with about 800 students around the world. They learn to write about their interests, ambitions, and accomplishments, presenting their best selves to the best universities, from Cambridge, Mass. to Cambridge, England, from UCLA to MIT, and from Cal Tech to Cooper Union. [Here’s what](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/) some of them have to say about working with me. #### Today, the admissions landscape is changing as fast as everything else in our culture. The essay is more important than ever—but so is every other aspect of your application. #### Before COVID upended college admissions in 2020, change happened slowly when it came to universities altering policies. These days, the ground seems to shift every week. I keep up [with changes](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/01/6-universities-drop-supplemental-essays/) in the essays and every other aspect of your applications. #### Whether you’re applying to [Harvard](https://www.harvard.edu) or [Harvey Mudd](https://www.hmc.edu/), and whether you need help with the Common App Essay or the Yale question, “What inspires you?”, here is some of what you need to know today, in early June 2026: - #### Applications to the most selective colleges are UP—way up. - #### College lists are longer than ever & many lists are “reach-heavy.” - #### As applications rise, admit rates go down. - #### Your essays must be more personal & detailed than ever–because of AI suspicion. - #### Supplemental essays are out at a handful, including Tulane & UVa. - #### The SAT/ACT is back at many top colleges, after the COVID pause. - #### Depth & commitment in ECs are more important than ever. - #### Waiting lists are up because students apply to so many colleges. - #### The costs of college are up, up, up. - #### More colleges offer financial aid even to higher-income families. - #### AI is reviewing applications in the first pass, making GPA & test scores matter more. - #### Colleges fill larger percentages of entering classes in Early Decision because students apply to so many colleges. - #### Stress is up—but it doesn’t have to be. - #### Strategic thinking is more important than ever. #### I work with students at every stage of the process, from helping choose colleges to editing and proofreading final essays, from brainstorming to describing important activities in 150 characters on the Common Application. #### Please get in touch if you have questions or concerns and want to figure out next steps. ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/03/whats-up-and-whats-down-in-college-admissions/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/03/whats-up-and-whats-down-in-college-admissions/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/03/whats-up-and-whats-down-in-college-admissions/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20What%27s%20Up%20and%20What%27s%20Down%20in%20College%20Admissions%3F&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2026%2F06%2F03%2Fwhats-up-and-whats-down-in-college-admissions%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/03/whats-up-and-whats-down-in-college-admissions/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/03/whats-up-and-whats-down-in-college-admissions/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/03/whats-up-and-whats-down-in-college-admissions/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** college admissions **Tags:** college admissions, College Application Essays --- ### [Princeton & Brown Require Graded High School Paper/ Essay for College Admissions](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/03/18/princeton-brown-require-graded-essay-for-college-admissions/) **Published:** March 18, 2019 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** Future applicants to Princeton have a new requirement for applying: Instead of submitting test scores for the SAT and ACT Writing Sections, applicants must submit a graded paper, written in the previous three years of high school. Details are here and this page leads to a list of FAQs that should answer all of your questions. \[If you apply without submitting a graded paper, your application will be accepted but the admissions committee will have “less information” with which to consider you.\] Similarly, Brown has new requirements regarding the writing sections of the SAT and ACT *and* requests a graded paper, and you can read about how to submit a paper on [this webpage](https://www.brown.edu/admission/undergraduate/apply/first-year-applicants/supplementary-materials). **The short answers seems to be: “We prefer that you upload all other supplementary materials to your file after you receive access to your Brown Applicant Portal**.” --- Several dozen other colleges either require or make optional submitting a graded paper, including Amherst, Sarah Lawrence, Brandeis and Franklin and Marshall. As you study the application requirements for each college, be sure to see if graded papers are now required! **Given the drama of recent events and college admissions officials wanting more relevant information for making informed decisions, additional colleges may require graded papers in humanities subjects – English, social students, and/or history. Please consider this as you write academic essays this year and as you study the colleges you may want to apply to.** I will report on this trend. Please check back and make this one of your questions as you consider where to apply. AND note that your high school papers may be part of your college applications. Please contact me. Call 1-855-99-ESSAY (East Coast). ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/03/18/princeton-brown-require-graded-essay-for-college-admissions/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/03/18/princeton-brown-require-graded-essay-for-college-admissions/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/03/18/princeton-brown-require-graded-essay-for-college-admissions/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Princeton%20%26%20Brown%20Require%20Graded%20High%20School%20Paper%2F%20Essay%20for%20College%20Admissions&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2019%2F03%2F18%2Fprinceton-brown-require-graded-essay-for-college-admissions%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/03/18/princeton-brown-require-graded-essay-for-college-admissions/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/03/18/princeton-brown-require-graded-essay-for-college-admissions/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/03/18/princeton-brown-require-graded-essay-for-college-admissions/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** ACT test optional, Best College Application Essays, Brown admissions, Brown essay prompts, Brown supplement essay prompts, Brown supplements, College Application Essay, college application essay, College Application Essay help, college application essay prompts, college application prompts, Common App Essay Tutor, Common application essay consultant, Common Application essay help, Ivy League Admissions, Princeton admissions, Princeton admissions essays, Princeton essay, SAT/ACT, Uncategorized **Tags:** Brown admissions requirements, college application essay, Common Application essay, Princeton admissions, Princeton essay prompts --- ### [6 Universities Drop Supplemental Essays](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/01/6-universities-drop-supplemental-essays/) **Published:** June 1, 2026 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** #### *Update: Thank you, Reader PG, Duke did not drop the essay rquirement but gave it a different weight in evaluating students. Because of AI, Duke will read essays for content but not assume the writing ability reflects that of the students.* #### The [Common App essay](https://www.commonapp.org/blog/announcing-2026-2027-common-app-essay-prompts) is here to stay–for now, but this just in: Five universities drop supplemental essays for the upcoming cycle! #### UVa, Tulane, Washington University (St. Louis), the University of Georgia, and TCU (Texas Christian) have upended the college application landscape and announced that students will have fewer application essay to write. They’re eliminating the everything from “Why Tulane?” to UGa’s “**Please share a book (novel, non-fiction, etc.) that had a serious impact on you.”** #### How come? What happened to these staples of the college application? One answer is that students relying on AI have made these essays less meaningful as information about the student. Another reason, not usually stated, is dropping the supplementals makes it easier for students to submit applications–which raises the number of applicants. That lowers the acceptance rate, which makes the university’s more selective, which, in turn increases applications. #### What do these changes mean for you and your application? - #### Your [Common Application essay](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/18/common-app-essay-prompts-2026-27-love-story/) needs to do more work in presenting you. Essays that give off a whiff of AI influence (flatness, lack of personal detail) will be suspect. - #### Your academic profile–GPA, SAT/ACT, and recommendations–are more important than ever. - #### Your Extra Curricular Activities are more important too. They need to show initiative, investment (4-year activities, not many 1 or 2 year) and leadership. - #### With more selectivity, choosing the right colleges *for you* is more important than ever. Students tend to gravitate to reaches. Many applications are Reach-Heavy and light on targets and safeties. #### Read [the comments](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/) of students and parents who have worked with me. And contact me for help with essays, activities, and application choices–as soon as possible because of the changing landscape. As a coach for 17 years, I work with students around the corner and around the corner, applying to colleges, universities, conservatories, art schools, and schools of engineering, from Washington state to Washington D.C., from Maine to Hawaii. #### Call 855-99-ESSAY or drop me an email: ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com. ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/01/6-universities-drop-supplemental-essays/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/01/6-universities-drop-supplemental-essays/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/01/6-universities-drop-supplemental-essays/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%206%20Universities%20Drop%20Supplemental%20Essays&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2026%2F06%2F01%2F6-universities-drop-supplemental-essays%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/01/6-universities-drop-supplemental-essays/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/01/6-universities-drop-supplemental-essays/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/01/6-universities-drop-supplemental-essays/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Common App Essay **Tags:** best common app essay, Common App essay, drop supplementals, Duke, supplemental essay, Tulane, UVA --- ### [U Chicago - Home of Quirkiest College App Essays - Makes Big News](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/06/14/u-chicago-home-of-quirkiest-college-app-essays-makes-big-news/) **Published:** June 14, 2018 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** **I’ve been checking the University of Chicago’s website for weeks, hoping they’ve posted this coming fall’s new supplemental essay prompts – because UC’s are always the most cerebral, the most philosophical, oftentimes, the most demanding.** **Well, no essay prompts for this year yet, but today the University made headline news around the country for another matter relating to college admissions: It has dropped the requirement that students submit their SAT or ACT scores for applicants from the U.S., becoming another “test-optional” institution, and the most selective college or university in the country do so. For a list of the other 800 or so “test-optional” schools, please visit the [FAIRTEST](https://www.fairtest.org/university/optional) website.** **Chicago’s reasons for dropping the SAT/ACT requirement dovetail with their commitment to expanding financial aid and attracting more low-income and first-generation college applicants. Special new scholarships will be available to veterans and the children of police officers, firefighters and veterans. And students will be able to submit 2-minute videos to introduce themselves to the university.** **To read more about this dramatic new policy, read the article in Inside Higher Ed.** **Given this turn of events, I imagine we can expect to see similar moves in the not-too-distant future from other highly selective colleges and universities.** **In the meantime, you might want to take a look at the University’s famous – or infamous – supplemental essays. As soon as this coming year’s are posted, I’ll let you know.** **From the [University of Chicago website](https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/uchicago-supplemental-essay-questions):** **The University of Chicago has long been renowned for our provocative essay questions. We think of them as an opportunity for students to tell us about themselves, their tastes, and their ambitions. They can be approached with utter seriousness, complete fancy, or something in between.** **Each year we email newly admitted and current College students and ask them for essay topics. We receive several hundred responses, many of which are eloquent, intriguing, or downright wacky.** **As you can see from the attributions, the questions below were inspired by submissions from UChicago students and alumni.** ## **2017-18 UChicago Supplement** ### **Question 1 *(Required)*** **How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.** ### **Question 2: Extended Essay *(Required; Choose one)*** #### **Essay Option 1** **“The aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory, but progress.” —Joseph Joubert** **Sometimes, people talk a lot about popular subjects to assure ‘victory’ in conversation or understanding, and leave behind topics of less popularity, but great personal or intellectual importance. What do you think is important but under-discussed?** ***—Anonymous Suggestion*** #### **Essay Option 2** **Due to a series of clerical errors, there is exactly one typo (an extra letter, a removed letter, or an altered letter) in the name of every department at the University of Chicago. Oops! Describe your new intended major. Why are you interested in it and what courses or areas of focus within it might you want to explore? Potential options include Commuter Science, Bromance Languages and Literatures, Pundamentals: Issues and Texts, Ant History… a full list of unmodified majors ready for your editor’s eye is available here.** ***—Inspired by Josh Kaufman, Class of 2018*** #### **Essay Option 3** **Earth. Fire. Wind. Water. Heart! Captain Planet supposes that the world is made up of these five elements. We’re familiar with the previously-noted set and with actual elements like hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon, but select and explain another small group of things (say, under five) that you believe compose our world.** ***—Inspired by Dani Plung, Class of 2017*** #### **Essay Option 4** **The late New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham once said “Fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life. I don’t think you could do away with it. It would be like doing away with civilization.” Tell us about your “armor.”** ***—Inspired by Adam Berger, Class of 2020*** #### **Essay Option 5** **Fans of the movie Sharknado say that they enjoy it because “it’s so bad, it’s good.” Certain automobile owners prefer classic cars because they “have more character.” And recently, vinyl record sales have skyrocketed because it is perceived that they have a warmer, fuller sound. Discuss something that you love not in spite of but rather due to its quirks or imperfections.** ***—Inspired by Alex Serbanescu, Class of 2021*** #### **Essay Option 6** **In the spirit of adventurous inquiry, pose your own question or choose one of our past prompts. Be original, creative, thought provoking. Draw on your best qualities as a writer, thinker, visionary, social critic, sage, citizen of the world, or future citizen of the University of Chicago; take a little risk, and have fun.** ## **Some classic questions from previous years…** **Joan of Arkansas. Queen Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Babe Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Mash up a historical figure with a new time period, environment, location, or occupation, and tell us their story.** ***—Inspired by Drew Donaldson, AB’16*** --- **Alice falls down the rabbit hole. Milo drives through the tollbooth. Dorothy is swept up in the tornado. Neo takes the red pill. Don’t tell us about another world you’ve imagined, heard about, or created. Rather, tell us about its portal. Sure, some people think of the University of Chicago as a portal to their future, but please choose another portal to write about.** ***—Inspired by Raphael Hallerman, Class of 2020*** --- **What’s so odd about odd numbers?** ***—Inspired by Mario Rosasco, AB’09*** --- **Vestigiality refers to genetically determined structures or attributes that have apparently lost most or all of their ancestral function, but have been retained during the process of evolution. In humans, for instance, the appendix is thought to be a vestigial structure. Describe something vestigial (real or imagined) and provide an explanation for its existence.** ***—Inspired by Tiffany Kim, Class of 2020*** --- **In French, there is no difference between “conscience” and “consciousness.” In Japanese, there is a word that specifically refers to the splittable wooden chopsticks you get at restaurants. The German word “fremdschämen” encapsulates the feeling you get when you’re embarrassed on behalf of someone else. All of these require explanation in order to properly communicate their meaning, and are, to varying degrees, untranslatable. Choose a word, tell us what it means, and then explain why it cannot (or should not) be translated from its original language.** ***—Inspired by Emily Driscoll, Class of 2018*** --- **Little pigs, French hens, a family of bears. Blind mice, musketeers, the Fates. Parts of an atom, laws of thought, a guideline for composition. Omne trium perfectum? Create your own group of threes, and describe why and how they fit together.** ***—Inspired by Zilin Cui, Class of 2018*** --- **The mantis shrimp can perceive both polarized light and multispectral images; they have the most complex eyes in the animal kingdom. Human eyes have color receptors for three colors (red, green, and blue); the mantis shrimp has receptors for sixteen types of color, enabling them to see a spectrum far beyond the capacity of the human brain. Seriously, how cool is the mantis shrimp: mantisshrimp.uchicago.edu What might they be able to see that we cannot? What are we missing?** ***—Inspired by Tess Moran, AB’16*** --- **How are apples and oranges supposed to be compared? Possible answers involve, but are not limited to, statistics, chemistry, physics, linguistics, and philosophy.** ***—Inspired by Florence Chan, AB’15*** --- **The ball is in your court—a penny for your thoughts, but say it, don’t spray it. So long as you don’t bite off more than you can chew, beat around the bush, or cut corners, writing this essay should be a piece of cake. Create your own idiom, and tell us its origin—you know, the whole nine yards. PS: A picture is worth a thousand words.** ***—Inspired by April Bell, AB’17, and Maya Shaked, Class of 2018 (It takes two to tango.)*** --- **“A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies.” –Oscar Wilde. Othello and Iago. Dorothy and the Wicked Witch. Autobots and Decepticons. History and art are full of heroes and their enemies. Tell us about the relationship between you and your arch-nemesis (either real or imagined).** ***—Inspired by Martin Krzywy, AB’16*** --- **Heisenberg claims that you cannot know both the position and momentum of an electron with total certainty. Choose two other concepts that cannot be known simultaneously and discuss the implications. (Do not consider yourself limited to the field of physics).** ***—Inspired by Doran Bennett, AB’07*** --- **Susan Sontag, AB’51, wrote that “\[s\]ilence remains, inescapably, a form of speech.” Write about an issue or a situation when you remained silent, and explain how silence may speak in ways that you did or did not intend. The Aesthetics of Silence, 1967.** ***—Anonymous Suggestion*** --- **“…I \[was\] eager to escape backward again, to be off to invent a past for the present.” —The Rose Rabbi by Daniel Stern** **Present: pres·ent** **1. Something that is offered, presented, or given as a gift.** **Let’s stick with this definition. Unusual presents, accidental presents, metaphorical presents, re-gifted presents, etc.—pick any present you have ever received and invent a past for it.** ***—Inspired by Jennifer Qin, AB’16*** --- **So where is Waldo, really?** ***—Inspired by Robin Ye, AB’16*** **[READ THE REST ](https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/uchicago-supplemental-essay-questions)** ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/06/14/u-chicago-home-of-quirkiest-college-app-essays-makes-big-news/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/06/14/u-chicago-home-of-quirkiest-college-app-essays-makes-big-news/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/06/14/u-chicago-home-of-quirkiest-college-app-essays-makes-big-news/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20U%20Chicago%20-%20Home%20of%20Quirkiest%20College%20App%20Essays%20-%20Makes%20Big%20News&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2018%2F06%2F14%2Fu-chicago-home-of-quirkiest-college-app-essays-makes-big-news%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/06/14/u-chicago-home-of-quirkiest-college-app-essays-makes-big-news/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/06/14/u-chicago-home-of-quirkiest-college-app-essays-makes-big-news/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/06/14/u-chicago-home-of-quirkiest-college-app-essays-makes-big-news/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** ACT test optional, Best College Application Essays, College Application Essay, college application essay, College Application Essay help, college application essay prompts, college application prompts, Common App Essay Tutor, Common application essay consultant, Common Application essay help, Harvard Admissions, How to Write College Application Essay, Ivy League Admissions, Personal Essay Coach, Personal Essay Tutor, SAT/ACT, SAT/ACT Test Prep, Test Optional, Tips for College Application Essays **Tags:** ACT scores for University of Chicago, best college app essays, best college application essays, best personal statements, College App Essay Coach, college app essay help, college app essays, college application essay, college application essay help. college application essay tutor, college consultant, college essay coach, Common Application essay, personal statement, SAT scores for University of Chicago, SAT/ACT test scores --- ### [Can I Rewrite My Common Application Essay after ED Rejection/Deferral?](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/12/09/can-i-rewrite-my-common-application-essay-after-ed-rejection-deferral/) **Published:** December 9, 2018 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** If you’re a senior in high school applying to college – or live in a household where someone else is – this coming week may be the most stressful of the process to date. This is the infamous “mid-December” when tens of thousands of students will hear from first-choice colleges and universities about **EARLY DECISION** and **EARLY ACTION** applications. Of course, everyone wants good news. But no matter how you do the math, there will be plenty of not such great news coming to many. When colleges admit 5 or 10 or 15 percent of the applicants, the remaining 95, 90, or 85 percent will get NO or MAYBE (deferral). What to do when that happens? 1\. Do the math again and nod your head. The numbers tell the story. 2\. Recognize that you have A LOT of company in the same situation. 3\. Grouse, grumble, curse the gods, the SAT, the GPA, the kid next door, your 10th grade physics teacher – whatever and whoever you want – and then pick yourself up and get back in the game. I am constantly impressed and amazed by the students I work with and the lessons they’ve learned by the time I encounter them: they know that hard work, resilience, patience and doing it all over again pay off. Some learn these lessons on the football field, some in the school orchestra, and others in a science lab. If you’re turned down from the college you had your heart set on, give yourself a day of mourning and then get back to work. If you have been deferred, turn your attention to the other colleges on your list, and return to the deferred college with a list of suggestions once you’ve applied elsewhere (**see my suggestions from last year** **here.)** One question students and their parents often have at this point is: **CAN I REVISE MY COMMON APPLICATION FOR OTHER COLLEGES?** The good news is YES – IF you have not already submitted an application to that college. From the Common App website: # *Is there a limit to the number of edits I can make to my personal essay once I’ve submitted an application?* *You are allowed unlimited edits to the essay after your first application submission.* *To edit your personal essay, go back into the Common App tab and click on the **Writing** section. Simply click the “Edit” link to start the process. Be sure to save any changes by clicking “Continue” when you’re finished.* ____________________________________________________________________________ **Many people contact me at this time of year – when they’ve been turned down or deferred at first-choice colleges – and they’re scrambling to get new application essays ready for January 1 deadlines. Please send me an email or phone (East Coast time, please!) and I’d be happy to help you get through this period: 1 855-99-ESSAY** <Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/12/09/can-i-rewrite-my-common-application-essay-after-ed-rejection-deferral/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/12/09/can-i-rewrite-my-common-application-essay-after-ed-rejection-deferral/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/12/09/can-i-rewrite-my-common-application-essay-after-ed-rejection-deferral/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Can%20I%20Rewrite%20My%20Common%20Application%20Essay%20after%20ED%20Rejection%2FDeferral%3F&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2018%2F12%2F09%2Fcan-i-rewrite-my-common-application-essay-after-ed-rejection-deferral%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/12/09/can-i-rewrite-my-common-application-essay-after-ed-rejection-deferral/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/12/09/can-i-rewrite-my-common-application-essay-after-ed-rejection-deferral/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/12/09/can-i-rewrite-my-common-application-essay-after-ed-rejection-deferral/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Best 384 Colleges, Best College Application Essays, Brown admissions, Brown essay prompts, Brown supplements, Brown University application essays, Brown University supplements, College Application Essay, college application essay, College Application Essay help, college application essay prompts, college application prompts, Common App Essay Tutor, Common application essay consultant, Common Application essay help, great college application essay, Harvard Admissions, hiring a consultant, how parents can help, How to Write College Application Essay, Ivy League Admissions, Personal Essay Coach, Personal Essay Tutor, SAT/ACT, Test Optional, Tips for College Application Essays, Tips on Writing Your College Application Essay, Uncategorized, what can a coach do, Yale Admissions **Tags:** can I rewrite my common application essay, college app essay, college essay coach, college essay consultant, college essay tutor, Common App essay, Harvard deferral, Harvard rejection, Ivy League rejection, regular decision, rejection ivy league, supplements, Yale deferral, Yale rejection --- ### [College Application Essays Matter at Yale-Even About Pizza!](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/06/04/college-application-essays-matter-at-yale-even-about-pizza/) **Published:** June 4, 2017 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** Today’s **[Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2017/06/04/the-papa-johns-pizza-admissions-essay-that-yale-loved/?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_gp-yale-1146am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory)** brings one of the more revealing – and surprising – articles about college applications essays that I’ve ever read. The key words are Yale, pizza, and Auburn University. But the main point is that the Yale Admissions Office reads students’ entire applications, whether the prompts are from the Common Application or the supplements. The secondary point is that the 196-word essay about pizza did *not* get Carolina Williams into Yale on its own. It was combined with the rest of her essays, her academic record, and another salient feature brought out in the article: that she had read 100 books in a year. For some enlightenment and a surprise ending (about where Carolina Williams decided to go to college), please read the entire piece, [“The college admissions essay about Papa John’s Pizza that Yale loved, highlighted edition.”](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2017/06/04/the-papa-johns-pizza-admissions-essay-that-yale-loved/?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_gp-yale-1146am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory) Once you’re done, have a look at my earlier post on applying to Yale. Shoot me an email if you’re interested in talking about help with your college application essays: <Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/06/04/college-application-essays-matter-at-yale-even-about-pizza/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/06/04/college-application-essays-matter-at-yale-even-about-pizza/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/06/04/college-application-essays-matter-at-yale-even-about-pizza/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20College%20Application%20Essays%20Matter%20at%20Yale-Even%20About%20Pizza%21&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2017%2F06%2F04%2Fcollege-application-essays-matter-at-yale-even-about-pizza%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/06/04/college-application-essays-matter-at-yale-even-about-pizza/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/06/04/college-application-essays-matter-at-yale-even-about-pizza/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/06/04/college-application-essays-matter-at-yale-even-about-pizza/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** College app essay, college app essay coach, college app essay consultant, college app essay coach, common app essay prompts, common app essay consultant, best college app essays, SAT prep, ACT prep, College Application Essay, College Application Essay help, Tips on Writing Your College Application Essay, Yale Admissions, Yale Essay Prompts **Tags:** college app essays, College Application Essays, Common Application Essay help, common application essay prompts, help with Yale application essays, Yale Admissions, Yale Application essays, Yale personal statements --- ### [College Waitlists: What Can/Should You Do Next?](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/03/30/college-waitlists-what-can-should-you-do-next/) **Published:** March 30, 2022 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** **UPDATE #2. THE MORNING AFTER April 1: This website compiled stats for [the class of 2026](https://www.collegekickstart.com/blog/category/class-of-2026), and the percentages of acceptances are … well, shocking. If you’ve been turned down or waitlisted, you’ve got a lot of company. This has been a time of crisis and adaption for all of us. If you’ve been waitlisted, please read my blog post and try to keep your spirits up ….** **It’s most important to keep in mind: WAITLISTS ARE EXTREMELY UNPREDICTABLE, AND THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ADMITTED OFF WAITLISTS CAN BE ZERO. Make other plans, even if you put energy into writing LOICs.** **UPDATE:** **9PM MARCH 31. Harvard admits record low 3.19% of applicants. Yale admits record-low 4.5%. Columbia: 3.75%.** **These percentages mean there is a lot of disappointment for those who were turned down and uncertainty for those who have been wait-listed.** **These numbers are indicators of how difficult it is this year to gain admission to the most selective colleges and universities. With SAT/ACT tests optional, thousands more students are applying to the most selective institutions and universities may be looking at less quantifiable qualities than those tests contain.** **Getting off the waitlists at Harvard and Yale is usually unlikely, but thousands of others have been waitlisted elsewhere across the country, where waitlists have much more movement. Please read some of the possibilities you have if you’re on a waitlist or two or three. And hang in there….** **ORIGINAL POST:** **If you’re reading this blog post, it’s most likely that you’ve been waitlisted at a college you really want to attend. You are NOT alone!** With tens of thousands of highly qualified students applying to a dozen and more colleges each, colleges are awash in great applicants AN![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com//wp-content/uploads/images-2.png)D unpredictable enrollments. They admit students based on *predictions* of who will actually enroll based on *yields* from previous years. But the COVID admissions landscape brought surprises. For instance, in 2019, Stanford’s yield rate was 82 percent but it dipped in the fall of 2020 to 68 percent. Yale’s yield rate dipped from 69 percent in 2019 to 55 percent in 2020. Colleges use waitlists to ensure that they can fill the incoming class with highly qualified students even if the yield rate changes. With the spike in applications last year and this year — with some colleges seeing a 15% to 25% percent increase in just two years — colleges have to do a lot of hedging their bets in their predictions of who will enroll. *If we say YES to this student, will she say YES to us?* If she’s applied to 15 colleges, she can only say YES to one of them… You see the problem. Students are not the only ones who want to be chosen. With the huge numbers of applicants and the significant number of people on waitlists, there will be a lot of shuffling going on in the next weeks and months. **Keep in mind: College waitlists are NOT numerical.** They don’t take the first person who replied and go down the list. The admissions officers see who has said NO to the offer and find someone to (more or less) replace them. It is as unpredictable as the admissions process itself. AND it is not about merit. If you’re on the **waitlist, they know you can do the work.** **What should you do now?** 1. **Choose whether you want to stay on the waitlist or not. This means evaluating your options, but you are not committing yourself to anything. You CAN accept positions on the waitlist of more than one college.** 2. **Put down the deposit at another college, knowing that this may be the college you go to.** 3. **Update the waitlisted college(s) on your continuing interest and if you have done anything significant since applying in November or January: academic projects, extracurricular accomplishments, personal bests. If X College is your first-choice and you are committed to going there if admitted, SAY SO!** 4. **As disappointed as you may be, carry on as though you will not get off the waitlist — because the chances are so unpredictable.** **If you’re muddling through this and want an extra pair of eyes on whatever you write or whatever you do next, please give me a call or send me an email.** #### If you’re at an earlier stage in your college application process and need help with your Common App essay or are considering hiring a coach, please take a look at my strategies for writing the essay [here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=2217&action=edit). For information about working with me and my values, please click here. #### If you’re interested, I can help with [college selection](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/02/15/how-to-choose-colleges-2-great-resources/). <ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com> **1-855-99-ESSAY** ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/03/30/college-waitlists-what-can-should-you-do-next/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/03/30/college-waitlists-what-can-should-you-do-next/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/03/30/college-waitlists-what-can-should-you-do-next/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20College%20Waitlists%3A%20What%20Can%2FShould%20You%20Do%20Next%3F&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2022%2F03%2F30%2Fcollege-waitlists-what-can-should-you-do-next%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/03/30/college-waitlists-what-can-should-you-do-next/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/03/30/college-waitlists-what-can-should-you-do-next/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/03/30/college-waitlists-what-can-should-you-do-next/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** I'm on the waiting list, Waiting list, waitlist, What do I do if I'm on the waiting list?, Yale Waitlist **Tags:** Brown waitlist, College waitlist, Harvard waitlist, I'm on the Waiting List, Waiting list, waitlist, what do I do on waiting list?, Yale waitlist --- ### [U Mich Supp Essays for 2025-26 & Big News](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/07/11/u-michigan-new-supplemental-essays-for-2025-26-big-news/) **Published:** July 11, 2025 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** The University of Michigan’s got essay news and other admissions and academic news! There is a new [dual degree program: Engineering and Business](https://rossweb.bus.umich.edu/academics/dual-degrees-minors-special-programs/bba-dual/engineering/) and a new education program for those who want to go into teaching. AND: Students can now apply to Michigan EARLY DECISION, not just Early Action. Instead of waiting till the Nov. 1 deadlines, students applying ED can submit applications starting Aug. 1! From the U Michigan press release: “Early Decision is being offered in addition to Early Action, which requires prospective first-year students to apply by Nov. 1 for a decision by late January. Students applying through Early Action have until May 1 to commit. “Under the new Early Decision program, first-year students will be able to apply from Aug. 1, when the Common Application opens, to Nov. 1.” Decisions will be made by the end of December. (Let’s hope that turns out to be mid-December.) The new supplemental essay is in addition to the Common App essay and the Michigan supplement that’s been around for years. Here are both supplements: 1. At the University of Michigan, we are focused on developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future. In your essay, share with us how you are prepared to contribute to these goals. This could include the people, places, experiences, or aspirations that have shaped your journey and future plans *(required for all applicants; 100 word minimum; 300 word maximum)*. 2. Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate college or school (including preferred admission and dual degree programs) to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests *(required for all applicants; 100 word minimum; 500 word maximum)?* Pleasea note: there is little to no financial aid available at Michigan to out-of-state students! If you want to learn more about working with me, please [click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/). If you want learn more about applying to Michigan or any other universities, [please write](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/contact-liz/) or call 1-855-99-ESSAY. And thanks for stopping by. –Liz ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/07/11/u-michigan-new-supplemental-essays-for-2025-26-big-news/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/07/11/u-michigan-new-supplemental-essays-for-2025-26-big-news/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/07/11/u-michigan-new-supplemental-essays-for-2025-26-big-news/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20U%20Mich%20Supp%20Essays%20for%202025-26%20%26%20Big%20News&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2025%2F07%2F11%2Fu-michigan-new-supplemental-essays-for-2025-26-big-news%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/07/11/u-michigan-new-supplemental-essays-for-2025-26-big-news/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/07/11/u-michigan-new-supplemental-essays-for-2025-26-big-news/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/07/11/u-michigan-new-supplemental-essays-for-2025-26-big-news/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Uncategorized --- ### [A Great Common App Essay -- Can You Write One?](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/07/28/what-makes-a-great-common-app-essay/) **Published:** July 28, 2021 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** #### ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-content/uploads/download-18.jpg)You: “What makes a great Common App essay?” Me: “It’s wide open. Colleges want to know who you are. What drives you, makes you tick, gets you revved up.” #### **Striving for the excellent Common App essay — or the Best Common App essay — has become a national pursuit. So when parents and students get in touch with me, they’re often frantic. They’re overwhelmed, certain they will never figure it out.** #### In case you haven’t (yet) memorized the Common App Essay prompts for 2022-23, [here they are.](https://www.commonapp.org/blog/2022-2023-common-app-essay-prompts) #### **My advice starts here: “Write about what you love. What you care about. What you find fascinating. What’s on your mind — or what in your background has shaped you, inspired you, gotten in your way, and made you who you are.”** #### **Write about a situation in your life that sets you apart. About an event that made a difference. A subject you absolutely love. A time you messed up badly and what you learned from it. Or something that matters to you as a student or a citizen of the world.** #### **Or take a look at** **[my post that breaks down the Common App essay prompts. ](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/18/common-app-essay-prompts-love/)** S**ee what events, insights, and important moments come to mind. Which one has the most energy? A story with energy you can feel can turn into a great Common App essay.** ### **A Great Common App Essay Isn’t Everything** #### **College admissions offices will look at ALL of you, not just your application essays. Your essay is one piece of the pie, so it does not need to include everything about you. Your grades, scores, teacher recommendations and extra curricular activities give the colleges a lot of information that’s crucial in evaluating you. The essay is something extra. It’s the sense of your beating heart, your enthusiasms, your struggles.** #### **Keep your language simple. It should not sound like an academic paper but a letter to a friend, maybe even a conversation with someone who wants to know you better. It needs specific details, precise language, and some serious reflection about your subject, whether it’s the story of:** - #### **your first job scooping ice cream and how it helped you grow;** - #### **why you love math;** - #### **how growing up as the only child of two much older parents has affected you;** - #### **why you love old-fashioned paper maps — and where they’ve taken you;** - #### **what being Jewish in a very non-Jewish town has meant to you;** - #### **how moving from one region of the country to another affected you — from conservative Houston to liberal Boston or vice versa;** - #### **the weekend-long leadership conference that changed your outlook and ambitions.** ### **A Few More Tips for Your Great Common App Essay** #### **Make sure your essay matches the rest of your record. If you’re a top student with stellar grades, many AP courses, and impressive extra-curricular activities, your essay should sound like the person we see elsewhere in the application. If your record is uneven and you’ve struggled through high school, it can be good to write about a subject you love.** #### Facing the blank page can be terrifying. Writers have a few tricks for avoiding that: **if you have an idea what you want to write but don’t know how to get started, don’t sit at the computer with your eyes firmly on the screen in a state of panic. Instead:** - #### **Carry around a notebook or your phone, and jot down notes whenever they come to you, even if it’s just a word.** - #### **Do some free writing either by hand or on the screen. Forget about sentences and paragraphs and just write out whatever comes to mind on the subject** - #### **An hour later – or a day – go over what you’ve written and underline the strongest phrases and sentences. Underline what you want to keep and start your essay on another page or farther down the screen. And then tell the next line of the story you’re telling.** #### **An excellent Common App essay does not have to be about a topic no one has ever written. In a personal statement, colleges are not looking for originality but authenticity – your real voice, your real concerns, your ability to reflect and express yourself.** #### **I work with students at all stages of the process of the admissions process. If you’ve written an essay and want a review, I can do that. If you’ve written an essay and need an editor, ditto. Or if you’re groping around in the dark unsure about where to start, I can help you find your way.** #### **To find out more about what I can do for you and your essays, Please click here.** To learn more about my values as a college essay coach, please [click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/a-college-app-essay-tutor-confesses/). If you’re already thinking about supplements, read my comments about Princeton’s here and the University of Chicago [here.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/07/14/the-best-university-of-chicago-application-essays-prompts-2021-22/) #### Yes, you CAN write a great Common App essay. I’ve worked with hundreds of students who were as unsure about this as you are right now. It may not be a walk in the park or a piece of cake (avoid clichés!), but you’ll have fun and produce essays you’re proud of. #### <ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com> ### 1-855-99-ESSAY ### Thanks for visiting. ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-content/uploads/images-2.png) ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/07/28/what-makes-a-great-common-app-essay/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/07/28/what-makes-a-great-common-app-essay/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/07/28/what-makes-a-great-common-app-essay/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20A%20Great%20Common%20App%20Essay%20--%20Can%20You%20Write%20One%3F&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2021%2F07%2F28%2Fwhat-makes-a-great-common-app-essay%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/07/28/what-makes-a-great-common-app-essay/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/07/28/what-makes-a-great-common-app-essay/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/07/28/what-makes-a-great-common-app-essay/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Best College Application Essays, college app essay, College app essay coach, College Application Essay, college application essay tutor, Common App essay 2022-23 **Tags:** Common App essay, Common App essay prompts, great Common App essay --- ### [Ideal Common App Essay Timetable](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/09/ideal-common-application-essays-timetable/) **Published:** April 9, 2022 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** **As an essay coach, I’m often asked, “What’s the Common App essay timetable? When should my kid start writing The Essay?”** **I’m so glad you asked! It’s not as easy an answer as “the 4th of July”– though that CAN be a good time to start.** The Common App Essay, AKA the Personal Statement, is the spine of many college applications, unless you’re applying to MIT or one of the state universities that does not use the Common Application. I’ve had families contact me for the first time on December 25th (yes, Christmas DAY) for applications due on January 1. Don’t be that family! This past year, I got an email from a student at 8pm on New Year’s Eve — application due January 1st. Don’t be that student! If it’s not Christmas, what should be your essay timetable? While you can begin writing your Common Application now because the [essay prompts are already available](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/03/10/write-your-best-common-app-essay-prompts-2022-23/) — as are theUniversity of California [Personal Insight questions — ](https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/applying-as-a-freshman/personal-insight-questions.html)most students comfortably begin when they get out of school in June. **If possible, the summer before senior year is a great time to do some or all of your admissions essays–Common App and supplements. But it’s not always possible — and I’ve worked with many students throughout the fall on the process. But once June and July come around, the sooner the better IS a good frame of mind.** Depending on the colleges you choose, there may be a wide variety of required essays . If you want a list of prompts for the Common App, University of California, Texas, and Michigan, and prompts for about 30 colleges for this past year, please email me and I’ll send you a Word Doc. <ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com> If you’re not sure about your college list, these are two resources I love: One is free — [Niche.com](https://niche.com) — and one is about $25: **The Best 387** Colleges, published every August by Princeton Review. And the number in the title goes up every year, so that the title will not stay the same. You can read about these **[resources on my post. ](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/09/19/hard-to-write-great-college-app-essays-if/)** If your goal for the summer is to write your Common App essay or those of non-Common App universities (ie MIT, the University of California or Texas), it’s doable if you start early in summer; don’t wait for August. Oftentimes, the supplements for many colleges are not finalized or known until August 1, when the Common Application itself goes live. Sometimes, colleges DO publish the supplemental essays before August 1. It’s unpredictable! **There is a lot to keep track of, particularly if you haven’t been through this process before.** Please let me know if you want suggestions, support or advice as you and your family approach this high stakes period. It’s often stressful and can leave parents and students feeling lost and helpless. If that’s where you are, shoot me an email or give me a call. Do yourself a favor, and don’t wait until Christmas Day. Or New Year’s Eve. **To find out more about what I can do for you and your application, Please click here.** To learn more about my values as a college admissions essay coach, please [click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/08/a-college-app-essay-tutor-confesses/). If you’re interested, I can help with [college selection](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/02/15/how-to-choose-colleges-2-great-resources/). And to find out why I love this year’s Common App essay prompts, [please click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/18/common-app-essay-prompts-love/). **<ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com> 1-855-99-ESSAY (East Coast time!)** Thanks for visiting. ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/09/ideal-common-application-essays-timetable/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/09/ideal-common-application-essays-timetable/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/09/ideal-common-application-essays-timetable/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Ideal%20Common%20App%20Essay%20Timetable&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2022%2F04%2F09%2Fideal-common-application-essays-timetable%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/09/ideal-common-application-essays-timetable/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/09/ideal-common-application-essays-timetable/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/04/09/ideal-common-application-essays-timetable/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Best College Application Essays, College app essay, college app essay coach, college app essay consultant, college app essay coach, common app essay prompts, common app essay consultant, best college app essays, SAT prep, ACT prep, College Application Essay, college application essay, College Essay Prompts 2022-23, Common App essay 2022-23, Common App essay prompts, Common Application essay help, great college application essay, hiring a consultant, Personal Statement 2022-23 **Tags:** Common App essay, personal statement, when should i begin my personal statement College admissions prompts 2022-23 --- ### [Do College Application Essays Matter?](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/02/09/college-application-essays-matter/) **Published:** February 9, 2023 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** College application essays matter. Now more than ever. And they will matter in the 2023-24 cycle. Now that “test-optional” and “test blind” (the entire University of California system) are the default for most of the country’s most selective institutions, applications have spiked. That means acceptance rates have plummeted, and the admissions landscape is more unpredictable than ever. BTW, [MIT](https://news.mit.edu/2022/stuart-schmill-sat-act-requirement-0328) and [Georgetown](https://uadmissions.georgetown.edu/applying/preparation-process/) still require SATs or ACTs. When I talk to the parents of 11th graders, they often don’t know what “college application essays” mean — how many there are, how varied and complex, and how much labor it takes to do them well. But they are only part of the picture. How are students chosen and judged for admission to top colleges? There is no secret sauce. There is no magic mix. But these elements are critical: High grade point average. The rigor of the classes you take (have you taken the most rigorous courses available at your school? have you taken courses outside of school, perhaps dual degree programs or college-level courses?). The depth and consistency of your extra-curricular activities. The level of leadership and impact in what you do. Your teacher recommendations (except at the University of California, where they are not required). And the quality of your application essays — whether it’s just the Common Application essay, the Common App plus various supplements, or the essays that are unique to MIT and the University of California. If you want a Word Doc of essay prompts for some 35 colleges? Shoot me an email with “College Application Essays” in the subject line. In answer to questions you may be wondering: Can great college application essays make up for average or uneven grades when you’re aiming for top colleges? No. Can average essays sink an otherwise strong application? Yes. What’s the right amount of everything necessary to gain admission? Again, there are no neat answers and guaranteed acceptances. But if you’re a strong student, you need strong essays. And if you’re a weaker or uneven student — someone who might have messed up 9th grade but found your way later on — good essays can help you make your case. I’m writing this on February 14, 2023, after Early Decisions have been announced but before Regular Decisions. Many of the students I worked with gained admission to their ED choices. Others were deferred, and still others were rejected. More will be revealed come March and April. Among the acceptances so far for students I worked with: Yale, Brown, Rice, Boston College, Middlebury, USC, University of Wisconsin, St. Olaf’s, and the University Colorado. **These are the new testimonials from students and their parents. I hope they are helpful to you in understand what I do. You may also want to read [this](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/06/08/college-admissions-2022-23-rethinking-strategies-since-covid/), about what’s happened in admissions since COVID, and [this,](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2022/05/23/a-college-essay-coach-whats-the-advantage/) about what I do in general. And the full list of testimonials is [here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/).** In the meantime, here’s what others have to say: “Liz was so helpful throughout the entire application process! Her thoughtful feedback helped me turn even my most convoluted ideas into beautiful, polished essays. My experience with Liz made the whole stressful affair of applying to college bearable.” JH, Early Decision, Brown, Class of 2027 Dear Liz: My daughter was officially accepted ED to Middlebury, and she’s over the moon. Huge thanks for all you’ve done to help us out. Can’t wait for daughter #2 to use you next year! — JC, Early Decision, Middlebury, Class of 2027 After working with Liz, my son embraced the art of storytelling. His confidence in his ability to craft and tell a story concisely and articulately has increased substantially. He was accepted into his top school, but the most important lesson learned was rooted in the belief that a left-brained learning mathematics student can tap into his right-brained creative side. Yes, she succeeded in assisting him with college applications, but more importantly, she made him a much better writer. — **USC, Class of 2027** #### I had my eye on Boston College, with a plan to apply Early Decision I, so I wanted to make sure that both my common app essay and my Boston College supplemental essay were well written. I was having trouble picking a topic for my common app essay, and Liz had some great ways for me to tease out a bunch of ideas and ultimately pick the best one to expand on. The Boston College supplemental prompts were very deep and overwhelming to think about, but Liz helped keep my focus on what I wanted to write about while making sure it answered the prompt. I learned some great writing tools that certainly made writing other supplementals easier and will definitely serve me well in the future. I really believe my essays played a big role in my acceptance.” MT, Early Decision Boston College 2027 #### It’s a privilege to work with smart, ambitious students in this challenging atmosphere. Please give me a call or shoot me an email to find out more. #### 1-885-99-ESSAY and <Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/02/09/college-application-essays-matter/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/02/09/college-application-essays-matter/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/02/09/college-application-essays-matter/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Do%20College%20Application%20Essays%20Matter%3F&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2023%2F02%2F09%2Fcollege-application-essays-matter%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/02/09/college-application-essays-matter/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/02/09/college-application-essays-matter/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/02/09/college-application-essays-matter/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Best College Application Essays, best college essay prompts, Best Essay prompts, college application essays **Tags:** best college application essays, college app essays, College Application Essays, college essays --- ### [College Acceptances & Your College App Essays](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/12/13/college-acceptances-your-college-app-essays/) **Published:** December 13, 2023 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** A big week for college acceptances and your college app essays. My stomach is in knots, waiting to hear news from all the students I advised on their Common App essays and applications. This is the first of the high anxiety weeks! Fingers X’d for all of you (& your families). — You’ll get 1 of 3 answers: YES (!), NO 🙁 or DEFERRED (aka Maybe later). — What to do if you’re DEFERRED or REJECTED: 1. Grieve for a little while & then PICK YOURSELF UP and MOVE ON. 2. If you haven’t already prepared the rest of applications, you have limited time to do that, so get back on the horse soon. 3. Review yr Common App essay & activites to see whether they hold up. That’s something I do, if you’re interested. 4. You might need help applying to other colleges, in case you put all your eggs in that one college basket. I can help with that too. 5. Quite often I get desperate calls on Dec. 20, 24, 26 and even Dec. 30!!! Hey, don’t wait if you think you might want help. And why contact me? [Click Here For Some Reasons to Contact Me](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/). If this could be you, send me an email or pick up the phone (East Coast time zone): <ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com> ~~ 1-855-99-ESSAY ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/12/13/college-acceptances-your-college-app-essays/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/12/13/college-acceptances-your-college-app-essays/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/12/13/college-acceptances-your-college-app-essays/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20College%20Acceptances%20%26%20Your%20College%20App%20Essays&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2023%2F12%2F13%2Fcollege-acceptances-your-college-app-essays%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/12/13/college-acceptances-your-college-app-essays/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/12/13/college-acceptances-your-college-app-essays/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/12/13/college-acceptances-your-college-app-essays/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** College Application Essay, College Application Essay help, Common App Essay Tutor, Common application essay consultant, Common Application essay help, great college application essay **Tags:** college acceptance, college admissions, college app essays, Common App essay --- ### [Do College Application Essays Matter?](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/02/16/do-college-application-essays-matter/) **Published:** February 16, 2026 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** This is a trick question. Of course college application essays matter, whether you’re writing your Common App essay or supplementals! And they are one piece of a much larger mosaic of considerations as colleges consider you. Essays make you come alive on the page/screen, they reveal your academic and other interests, and indicate what you might contribute to the community, all though telling stories and the reflecting you do. They allow admissions officers to”get you” quickly and powerfully. And the process of writing the essays will help you understand yourself, your interests, and your ambitions. You will be able to articulate all of that in ways you might not have been able to do before. If you’re on this site, you’re looking for an essay tutor or essay coach to help with the personal statement or other application essays. AND you’re looking to see what kind of results I get. Please click [HERE](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/cost-and-location/) for a list of colleges and universities where students I’ve worked with have been admitted. And click [HERE](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/) for testimonials from parents and students. ## College Application Essays in the Current Admissions Cycle And keep reading for these up-to-date acceptances and testimonials from the current cycle. ED to U Michigan: “We are so happy! Thanks again for your help- it may have been the essays that tipped the balance.” ED to Dartmouth: “Thank YOU so much for being a part of her journey to fulfill her dream! “ ED to Colgate: “You are a godsend.” EA to Cooper Union: “S. was accepted to Cooper Union… her top choice We all cried when we saw the letter. SO grateful for your help in supporting S. on this next part of their journey…I know without a doubt that you played a big role, and I’m so grateful.” But don’t listen to anyone else. If you’re considering a college consultant, please contact me by email or phone to set up a free consultation about what I do and how I do it–and whether I’m the right person to help you or your high school student with his/her/their college application essays. Click [HERE](mailto:ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com) to send me an email or call 1.-855-99-ESSAY. ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/02/16/do-college-application-essays-matter/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/02/16/do-college-application-essays-matter/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/02/16/do-college-application-essays-matter/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Do%20College%20Application%20Essays%20Matter%3F&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2026%2F02%2F16%2Fdo-college-application-essays-matter%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/02/16/do-college-application-essays-matter/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/02/16/do-college-application-essays-matter/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/02/16/do-college-application-essays-matter/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** College Application Essay help, college application essay tutor, college application essays, college coach, great college application essay, hiring a consultant **Tags:** college application essay, Common App essay, Essay Coach, essay tutor, personal statement --- ### [Yes, You Can Write A College Application Essay About Math](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/04/17/who-says-you-cant-write-an-essay-maybe-even-for-college-applications-about-math/) **Published:** April 17, 2017 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** Did you ever think you could write a college application essay about why you love math? If you’re applying as a math major, you’ll have to. And if math connects with another intented major, it might make sense to touch on. But how do you use words to translate the abstractions that are math? Can a college app essay overcome the difficulty of doing that? As an essay coach-tutor for 17 years, I’ve guided many students in writing about Why math. For a great example of how to put those stories and abstractions into words, read this wonderful essay in [*The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/15/opinion/sunday/the-worlds-most-beautiful-mathematical-equation.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region®ion=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region) by Richard A. Friedman, who explains his own love of math. He writes, “I was doing KenKen, a math puzzle, on a plane recently when a fellow passenger asked why I bothered. I said I did it for the beauty. “O.K., I’ll admit it’s a silly game: You have to make the numbers within the grid obey certain mathematical constraints, and when they do, all the pieces fit nicely together and you get this rush of harmony and order. “Still, it makes me wonder what it is about mathematical thinking that is so elegant and aesthetically appealing. Is it the internal logic? The unique mix of simplicity and explanatory power? Or perhaps just its pure intellectual beauty? “I’ve loved math since I was a kid because it felt like a big game and because it seemed like the laziest thing you could do mentally. After all, how many facts do you need to remember to do math? “Later in college, I got excited by physics…. [READ THE REST](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/15/opinion/sunday/the-worlds-most-beautiful-mathematical-equation.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region®ion=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region) And think about the stories in your life that involve math. When did you first know you liked it? How did your interest in it change over time? What can you envision doing with it in the future? Get in touch if you want to talk about how to proceed on this or any other college application essay subject or question! ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/04/17/who-says-you-cant-write-an-essay-maybe-even-for-college-applications-about-math/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/04/17/who-says-you-cant-write-an-essay-maybe-even-for-college-applications-about-math/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/04/17/who-says-you-cant-write-an-essay-maybe-even-for-college-applications-about-math/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Yes%2C%20You%20Can%20Write%20A%20College%20Application%20Essay%20About%20Math&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2017%2F04%2F17%2Fwho-says-you-cant-write-an-essay-maybe-even-for-college-applications-about-math%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/04/17/who-says-you-cant-write-an-essay-maybe-even-for-college-applications-about-math/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/04/17/who-says-you-cant-write-an-essay-maybe-even-for-college-applications-about-math/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/04/17/who-says-you-cant-write-an-essay-maybe-even-for-college-applications-about-math/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Uncategorized **Tags:** best personal statement, best personal statements, college admissions essay, College App Essay consultant, college application essay, college consultant, Common Application essay, consultant college essay, help with common application essay, hire tutor college application essay, personal statement, personal statement coach, personal statement tutor, tutor college application essay --- ### [Write Your Best College Application Essays with Me...](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/04/19/writing-your-college-application-essays-with-me/) **Published:** April 19, 2025 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** Students I work with on college application essays gain admission to first, second and third choice colleges. They range from the University of Tennessee to West Point, UPenn, Brown and [Harvard](https://www.harvard.edu). From Wake Forest to Barnard and U Michigan, and from Carnegie Mellon to [Vanderbil](https://www.vanderbilt.edu)t, Northeastern and Fordham. Someone asked whether I was happier when a student I worked with got into Harvard than to a much less selective college. My jaw dropped. My job is to help you get into the colleges *you* want to go to. With decades of experience [writing books and journalism, editing](https://www.elizabethbenedict.com) and teaching writing at [Princeton](https://www.princeton.edu) and other Ivy League universities–including 17 years as a college essay coach!–I approach students with the goal of helping them present their interests, ambitions, and experience with clarify, detail and just enough emotion! Working with students on college app essays, students learn to write, think, embrace their accomplishments (without bragging!!), and find the narratives in lives and activities that often feel rushed and haphazard. When you work with me on your personal statements and supplements, there are no formulas, no quick tricks–and your essays could *not* have been written by ChatGPT. I love the sessions we have (Zoom/Facetime & Google Docs) and watching essays and ideas take shape–and confidence grow. I love hearing the results of students’ efforts, and reading what they say about the experience of working with me–like you, I am always trying to improve. I am touched and indebted. Several days ago, I received the comment below. You can read other new and old testimonials [here.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/) “Dear Liz, Working with you was one of the most transformative parts of my college application journey. More than a brilliant essay coach, you’ve also been a mentor, a friend, and most importantly, my biggest advocate since day one. You were there at every step—from our initial brainstorming sessions down to the final edits—and your sharp feedback helped me develop stories that truly reflected who I am. Through the process, I grew not only as a writer, but as a *thinker*. I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to have worked with you—thank you so much!!”— J.W., Harvard, UPenn, Brown, Class of 2029 ## FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE EMAIL ME at <ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com> or call 1-855-99-ESSAY (East Coast time zone). ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/04/19/writing-your-college-application-essays-with-me/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/04/19/writing-your-college-application-essays-with-me/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/04/19/writing-your-college-application-essays-with-me/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Write%20Your%20Best%20College%20Application%20Essays%20with%20Me...&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2025%2F04%2F19%2Fwriting-your-college-application-essays-with-me%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/04/19/writing-your-college-application-essays-with-me/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/04/19/writing-your-college-application-essays-with-me/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/04/19/writing-your-college-application-essays-with-me/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Common App Essay Tutor, Common application essay consultant, Uncategorized --- ### [College App Essays & SCOTUS Decision Ending Affirmative Action](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/06/29/college-app-essays-scotus-decision-ending-affirmative-action/) **Published:** June 29, 2023 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** Dear Readers: The long-awaited SCOTUS decision ending affirmative action has just been announced. Affirmative action is essentially over, in this 6-3 decision. I have not yet had a chance to study the decision, but it DOES address the college application essays as follows. The bottom line: you CAN write about race as it has affected your life in your application essays. Please contact me if you’re applying to college this fall/winter, and you want guidance with this issue and any others related to applications and essays. You can reach me via email:[ liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com](mailto:liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com) or phone: 1-855-99-ESSAY. ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/06/29/college-app-essays-scotus-decision-ending-affirmative-action/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/06/29/college-app-essays-scotus-decision-ending-affirmative-action/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/06/29/college-app-essays-scotus-decision-ending-affirmative-action/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20College%20App%20Essays%20%26%20SCOTUS%20Decision%20Ending%20Affirmative%20Action&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2023%2F06%2F29%2Fcollege-app-essays-scotus-decision-ending-affirmative-action%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/06/29/college-app-essays-scotus-decision-ending-affirmative-action/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/06/29/college-app-essays-scotus-decision-ending-affirmative-action/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2023/06/29/college-app-essays-scotus-decision-ending-affirmative-action/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** college coach **Tags:** Affirmative action, College Application Essays, Common App essay, race, SCOTUS --- ### [Is Your Common App Essay Great Yet?](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/10/20/is-your-common-app-essay-great-yet/) **Published:** October 20, 2024 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** Whether you call it a personal statement or the Common Application Essay, your college application essays matter. (So do the supplements!) The Jan 1 deadlines are coming up. At this time of year, I’m often asked if I can review a Common App essay and supplements. The answer is YES–but you need to get me the work sooner rather than later. In order to review your college app essay, I need: 1. access to your essay(s) on a Word Doc or Google Doc; 2. your transcript (unofficial is fine); 3. your resumé or activities list; 4. a list of colleges you’re applying to — partial list is OK, and should include which school or college within a university (ie School of Engineering/Business at Cornell); 5. possible majors or areas of interest (what will you check on the Common App dropdown menu). I will review your essay(s) and have 1 of 3 responses: 1. Good topic, needs some editing, which I will do for the flat fee; 2. Good topic, needs a lot of editing, which I will do 45 minutes of and use remaining hour to write to you and/or talk to you about issues I encounter 3. Topic does not seem appropriate for your record and your goals. Will meet to discuss other topics/brainstorm, etc. The cost: $300 to review personal statement/Common App essay as above, payable at time of services via Zelle. $375 for **[MIT](https://mitadmissions.org/apply/firstyear/essays-activities-academics/)** or **[University of California](https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/applying-as-a-freshman/personal-insight-questions.html)** essays. Supplemental essays: $30-$85 for each college, depending on number, length and complexity of essays (ie; Boston U, Boston College, Georgia Tech, U Pitt: $30; William and Mary: $50; Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, Stanford, Chicago, Cornell, U Mich, Cal Tech, CMU, WFU: $85). I will review your Common App activities list for $75 (the order and descriptions are important!) Additional time beyond the above is $250 per hour. Please get in touch ASAP if want feedback on any of your college application essays, whether it’s the Common App essay, the personal statement or the supplements! Can you trust me to do a good job? Here’s what **[students and parents](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/)** have had to say about my work for the past 15 years! And if you want to read about my “other” life beyond college app essays, as a novelist and journalist, take a look **[here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Benedict).** Email me at <ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com> ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/10/20/is-your-common-app-essay-great-yet/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/10/20/is-your-common-app-essay-great-yet/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/10/20/is-your-common-app-essay-great-yet/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Is%20Your%20Common%20App%20Essay%20Great%20Yet%3F&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2024%2F10%2F20%2Fis-your-common-app-essay-great-yet%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/10/20/is-your-common-app-essay-great-yet/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/10/20/is-your-common-app-essay-great-yet/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/10/20/is-your-common-app-essay-great-yet/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Uncategorized --- ### [An MIT trend? More and better financial aid?](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/11/22/an-mit-trend-more-and-better-financial-aid/) **Published:** November 22, 2024 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** I don’t usually write about financial aid, but this is BIG NEWS! Last week, [MIT](https://news.mit.edu/2024/mit-tuition-undergraduates-family-income-1120) announced that any admitted student whose family makes under $200K will get free tuition; and under $100K, free everything. In recent days, [Carnegie Mellon](https://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2024/november/new-cmu-pathway-program-to-provide-significant-financial-relief-to-undergraduate-students), University of Texas (for Texas residents only), [Brandeis](https://www.brandeis.edu/), and St. Johns (Annapolis and Santa Fe) have all announced new financial aid opportunities. What a great acknowledgment that the cost is just TOO DAMN HIGH for many families! This is fantastic news! Read more about it [here.](https://www.npr.org/2024/11/22/nx-s1-5202754/free-college-tuition-university-texas-mit-carnegie-mellon) And please get in touch if you’ve got questions, concerns, and feel you or your high school student needs another pair of eyes on essays and applications–on what they’re writing–or struggling to write. Please zap me an email at <ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com> or pick up the phone and call 1-855-99-ESSAY. And if you want to learn more about me and how I help students with their college app essays, please visit this [page of endorsements](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/) from students and parents. ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/11/22/an-mit-trend-more-and-better-financial-aid/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/11/22/an-mit-trend-more-and-better-financial-aid/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/11/22/an-mit-trend-more-and-better-financial-aid/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20An%20MIT%20trend%3F%20More%20and%20better%20financial%20aid%3F&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2024%2F11%2F22%2Fan-mit-trend-more-and-better-financial-aid%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/11/22/an-mit-trend-more-and-better-financial-aid/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/11/22/an-mit-trend-more-and-better-financial-aid/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/11/22/an-mit-trend-more-and-better-financial-aid/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** MIT financial aid, Uncategorized **Tags:** financial aid, MIT financial aid --- ### [Rejected, Deferred & Downhearted. What Now?](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/12/19/rejected-deferred-downhearted-what-now/) **Published:** December 19, 2024 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** Nearly all college Early Decisions & REA decisions have been announced, and there are thousands of students floating on air. AND there are many more disappointments with students and families in a tizzy. If that’s you or your kid or your grandkid, you’re wondering: What to do now? First, you’ve got plenty of company. For the most selective colleges and universities, there are far more rejections and deferrals than acceptances, even among the most talented, accomplished students. Second–and you probably know this–there are many colleges with ED2 to which you can turn your attention, along with the usual Regular Decisions. If that’s you, and you’re STILL in a tizzy, shoot me an email or give me a call. I can review your essays & application, help you figure out how to write more of them, and provide a timeframe. I work with many students in this situation. You can read about my work [here, College Essay Coach Testimonials](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/): Please shoot me an email at [ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com.](mailto:ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com) I’m on the East Coast, so please feel free to pick up the phone and chat. 1-855-99-ESSAY. THIS NUMBER WILL NOT ACCEPT TEXTS. Thank you for visiting! ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/12/19/rejected-deferred-downhearted-what-now/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/12/19/rejected-deferred-downhearted-what-now/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/12/19/rejected-deferred-downhearted-what-now/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Rejected%2C%20Deferred%20%26%20Downhearted.%20What%20Now%3F&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2024%2F12%2F19%2Frejected-deferred-downhearted-what-now%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/12/19/rejected-deferred-downhearted-what-now/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/12/19/rejected-deferred-downhearted-what-now/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/12/19/rejected-deferred-downhearted-what-now/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** deferrals, Early Decision 2, ED2 **Tags:** college early decision deferrals --- ### [Good News for Early Decisions](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/12/28/good-news-for-early-decisions/) **Published:** December 28, 2024 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** By Dec. 17, nearly all students who had applied Early Decision or REA learned the results of their applications. Among the students I worked with this cycle were acceptances to **Barnard**, **Georgetown**, Harvard, **Northwestern**, **Tufts**, and the **University of Pennsylvania.** I will be posting testimonials as I receive them, but I wanted to share two I received so far: “I wanted to reach out to thank you SO much for your guidance and support with my daughter’s personal statement and supplemental questions, and helping her sort through how to best present herself. Your insight and thoughtful approach helped her to articulate her story concisely and meaningfully. Plus, she enjoyed working with you!! She always had wonderful things to say and we’ll be forever grateful that we stumbled across your website.” — J.P., New York, **Barnard Class of 2029**, Early Decision. “Liz made the application process seamless from start to finish. She helped our son stay focused on the tone and details of his essays, and showed him how to keep a realistic schedule so he was finished well ahead of his classmates. He was able to get into his dream school, Tufts, for early decision!” J.M., New England, **Tufts Class of 2029** ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/12/28/good-news-for-early-decisions/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/12/28/good-news-for-early-decisions/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/12/28/good-news-for-early-decisions/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Good%20News%20for%20Early%20Decisions&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2024%2F12%2F28%2Fgood-news-for-early-decisions%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/12/28/good-news-for-early-decisions/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/12/28/good-news-for-early-decisions/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/12/28/good-news-for-early-decisions/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Uncategorized --- ### [College App Essays for Colleges with Free Tuition](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/04/28/college-app-essays-for-colleges-with-free-tuition/) **Published:** April 28, 2026 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** When writing college application essays, we often think that this is the hardest part of the process – the difficulties of applying and getting in. But financial aid and paying for college has become an increasingly challenging hurdle! The evidence is in the rising costs every year – and the growing list of colleges offering free tuition for a wider and wider group of families. I’m grateful to @dearmodernscholar on Instagram for posting this list. Please contact each college/university for specifics. And don’t forget to have parents fill out the NPC for each college you’re applying to. That’s the Net Price Calculator, which will give you an estimate of the costs. Make sure that the time you spend writing college app essays and filling out applications is not wasted if you can’t afford to attend the college you’re applying to! And be sure to check out my post about merit aid [RIGHT HERE](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/01/24/merit-aid-for-college-applicants/). ## Colleges Offering Free Tuition Amherst College: Adjusted gross household income of $75,000 or less to qualify for tuition and mandatory fees Barclay College: Offers each dorm resident a Full Tuition Scholarship worth $20,000 Berea College: Tuition Promise Scholarship covers the cost of tuition for all admitted students Brandeis University: Free or half tuition for families earning up to $200,000 [Brown University](https://finaid.brown.edu/): Families with a total annual income equal to or below $125,000, that have typical assets may be eligible for funding that covers the full cost of tuition Caltech: Students with family income of less than $100,000 (with typical assets) can expect a no-loan financial aid. Students with family income of less than $200,000 (with typical assets) can expect aid to cover tuition College of the Ozarks: No students pay tuition [Columbia University](https://undergrad.admissions.columbia.edu/affordability): Students coming from families with annual incomes less than $150,000 (and typical assets) are able to attend tuition-free Cornell University: Free tuition for families that make less than $75,000 a year Dartmouth College: Zero parent contribution and no loans for families with annual income below $125,000 Duke University: Full tuition grants for admitted undergraduate student residents of North Carolina and South Carolina whose families have a total income of $150,000 or less Emory University: Undergraduate students whose families earn $200,000 or less Harvard University: Free full cost of tuition for families earning $200,000 family income and below, with typical assets [Massachusetts Institute of Technology](https://sfs.mit.edu/undergraduate-students/the-cost-of-attendance/making-mit-affordable/) (MIT): Undergraduates with family income below $200,000 can expect to attend tuition free Norte Dame University: Free tuition for families earning up to $200,000 and half tuition if annual household income is below $150,000 Penn: Covers minimum tuition with grants and work-study for students from families that make up to $200,000 with typical assets Princeton University: Undergraduate families with incomes up to $250,000 will pay no tuition [Rice University](https://financialaid.rice.edu/): Family income between $75,000 and $140,000 pay no tuition and half tuition between $140,000 and $200,000 Rider University: Offers free tuition for eligible in-state students St. John’s College: Fully covered freshman year tuition for U.S. students from families earning under $75,000 ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/04/28/college-app-essays-for-colleges-with-free-tuition/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/04/28/college-app-essays-for-colleges-with-free-tuition/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/04/28/college-app-essays-for-colleges-with-free-tuition/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20College%20App%20Essays%20for%20Colleges%20with%20Free%20Tuition&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2026%2F04%2F28%2Fcollege-app-essays-for-colleges-with-free-tuition%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/04/28/college-app-essays-for-colleges-with-free-tuition/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/04/28/college-app-essays-for-colleges-with-free-tuition/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/04/28/college-app-essays-for-colleges-with-free-tuition/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Uncategorized **Tags:** College Application Essays --- ### [College Waiting Lists & Waitlists: What to Do Now?](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/03/19/college-waiting-lists-waitlists-what-to-do-now/) **Published:** March 19, 2026 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** You’re expecting a YES or a NO. But not this: Welcome to the waitlist! These nail biter weeks of waiting on college decisions may require yet MORE WAITING if you end up on a waiting list. And there’s a strong chance that you will. Back in the day, a few years ago, waiting lists were shorter, and the YES’s and NO’s more plentiful, But with so many students applying now to so many colleges – many to a dozen or two dozen – the colleges you seek have their own troubles predicting which students will say YES, I ACCEPT if they are admitted. Colleges have to hedge their bets – just like you do – by creating very long waiting lists as *they* wait to see who will say YES back to them. For all involved, it’s an unfortunate mess. And leaves tens of thousands of students wondering: *What do I do now?* Here are some guidelines that should cover many cases: 1. If you’re admitted to a college or two that you can see yourself attending, commit to one *by the deadline*. Pay the required deposit. Plan to go there. Convince yourself that you will go there. 2. If there are one or two or three colleges whose waiting lists you want to stay on, read the instructions carefully for how to proceed. Do they want a check mark in a box, a simple declaration, or a LOCI (Letter of Continuing Interest). If so, what length should it be? FOLLOW THE RULES. If they want a LOCI that’s 150 words long, don’t send them more than 150. 3. Your LOCI should express your interest in attending simply–no love letters are necessary–and spell out your anticipated grades and any accomplishments or projects of interest you have completed since your application. Showing evidence of your intellectual curiosity is more valuable than community service. Finally, a few short sentences on why this college/university is ideal for you and your academic interests. Break up each of these areas into a paragraph. Do not send them a brick of text! 4. Submit on time and go about your life, as if you are going to attend the college you’ve committed to. 5. Rejoice in your good fortune if you move off the waitlist — and rejoice if you don’t. In the event you need some guidance, please shoot me [an email](mailto:%20ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com). **ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com** ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/03/19/college-waiting-lists-waitlists-what-to-do-now/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/03/19/college-waiting-lists-waitlists-what-to-do-now/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/03/19/college-waiting-lists-waitlists-what-to-do-now/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20College%20Waiting%20Lists%20%26%20Waitlists%3A%20What%20to%20Do%20Now%3F&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2026%2F03%2F19%2Fcollege-waiting-lists-waitlists-what-to-do-now%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/03/19/college-waiting-lists-waitlists-what-to-do-now/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/03/19/college-waiting-lists-waitlists-what-to-do-now/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/03/19/college-waiting-lists-waitlists-what-to-do-now/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Uncategorized --- ### [Want All the College Application Essays in One Doc?](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/08/12/want-all-the-college-application-essays-in-one-doc/) **Published:** August 12, 2020 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** Shoot me an email and I’ll send you a Word Doc with the Common App prompts, the Coalition, U California, U Texas, MIT, and about 35 college’s supplements. P.S. Princeton STILL hasn’t finalized their supplements! [ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com ](mailto:ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com) ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/08/12/want-all-the-college-application-essays-in-one-doc/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/08/12/want-all-the-college-application-essays-in-one-doc/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/08/12/want-all-the-college-application-essays-in-one-doc/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Want%20All%20the%20College%20Application%20Essays%20in%20One%20Doc%3F&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2020%2F08%2F12%2Fwant-all-the-college-application-essays-in-one-doc%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/08/12/want-all-the-college-application-essays-in-one-doc/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/08/12/want-all-the-college-application-essays-in-one-doc/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/08/12/want-all-the-college-application-essays-in-one-doc/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Best College Application Essays, Brown admissions, Brown essay prompts, Brown supplement essay prompts, College app essay, college app essay coach, college app essay consultant, college app essay coach, common app essay prompts, common app essay consultant, best college app essays, SAT prep, ACT prep, College Application Essay, college application essay coach, College Application Essay help, Columbia essay prompts, Columbia supplemental essay prompts,, COVID19 supplement, common app essay, common app help, common app tutor, common app essay suppement,, Princeton admissions, Yale Admissions, Yale Essay Prompts **Tags:** 2020-21 college essay prompts, best college app essay, College App Essay consultant, college essay advisor, college essay prompts --- ### [U Chicago's 2024 Application Essay Prompts are Here!](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/07/03/u-chicagos-2024-application-essay-prompts-are-here/) **Published:** July 3, 2024 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** #### Colleges are playing hard to get this year around application essay prompts. Where are all the prompts for 2024? Georgetown and U Chicago have come out of hiding with their prompts. #### As you probably know, Chicago’s essay prompts are notoriously quirky and creative. You submit these 2 essays in addition to the Common App essay. Chicago is looking for students who want to engage in those ways. If these prompts don’t speak to you, move on and look for other universities! #### Here’s what you need to know about U Chicago application essay prompts for the coming year, straight from [**their website**:](https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/uchicago-supplemental-essay-questions) “The University of Chicago has long been renowned for our provocative essay questions. We think of them as an opportunity for students to tell us about themselves, their tastes, and their ambitions. They can be approached with utter seriousness, complete fancy, or something in between. Each year we email newly admitted and current College students and ask them for essay topics. We receive several hundred responses, many of which are eloquent, intriguing, or downright wacky. As you can see from the attributions, the questions below were inspired by submissions from UChicago students and alumni. ### 2024-25 UChicago Supplement ### Question 1 *(Required)* ### How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago. ### Question 2: Extended Essay *(Required; Choose one)* ### **Essay Option 1** ### We’re all familiar with green-eyed envy or feeling blue, but what about being “caught purple-handed”? Or “tickled orange”? Give an old color-infused expression a new hue and tell us what it represents. *– Inspired by Ramsey Bottorff, Class of 2026* ### **Essay Option 2** ### “Ah, but I was so much older then / I’m younger than that now” – Bob Dylan. In what ways do we become younger as we get older? *– Inspired by Joshua Harris, Class of 2016* ### **Essay Option 3** ### Pluto, the demoted planet. Ophiuchus, the thirteenth Zodiac. Andy Murray, the fourth to tennis’s Big Three. Every grouping has something that doesn’t quite fit in. Tell us about a group and its unofficial member, why (or why not) should it be excluded? *– Inspired by Veronica Chang, Class of 2022* ### **Essay Option 4** ### “Daddy-o”, “Far Out”, “Gnarly”: the list of slang terms goes on and on. Sadly, most of these aren’t so “fly” anymore – “as if!” Name an outdated slang from any decade or language that you’d bring back and explain why you totally “dig it.” *– Inspired by Napat Sakdibhornssup, Class of 2028* ### **Essay Option 5** ### How many piano tuners are there in Chicago? What is the total length of chalk used by UChicago professors in a year? How many pages of books are in the Regenstein Library? These questions are among a class of estimation problems named after University of Chicago physicist Enrico Fermi. Create your own Fermi estimation problem, give it your best answer, and show us how you got there. *– Inspired by Malhar Manek, Class of 2028* ### **Essay Option 6** ### And, as always… the classic choose your own adventure option! In the spirit of adventurous inquiry, choose one of our past prompts (or create a question of your own). Be original, creative, thought provoking. Draw on your best qualities as a writer, thinker, visionary, social critic, sage, citizen of the world, or future citizen of the University of Chicago; take a little risk, and have fun! --- ### Some classic questions from previous years… ### Exponents and square roots, pencils and erasers, beta decay and electron capture. Name two things that undo each other and explain why both are necessary. *– Inspired by Emmett Cho, Class of 2027* ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/07/03/u-chicagos-2024-application-essay-prompts-are-here/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/07/03/u-chicagos-2024-application-essay-prompts-are-here/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/07/03/u-chicagos-2024-application-essay-prompts-are-here/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20U%20Chicago%27s%202024%20Application%20Essay%20Prompts%20are%20Here%21&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2024%2F07%2F03%2Fu-chicagos-2024-application-essay-prompts-are-here%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/07/03/u-chicagos-2024-application-essay-prompts-are-here/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/07/03/u-chicagos-2024-application-essay-prompts-are-here/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2024/07/03/u-chicagos-2024-application-essay-prompts-are-here/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** U Chicago Essay prompts 2024, University of Chicago essay prompts, University of Chicago Essays **Tags:** U Chicago Essay Prompts --- ### [What Now? Waitlisted at Ivies, Letters of Continued Interest?](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/04/07/what-now-waitlisted-at-ivies-letters-of-continued-interest/) **Published:** April 7, 2021 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com//wp-content/uploads/confused-c2e1e9d14491a9486d996da945debcc9d6ce7170-s800-c85-150x150.jpg) **Last night’s explosion of Ivy League acceptances left tens of thousands of students and their families a mix of happy, devastated, and in many cases really confused about what to do next if they ended up on waiting lists for coveted colleges.** Acceptances and rejections are straightforward, but what about these many lists? Is there anything you can or should do to continue to press your case? The acceptance percentages are startling and have gotten much press attention: **Harvard: 3.4% Yale 4.6% Princeton: 3.98% MIT: 4% Columbia 3.7%** When all the top universities decided to make this year test optional, the floodgates opened and thousands of students applied to HYPS (Harvard Yale etc.) whose SAT/ACT scores might have kept them from applying in previous years or who never got to take the tests. Harvard had 57,000 applicants! UC Berkeley had 112,000, up from 88,000 the year before! Colleges across the board reported increases of up to 100% in their applications. To read more about this, [CLICK HERE](https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2021/03/15/new-common-app-data-show-admissions-rich-get-richer). **Many students applied to a higher number of colleges than they would have otherwise, and as a result, colleges have put many more students than usual on wait lists, in case the students they’ve admitted don’t say YES back in the right numbers.** Without question, there’s a lot of chaos here and impossible-to-predict outcomes — many more than usual because of the swollen numbers. **There may also be much less movement on certain waiting lists than you might expect. This article from [Inside Higher Education](https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2021/03/29/many-expect-waiting-lists-be-worse-ever-year) about waiting lists is instructive. Wait lists might sound promising, and they do indicate that the student can do the work at these colleges, but there may be little hope of a student actually moving from the list to the dormitory come September.** Waiting lists are not always first-come-first-serve. They are more complex than that. Harvard is said to have a list in three parts, Part One the most desirable students, and working its way downward. And they will not tell you where you are on the list. At other universities, if a student with a certain profile does not accept a college’s admission offer, the college may go to the list to find a suitable substitute, not necessarily to the person whose name is highest because they responded first. Colleges will not know about the waiting lists until May, at the earliest, once students have accepted their offers. If you have accepted another offer and then are invited to Harvard, for instance, the first college will then go to its waiting list. It may take a long time for this cycle’s admissions to resolve. All of that said, all colleges ask students to **declare their interest in remaining on the waiting list or not, and if so, most universities ask students to write a letter of continued interest. NOTE: Some universities do not want a letter, just your latest transcript. The college will spell out what they do and do not want. Do only what they request of you.** If you’ve been admitted to a college or two that suits you, it might be a good idea to choose the one that you most want to go to and get used to the idea of going there, even if you write a letter or two of continued interest elsewhere. **If you accept College X in May and later get admitted to College Y, you will probably forfeit the deposit you put down in May.** If you think you might want help drafting a letter of continued interest, I am available to help. **Please shoot me an email or phone me — East Coast time zone:** **1-855-99-ESSAY** **[ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com ](mailto:ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com)** ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/04/07/what-now-waitlisted-at-ivies-letters-of-continued-interest/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/04/07/what-now-waitlisted-at-ivies-letters-of-continued-interest/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/04/07/what-now-waitlisted-at-ivies-letters-of-continued-interest/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20What%20Now%3F%20Waitlisted%20at%20Ivies%2C%20Letters%20of%20Continued%20Interest%3F&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2021%2F04%2F07%2Fwhat-now-waitlisted-at-ivies-letters-of-continued-interest%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/04/07/what-now-waitlisted-at-ivies-letters-of-continued-interest/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/04/07/what-now-waitlisted-at-ivies-letters-of-continued-interest/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2021/04/07/what-now-waitlisted-at-ivies-letters-of-continued-interest/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** 2021-22 Common App essay prompts, Best College Application Essays, Brown admissions, getting off waiting list, Harvard class of 2025 waiting list, Ivy League Admissions, Ivy league wait list, letter of continued interest, LOCI, Personal Essay Coach, Princeton admissions, Yale supplements 2021-22 **Tags:** Essay Coach, essay consultant, essay tutor, Harvard waiting list, Ivy League, Ivy league wait list, letter of continued interst, LOCI, Penn LOCI, What do I do if I'm on the waiting list, Yale waiting list --- ### [Plan B: If You're Rejected from Your 1st Choice College....](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/12/08/plan-b-if-youre-rejected-from-your-1st-choice-college/) **Published:** December 8, 2020 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** **I was recently asked what a mother should tell her very sensitive son if he’s rejected at his first choice college when decisions come out next week. She was talking about one of the most selective colleges in the country, where only about 7% of the applicants are admitted.** Aside from offering your child tea and sympathy, it’s important to point out — before the decisions are announced — that most of the students who apply are rejected. If the school accepts 5%, then 95% are rejected. Another way of putting it is that **a lot of very smart, talented students are turned down!** **Students often see that a higher percentage of students are admitted Early Decision — and they think this means it’s “easier” to get in early.** **NO, actually. The students admitted Early Decision are more likely to be 1. athletic recruits 2. legacy kids 3. the most impressive students in the bunch because the college wants them to pick their school, so they’re staking a claim on them.** It’s also important to explain to students that getting into the most selective colleges in the country IS NOT ONLY ABOUT MERIT. MERIT is necessary but not sufficient. **At the top schools, admissions officers report that 70 to 80 % of the applicants can do the work! Kids don’t get rejected because they’re not good enough or smart enough. They often get rejected because they don’t check off “the right boxes” that admissions officers use to create a class of about 1000 incoming students. These are real categories, but the decisions are made for reasons students will never know.** Beyond grades, scores, recommendations, extra curriculars AND essays — all of which must be top flight — admissions officers make decisions based on where the students live (they want to represent all states), what sports they might play, what instruments they play, their race/ethnicity, whether their parents went to college (some colleges want more first-generation college students), and whether they might have an interesting personal story. But they let in plenty of students without “interesting personal stories.” And plenty of students whose parents **did** go to college. **These are the considerations that go beyond grades, scores, etc. — and have nothing to do with whether students are “smart enough.”** Since the most selective colleges receive tens of thousands of applications — Harvard Yale etc. receive about 40,000 by year’s end — and they have 1200 spots to fill, they make all kinds of decisions that have nothing to do with whether you’re “smart” or “promising” or “likely to succeed.” **There’s been a great deal written on how the top universities make decisions. There have been famous lawsuits (against Harvard– Harvard won). There are many cries of elitism, racism and more. One of the most illuminating pieces I’ve read is a book review by Malcolm Gladwell in *The New Yorker* from 2005, [GETTING IN: THE SOCIAL LOGIC OF IVY LEAGUE ADMISSIONS](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2005/10/10/getting-in), which I highly recommend for parents and students.** It’s sometimes hard to convince students that a rejection from a school that rejects 90% of all applicants is predictive of anything. But IMHO it’s important to start that conversation before the letters come. I’ve worked with gifted students who get rejected from Stanford and get into Yale and Brown; students who get rejected from Brown and get into Stanford; get rejected from Duke and get into Wharton. Sometimes a student will get turned down from her top choice college and end up with a merit scholarship — even full tuition for four years — to an outstanding university that doesn’t happen to be an Ivy. **There are all kinds of permutations. And the outcomes are unpredictable. So it’s valuable to understand how the system works — and works behind closed doors.** **GOOD IDEA**: Do the remainder of your applications before your big decision comes down. **Another good idea**: Rage, mourn, and do the rest of the applications well before the Jan. 1 deadline for remaining colleges. Find all the determination and grit that got you where you are — and put it to more good use. **If you want to talk more about this — and what else you or your kids might want to do once these decisions come next week as far as reviewing essays and applications — please shoot me an email or pick up the phone. I’m on the East Coast. I get up early and stay up late. That is not a typo!** <Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> **1-855-99-ESSAY** ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/12/08/plan-b-if-youre-rejected-from-your-1st-choice-college/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/12/08/plan-b-if-youre-rejected-from-your-1st-choice-college/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/12/08/plan-b-if-youre-rejected-from-your-1st-choice-college/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Plan%20B%3A%20If%20You%27re%20Rejected%20from%20Your%201st%20Choice%20College....&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2020%2F12%2F08%2Fplan-b-if-youre-rejected-from-your-1st-choice-college%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/12/08/plan-b-if-youre-rejected-from-your-1st-choice-college/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/12/08/plan-b-if-youre-rejected-from-your-1st-choice-college/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/12/08/plan-b-if-youre-rejected-from-your-1st-choice-college/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Best College Application Essays, College app essay, college app essay coach, college app essay consultant, college app essay coach, common app essay prompts, common app essay consultant, best college app essays, SAT prep, ACT prep, College Application Essay, Common application essay consultant, Common Application essay help, COVID19 supplement, common app essay, common app help, common app tutor, common app essay suppement,, great college application essay **Tags:** collee, college application coach, college consultant, College Essay, college essay consultant, college essay tutor, Common App essay, common app essay personal statements, common app essay tutor, help with supplements lication essay, princeton supplements 2020-21, revise common app essay, what do I tell my son, yale supplements 2020-21 --- ### [Racist Rants Reverse Harvard Acceptance: Your College App Essays & Work Up in Smoke](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/06/17/racist-texts-reverse-harvard-accceptance-your-college-app-essays-work-up-in-smoke/) **Published:** June 17, 2019 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** For a student whose recent life has been rocked by tragedy and high drama, a little more drama has just come his way. From **[The Hill](https://thehill.com/homenews/news/448866-harvard-rescinds-acceptance-to-parkland-survivor-kyle-kashuv-over-past-comments)** this morning: “A survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting said Monday that Harvard University has rescinded his acceptance after recently surfaced screenshots showed him using racial slurs a few months before the 2018 massacre in Parkland, Fla. “[Kyle Kashuv](https://thehill.com/person/kyle-kashuv), 18, who was admitted to Harvard earlier this year, wrote on Twitter that he had been made aware of ‘egregious and callous comments’ he made when he was 16 years old.” TO READ THE REST CLICK [HERE](https://thehill.com/homenews/news/448866-harvard-rescinds-acceptance-to-parkland-survivor-kyle-kashuv-over-past-comments). I have no interest in debating whether Harvard was “right or wrong” to rescind this young man’s acceptance. The point is that Harvard has the *right* to do that, just as an employer has the right to fire someone for unacceptable behavior. I have written about students’ social media lives before on my blog – and it’s time to write about it again. But in this case, the matter is about PRIVATE statements this student made to friends — who did screen shots and reported them! I am speaking now as a college essay and application coach and as a concerned citizen of the world; sometimes these two roles overlap. It shouldn’t be complicated, but I’m going to break the matter down into the simplest statements I can. Others may put these statements in a different order of importance. The order is not important but the messages are: 1. Nearly everything you write these days, including emails and your social media feeds are public or can easily become public. Colleges routinely check social media accounts in assessing your application and suitability for their institution. 2. Do not use words you wouldn’t use talking to your school principal in your electronic communications. That doesn’t mean you have to wipe out your personality, but it means you have to be aware of your vocabulary and the intention of your statements, even when you think they are private. 3. If your social media feeds currently contain any of these words, **DELETE THEM**. 4. Freedom of speech is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. **“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech….”** You DO have freedom of speech, but colleges and universities, like companies that hire employees, have their own standards of what kind of behavior and expression are *acceptable* for belonging to that community. 5. If you are accustomed to using words that demean people or that are considered racial, religious, sexist, and/or homophobic epithets, it may be wise to examine your vocabulary, your attitudes, and your ambitions. 6. Applying to college is a complex, time-consuming, and expensive undertaking. Don’t let offensive speech ruin your hard work and your dreams. ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/06/17/racist-texts-reverse-harvard-accceptance-your-college-app-essays-work-up-in-smoke/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/06/17/racist-texts-reverse-harvard-accceptance-your-college-app-essays-work-up-in-smoke/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/06/17/racist-texts-reverse-harvard-accceptance-your-college-app-essays-work-up-in-smoke/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Racist%20Rants%20Reverse%20Harvard%20Acceptance%3A%20Your%20College%20App%20Essays%20%26%20Work%20Up%20in%20Smoke&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2019%2F06%2F17%2Fracist-texts-reverse-harvard-accceptance-your-college-app-essays-work-up-in-smoke%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/06/17/racist-texts-reverse-harvard-accceptance-your-college-app-essays-work-up-in-smoke/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/06/17/racist-texts-reverse-harvard-accceptance-your-college-app-essays-work-up-in-smoke/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/06/17/racist-texts-reverse-harvard-accceptance-your-college-app-essays-work-up-in-smoke/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Best College Application Essays, College app essay, college app essay coach, college app essay consultant, college app essay coach, common app essay prompts, common app essay consultant, best college app essays, SAT prep, ACT prep, Common Application essay help, great college application essay, hiring a consultant, how parents can help **Tags:** college application essay coach, college application essay help, common application essay coach, Common Application Essay help, freedom of speech, harvard admissions, Harvard admissions consultant, Harvard parkland survivor, Harvard rescind acceptance --- ### [College and Medical School Acceptances from Don't Sweat the Essay!](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/03/30/college-acceptance-news-from-dont-sweat-the-essay/) **Published:** March 30, 2020 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** In these uncertain days of The Virus, every bit of good news is magnified by ten or maybe by 100. So I’m especially excited to share this year’s news from my clients about where they’ve been accepted. This year, clients got in early action/early decision to Harvard, MIT, Tufts, and Notre Dame, and regular decision to Wharton, University of Pennsylvania Arts and Sciences, Columbia, Brown/RISD Joint Program, Wellesley, Northwestern, Northeastern, UNC Chapel Hill, Carnegie Mellon, NYU Stern, Rochester Institute of Technology, Wesleyan, Bates, McGill, Sarah Lawrence, Emory, Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, USC, UCLA, UC Berkeley, University of Michigan, Penn State Honors, Babson, and University of Illinois. One client gained admission to Johns Hopkins Medical School, Tufts School of Medicine and the Cincinnati College of Medicine. A much younger client was accepted at two prestigious New England prep schools. ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com//wp-content/uploads/hands-clapping-applause-bravo-comics-illustration-hands-clapping-applause-bravo-comics-illustration-pop-art-retro-style-106120214.jpg) If you’d like to find out more about what I do, please shoot me an email or call me (East Coast). It’s too soon to start writing essays but not too soon to start chatting. Most important, stay safe. <Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> 1-855-99-ESSAY ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/03/30/college-acceptance-news-from-dont-sweat-the-essay/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/03/30/college-acceptance-news-from-dont-sweat-the-essay/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/03/30/college-acceptance-news-from-dont-sweat-the-essay/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20College%20and%20Medical%20School%20Acceptances%20from%20Don%27t%20Sweat%20the%20Essay%21&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2020%2F03%2F30%2Fcollege-acceptance-news-from-dont-sweat-the-essay%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/03/30/college-acceptance-news-from-dont-sweat-the-essay/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/03/30/college-acceptance-news-from-dont-sweat-the-essay/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/03/30/college-acceptance-news-from-dont-sweat-the-essay/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** ACT test optional, Best College Application Essays, Brown admissions, Brown essay prompts, Brown supplement essay prompts, college application essay, College Application Essay help, college application essay prompts, college application essays, college application prompts, Common App Essay Tutor, Common application essay consultant, Common Application essay help, Harvard Admissions, How to Write College Application Essay, Ivy League Admissions, Personal Essay Coach, Personal Essay Tutor, SAT/ACT Test Prep, Tips for College Application Essays, Yale Admissions **Tags:** college application essay coach, college application essay help, College Application Essays, college essay tutor, common app essay coach, Common App essay prompts, Essay Coach, how to write an essay, yale admissions essays --- ### [New/Old Testimonials: How I Coach Personal Statements for College & Medical School Applications](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/05/25/new-old-testimonials-how-i-coach-personal-statements-for-college-medical-school-applications/) **Published:** May 25, 2020 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** Reading a new testimonial and one sent to me five years ago that I somehow forgot to post (how did that happen?!), I have been thinking about what it is I *do* when I work with people. Students come to me with their talents, their accomplishments, and their stories. They know what their accomplishments are — grades, scores, interesting extra curriculars, jobs, and internships — but they often aren’t sure what their *stories* are. They’ve had *experiences,* but they may not know how to translate them into narratives with meaning and punch. And they may not realize that these narratives can become stories of the kind that reveal important features of who they are to an admissions officer. In other cases — as in both cases below — students come to me who have written and submitted essays that haven’t “closed the deal.” They’ve either been deferred or rejected, and they’re looking for a fresh pair of eyes. Other times, a parent contacts me and says, “My daughter wrote an essay, and I know there’s something wrong with it, but I’m not sure what it is.” And it’s fairly common that parents ask me to work with their kids because English isn’t their native language, and they feel ill-equipped to help them. When students I work with get into one of their dream colleges, it’s because they’ve done the hard work in the classroom, the laboratory, and the summer jobs that have earned them good grades and their teachers’ respect. I’m there to help them find the persuasive stories in their backgrounds and learn to describe those stories in ways that get noticed. They learn, not just how to write college or medical school statements but lifetime lessons in writing about their accomplishments, talents, and ambitions — without bragging. Please email or call me for a consultation. <Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> 1-855-99-ESSAY ~ ~ ~ “Liz is awesome and she was able to liven up our son’s application essays. The college application process is stressful for the students and the parents. Working with Liz made the experience much better. She was very prompt and very detailed in her interactions. Her creative and thoughtful suggestions and guidance on the essays made a huge improvement. More than anything else, Liz approached the essay writing process from the top-down. Rather than just suggesting minor edits, her discussions with our son drew out the highlights that he was then able to synthesize into one coherent and compelling message. She was great to work with because she accommodated our time slots and even worked with us through the Christmas holiday. Our son loved the whole experience! “~ **Princeton, Class of 2020,** Northern California. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ “Last May, I began reapplying to medical school after being waitlisted or rejected everywhere I had applied. I knew my MCAT scores would not be considered at many schools after this application cycle, and so I took counsel from the famous saying, “Go big or go home.” I didn’t want to go home. “I started with my personal statement and sent it to a close confidant. She gave it to me straight. It was disjointed and not compelling, despite the stories within it. I wasn’t jazzed about starting from scratch, but I remembered you from a conversation I had with a friend. She credited your help with her essays as a major reason she was accepted into vet school. “Liz, you taught me how to present myself eloquently. Storytelling takes skill, and you helped me develop that skill. Going big certainly paid off. I was accepted to **Johns Hopkins Medical School, Tufts School of Medicine, University of Central Florida Medical School**, and the **University of Cincinnati**. Admitted spring **2020**.” ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/05/25/new-old-testimonials-how-i-coach-personal-statements-for-college-medical-school-applications/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/05/25/new-old-testimonials-how-i-coach-personal-statements-for-college-medical-school-applications/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/05/25/new-old-testimonials-how-i-coach-personal-statements-for-college-medical-school-applications/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20New%2FOld%20Testimonials%3A%20How%20I%20Coach%20Personal%20Statements%20for%20College%20%26%20Medical%20School%20Applications&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2020%2F05%2F25%2Fnew-old-testimonials-how-i-coach-personal-statements-for-college-medical-school-applications%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/05/25/new-old-testimonials-how-i-coach-personal-statements-for-college-medical-school-applications/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/05/25/new-old-testimonials-how-i-coach-personal-statements-for-college-medical-school-applications/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2020/05/25/new-old-testimonials-how-i-coach-personal-statements-for-college-medical-school-applications/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Brown admissions, Brown essay prompts, Brown supplement essay prompts, Brown supplements, Brown University application essays, College Application Essay, college application essay, college application essay coach, College Application Essay help, college application essay prompts, college application essays, college application prompts, Common App Essay Tutor, Common application essay consultant, Common Application essay help, great college application essay, Harvard Admissions, hiring a consultant, how parents can help, How to Write College Application Essay, Ivy League Admissions, Personal Essay Coach, Personal Essay Tutor, Princeton admissions, Princeton admissions, Princeton admissions essays, what can a coach do, Yale Admissions **Tags:** brown application essay, college admissions, college admissions coach, college admissions tutor, College App Essay Coach, College App Essay consultant, college application essay, college application essay coach, college application essay tutor, Common Application essay, Common Application essay consultant, Ivy league application essay, stanford admissions essay, yale admissions essays --- ### [The Morning After: What Went Wrong? SATs? College App Essays?](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/12/13/the-morning-after-what-went-wrong-sats-college-app-essays/) **Published:** December 13, 2019 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** This is a highly emotional and consequential week for tens of thousands of students in the U.S. and around the world, as early decision and early action news reaches households. There will be a lot of joy — and a lot of disappointment. If you’re reading this, I’m guessing there is more sorrow than celebration. There are so many hyper-qualified students now in the US and throughout the world, and so few places at the most selective colleges and universities that many – thousands and thousands – of highly qualified students are turned down. Admissions officers at top universities say that 80 percent of the applicants can do the work at these colleges. Everyone who gets in is a top student, but decisions are made based on many other factors, including your race, your zip code, the sports you do or don’t, the instrument you play, and where you live in the country and the world. Being a top student is necessary but not sufficient, and being turned down is NOT evidence of failure or a sign that you could have done anything “better.” Many students have prepared in advance for an ED/EA rejection or deferral by having their next round of applications ready to send out. Many others have not, and still others have done some work on applications, but not all. One frequent question students and families have is whether their applications, including essays, supplements, and activities lists, can be improved for the second round of admissions. Yes, of course, there’s always a chance work can be improved. If you’ve been deferred, what can you do and what should you do? If you want to continue being considered for College #1, you can plan to write a letter in late January or early February updating any information that you didn’t include in your original application. If you’re able to, you can spruce up your application with awards, new projects, or advances in ongoing projects. A deferral IS a sign of hope but don’t count on it. Few students are deferred at Stanford. Of those who are deferred, only about 15 percent get in. That is, 85 percent do not. Make other plans! **ED 2** If you have another college where you can and want to apply ED 2, go for it. Why? Hard as it is to believe, colleges want you to want them as much as you want them to want you. When you elect binding Early Decision 1 or 2, you are helping the college decide in your favor, because they know you will say YES to them if they say YES to you. Got it? If you’re not ready to commit to a college by going **ED 2**, make sure your remaining applications are as strong as they can be. I am happy to review your ED/EA applications and make suggestions for any improvements. I am also happy to help with additional essays you might need to write and to review your activities list. Please email me or call (EAST COAST): <Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> PHONE: 1-855-9-ESSAY ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com//wp-content/uploads/images-2.png)Pick up the phone or better yet, send me an email …. ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/12/13/the-morning-after-what-went-wrong-sats-college-app-essays/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/12/13/the-morning-after-what-went-wrong-sats-college-app-essays/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/12/13/the-morning-after-what-went-wrong-sats-college-app-essays/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20The%20Morning%20After%3A%20What%20Went%20Wrong%3F%20SATs%3F%20College%20App%20Essays%3F&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2019%2F12%2F13%2Fthe-morning-after-what-went-wrong-sats-college-app-essays%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/12/13/the-morning-after-what-went-wrong-sats-college-app-essays/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/12/13/the-morning-after-what-went-wrong-sats-college-app-essays/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2019/12/13/the-morning-after-what-went-wrong-sats-college-app-essays/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Uncategorized --- ### [Beware: Hidden Brown University Application Essay!!](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/08/17/beware-hidden-brown-university-application-essay/) **Published:** August 17, 2018 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** For those applying to Brown, take note! The Writing Supplement section of the Common App lists 3 questions unique to Brown – one fewer than last year. HOWEVER, as you fill out the Common App for Brown and you answer all sorts of questions, and then you get to the ACTIVITIES section, there’s a surprise — a FOURTH essay. Only 150 words, but a piece of prose writing that you will have to do, and do thoughtfully. Here’s how to find it so it doesn’t surprise you. ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com//wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2018-08-17-at-9.05.34-AM-150x150.png) Please feel free to share this post! And if you’re looking for help with these FOUR essays (not 3) shoot me an email @Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com or call – I’m on the East Coast – at 1-855-99-ESSAY. ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/08/17/beware-hidden-brown-university-application-essay/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/08/17/beware-hidden-brown-university-application-essay/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/08/17/beware-hidden-brown-university-application-essay/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Beware%3A%20Hidden%20Brown%20University%20Application%20Essay%21%21&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2018%2F08%2F17%2Fbeware-hidden-brown-university-application-essay%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/08/17/beware-hidden-brown-university-application-essay/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/08/17/beware-hidden-brown-university-application-essay/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/08/17/beware-hidden-brown-university-application-essay/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** ACT test optional, Best College Application Essays, Brown admissions, Brown supplement essay prompts, Brown supplements, Brown University application essays, College Application Essay, college application essay, College Application Essay help, college application essay prompts, college application prompts, Common App Essay Tutor, Common application essay consultant, Common Application essay help, great college application essay, Harvard Admissions, hiring a consultant, how parents can help, How to Write College Application Essay, Ivy League Admissions, Personal Essay Coach, Personal Essay Tutor, SAT/ACT, what can a coach do **Tags:** best college application essays, Brown essay prompts, Brown supplements, Brown University essay prompts, college app essay help, College App Essay Prompts, college app essay tutor, college app essays, college application essay coach, Common App essay prompts, personal statements --- ### [Hidden College App Essays on the Common Application](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/08/13/hidden-college-app-essays-on-the-common-application/) **Published:** August 13, 2018 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** Beware, college applicants and parents! As you scour the Common Application for required and optional essays before filling out the application, be sure you’re looking in all the right places. I believe that the college’s sprinkle the writing requirements into the application as though you will just come to them as you’re filling out the application, going page by page. However, most students want to know what they have to write in advance, and that’s where it can get tricky. Here are my recommendations: On each college’s main information page on the Common App (the heading on each is “Contact Information”), scroll down to the bottom of that page for the heading “Writing Requirements.” This is where the confusion might set in. There are two columns: One called “College Questions” and the second called “Writing Supplement.” Look at BOTH of these columns for all the writing requirements. For instance: ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com//wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2018-08-13-at-8.43.46-AM-150x150.png) In many cases, the second column will say “There is no writing supplement for this college.” **Take note:** That does not mean there are no writing supplements! Shift your eyes over to the first column “College Questions” and you might see all kinds of required and optional questions that need to be answered. Some of these are simple matters, but some are actual boxes that require writing from 50 words to 250 words. In most cases, you can find the questions by clicking on the links. However, the questions that involve writing may not be on the first page of the link, and so you will have to keep pressing “Continue” at the end of the page in order to discover the questions. You can press “Continue” even if you have not filled out all the questions – as below. ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com//wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2018-08-13-at-9.01.30-AM-150x150.png) In the case of High Point University, there are 2 questions of 50 words each, but the ONLY way to find them is to press OTHER INFORMATION on the main page. ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com//wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2018-08-13-at-9.06.30-AM-150x150.png) **Please feel free to share this post!** **And if you’re looking for help with the essays themselves (once you find them!), please shoot me an email: <Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com> or phone – I’m on the East Coast. 1-855-99-ESSAY.** ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/08/13/hidden-college-app-essays-on-the-common-application/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/08/13/hidden-college-app-essays-on-the-common-application/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/08/13/hidden-college-app-essays-on-the-common-application/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Hidden%20College%20App%20Essays%20on%20the%20Common%20Application&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2018%2F08%2F13%2Fhidden-college-app-essays-on-the-common-application%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/08/13/hidden-college-app-essays-on-the-common-application/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/08/13/hidden-college-app-essays-on-the-common-application/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/08/13/hidden-college-app-essays-on-the-common-application/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Best College Application Essays, College Application Essay, college application essay, College Application Essay help, college application essay prompts, college application prompts, Common App Essay Tutor, Common application essay consultant, Common Application essay help, great college application essay, Harvard Admissions, hiring a consultant, how parents can help, How to Write College Application Essay, Ivy League Admissions, Personal Essay Coach, Personal Essay Tutor, SAT/ACT, SAT/ACT Test Prep, Test Optional, Tips for College Application Essays, Tips on Writing Your College Application Essay, Uncategorized, what can a coach do, Yale Admissions **Tags:** best college application essays, college app essay help, college app essays, common app essays, Hidden essays college application, Hidden essays Common Application, how to write a college application essay --- ### [Mind Your Manners on Social Media, Say Admissions Folks](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/01/21/mind-your-manners-on-social-media-say-admissions-folks/) **Published:** January 21, 2018 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** I have it on good authority that 40 percent of college admissions officers search Google when they are reviewing a student’s application to their college. Which 40 percent? Anyone’s guess, but there is no time like the present to keep this in mind as you post on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and wherever else you post, even the disappearing Snapchat. Last year, [Harvard rescinded acceptances](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/07/opinion/how-to-keep-your-college-admission-offer-start-with-digital-literacy.html?contentCollection=smarter-living&hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=smarterLiving-promo-region®ion=smarterLiving-promo-region&WT.nav=smarterLiving-promo-region&_r=0) to “at least 10” (ten!) students once they were accepted because of offensive behavior on a PRIVATE Facebook page – with no chance of appeal. What you do online matters! I would hope that expectations of what to post and what to avoid would be obvious, but in case they aren’t, here are some basic guidelines. Parents, if you’re reading this, please share with your high school students. - Don’t use profanity, don’t insult others, don’t say anything that could be interpreted as sexist, racist, homophobic, or insulting to a religion or a group of people. - Don’t send sexts of yourself, even if you think they are going to an individual. I have heard about and read more stories than I care to about people sending private photos that then get posted on someone’s social media account and go viral. - Don’t insult teachers or your school. - Don’t suggest any violent activity, even in jest. - Don’t post photos of yourself doing illegal drugs and don’t make reference to them. If you have posts that might fall under any of these categories, it’s probably best to delete them. If I’ve missed something you think is important, please shoot me an email: Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com – and if you want to discuss college application essays, college selection, and/or are in need of standardized testing tutors. ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/01/21/mind-your-manners-on-social-media-say-admissions-folks/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/01/21/mind-your-manners-on-social-media-say-admissions-folks/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/01/21/mind-your-manners-on-social-media-say-admissions-folks/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Mind%20Your%20Manners%20on%20Social%20Media%2C%20Say%20Admissions%20Folks&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2018%2F01%2F21%2Fmind-your-manners-on-social-media-say-admissions-folks%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/01/21/mind-your-manners-on-social-media-say-admissions-folks/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/01/21/mind-your-manners-on-social-media-say-admissions-folks/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2018/01/21/mind-your-manners-on-social-media-say-admissions-folks/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Uncategorized **Tags:** college admissions, college advice, college app coach, College app tutor, College Application Essays, college applications, college prep, common application essays, Common Application prompts, personal statement grad school, personal statement tutor, personal statements --- ### [45 Ways to Avoid Saying "Very" in Your College Application Essay (Robin Williams Helps)](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/11/18/45-ways-to-avoid-saying-very-in-your-college-application-essay-robin-williams-helps/) **Published:** November 18, 2017 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** What could be wrong with the word “very”? Such an emphatic little word. It makes what comes next much more than it is on its own. Right? No. Not really. This is a short blog post. Or: This is a *very* short blog post? I walk fast to the bank. I walk *very* fast to the bank? What’s so wrong with that? I run to the bank. I sprint to the bank. I gallop to the bank. I race to the bank. Which is more vivid, more descriptive, more memorable? Which suggests that there might be a serious reason for why you’re sprinting to the bank? Once you click on [this website and read the full list,](http://www.epicdash.com/shout-out-to-dead-poets-society-45-ways-to-avoid-using-the-word-very/) you’ll know more. And Robin Williams – in the *Dead Poets Society –* is there to help. Funny. *Very* funny. Sometimes it’s OK to say *very.* But rarely. You might even say, *very* rarely, but it would be wrong. (And sorry about the ads and junk on the link; it’s hard to get a clear list of the words in readable form, which is why I don’t have one on this page.) Which is better: Thanks for visiting my website. Or: Thanks very much for visiting my website? To talk about your college or graduate school application essays, send me an email: Liz@DontSweatTheEssay.com ~~ And thanks. Thanks very much. ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/11/18/45-ways-to-avoid-saying-very-in-your-college-application-essay-robin-williams-helps/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/11/18/45-ways-to-avoid-saying-very-in-your-college-application-essay-robin-williams-helps/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/11/18/45-ways-to-avoid-saying-very-in-your-college-application-essay-robin-williams-helps/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%2045%20Ways%20to%20Avoid%20Saying%20%22Very%22%20in%20Your%20College%20Application%20Essay%20%28Robin%20Williams%20Helps%29&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2017%2F11%2F18%2F45-ways-to-avoid-saying-very-in-your-college-application-essay-robin-williams-helps%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/11/18/45-ways-to-avoid-saying-very-in-your-college-application-essay-robin-williams-helps/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/11/18/45-ways-to-avoid-saying-very-in-your-college-application-essay-robin-williams-helps/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/11/18/45-ways-to-avoid-saying-very-in-your-college-application-essay-robin-williams-helps/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Uncategorized --- ### [Big Brother is Watching: Don't Jeopardize Your College Admission with Bad Online Behavior!](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/06/11/big-brother-is-watching-dont-jeopardize-your-college-admission-with-bad-online-behavior/) **Published:** June 11, 2017 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** If you’re on this website, it’s mostly likely because you or your child wants help applying to college. I’m thrilled you’re here, but before we get much further, it’s important that families know the ground rules of college admissions before starting the process. A recent article in ***[The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/07/opinion/how-to-keep-your-college-admission-offer-start-with-digital-literacy.html?contentCollection=smarter-living&hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=smarterLiving-promo-region®ion=smarterLiving-promo-region&WT.nav=smarterLiving-promo-region&_r=0),*** **How to Keep Your College Admissions Offer***,* reports that ten students who were admitted to Harvard this year have had their admissions revoked – no chance of appeal – because of repugnant online behavior. The article begins: “Harvard has [rescinded acceptance offers](http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2017/6/5/2021-offers-rescinded-memes/) to at least 10 incoming freshmen who posted offensive jokes about school shootings, the Holocaust, bestiality and the death of children and minorities — among other obscene topics — to a private Facebook group. “The jokes were posted in the form of memes, those photographs or images overlaid with captions that you see everywhere on the internet. That young people post offensive memes on Facebook is not news. What’s unique about this situation is that Harvard found out about incoming students who were doing so and retracted their admission, sending a strong message that this kind of behavior is unacceptable.” **[READ MORE](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/07/opinion/how-to-keep-your-college-admission-offer-start-with-digital-literacy.html?contentCollection=smarter-living&hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=smarterLiving-promo-region®ion=smarterLiving-promo-region&WT.nav=smarterLiving-promo-region&_r=0)** Online literacy and etiquette are essential at every stage of the process! Be smart. Be aware. Be kind. And don’t take anything for granted. ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/06/11/big-brother-is-watching-dont-jeopardize-your-college-admission-with-bad-online-behavior/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/06/11/big-brother-is-watching-dont-jeopardize-your-college-admission-with-bad-online-behavior/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/06/11/big-brother-is-watching-dont-jeopardize-your-college-admission-with-bad-online-behavior/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Big%20Brother%20is%20Watching%3A%20Don%27t%20Jeopardize%20Your%20College%20Admission%20with%20Bad%20Online%20Behavior%21&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2017%2F06%2F11%2Fbig-brother-is-watching-dont-jeopardize-your-college-admission-with-bad-online-behavior%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/06/11/big-brother-is-watching-dont-jeopardize-your-college-admission-with-bad-online-behavior/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/06/11/big-brother-is-watching-dont-jeopardize-your-college-admission-with-bad-online-behavior/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/06/11/big-brother-is-watching-dont-jeopardize-your-college-admission-with-bad-online-behavior/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Uncategorized --- ### [4 Standout College Application Essays on Work, Money and Class](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/05/13/4-standout-college-application-essays-on-work-money-and-class/) **Published:** May 13, 2017 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** For the last few years, the *New York Times* has asked for contributions of Common Application essays and personal statements already submitted on the subjects of work, money and social class. They choose four to publish and present them with photos and information about where the writers are going to college. They are always fascinating to read. Click on the link to read the entire piece. Here’s the introduction: *Each year, we issue an open casting call for high school seniors who have dared [to address money, work or social class in their college application essays](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/12/your-money/2017-college-essays.html). From the large pile that arrived this spring, these four — about parents, small business, landscapes and the meaning a single object can convey — stood out. **[READ MORE](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/12/your-money/standout-college-application-essays.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=photo-spot-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news)*** ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/05/13/4-standout-college-application-essays-on-work-money-and-class/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/05/13/4-standout-college-application-essays-on-work-money-and-class/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/05/13/4-standout-college-application-essays-on-work-money-and-class/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%204%20Standout%20College%20Application%20Essays%20on%20Work%2C%20Money%20and%20Class&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2017%2F05%2F13%2F4-standout-college-application-essays-on-work-money-and-class%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/05/13/4-standout-college-application-essays-on-work-money-and-class/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/05/13/4-standout-college-application-essays-on-work-money-and-class/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2017/05/13/4-standout-college-application-essays-on-work-money-and-class/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Uncategorized **Tags:** best college app essays, best common application essays, best personal statements, College App Essay consultant, College application consultant, college application essay help, college application essay tutor, college essay prep, college essay tutor, college prep, Common App essay, common app essay coach, common app essay tutor, Common Application essay, common application essay prompts, Common application essay tutor, Common Application help, common application prep, personal statement prep --- ### [Yale Admissions & Application Essay News - My Huffington Post Piece](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2016/07/19/yale-admissions-application-essay-news-my-huffington-post-piece/) **Published:** July 19, 2016 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** Yale is the first in my **Apply Wisely** column. Please check back for the next college I focus on in the upcoming week. Last year, Yale reviewed some 31,000 applications and admitted 6.49 percent of the students. This coming year, with the addition of new dormitories, Yale will increase its incoming freshman class by 15 percent – about 200 students. It’s still going to be among the top three or four most selective colleges in the country. If you’re interested in Yale, take a long – or another look – at my thoughts about Yale and its essays, which [Huffington Post](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-benedict/apply-wisely-not-all-abou_b_10989094.html) has just published. Here’s an excerpt: “I’ve had the privilege and pleasure of working with a good number of Yale applicants – of whom a good number were admitted. All were top students and, I imagine, all could do the work at Yale. Those who got the letter that began “Congratulations” stood out even in the crowd of excellent students: As high school juniors and seniors, they displayed impressive accomplishments in many areas and an unmistakably high degree of intellectual and cultural curiosity, sophistication, and dexterity. Each was very different from the others in their specific talents and interests – and none, as I recall, were athletes or legacies. “As you turn to your college application essays this summer, whether it’s the Common Application essay or the many supplements that highly selective colleges require, keep in mind that they are one piece of the admissions puzzle, not the entire picture of you.” [READ IT ALL. ](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-benedict/apply-wisely-not-all-abou_b_10989094.html) ### Share this: - [ Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2016/07/19/yale-admissions-application-essay-news-my-huffington-post-piece/?share=twitter) - [ Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2016/07/19/yale-admissions-application-essay-news-my-huffington-post-piece/?share=facebook) - [ Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2016/07/19/yale-admissions-application-essay-news-my-huffington-post-piece/?share=linkedin) - [ Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Yale%20Admissions%20%26%20Application%20Essay%20News%20-%20My%20Huffington%20Post%20Piece&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dontsweattheessay.com%2F2016%2F07%2F19%2Fyale-admissions-application-essay-news-my-huffington-post-piece%2F&share=email) - [ Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2016/07/19/yale-admissions-application-essay-news-my-huffington-post-piece/#print?share=print) - [ Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2016/07/19/yale-admissions-application-essay-news-my-huffington-post-piece/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [ Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2016/07/19/yale-admissions-application-essay-news-my-huffington-post-piece/?share=reddit) - **Categories:** Uncategorized **Tags:** admissions, Application Essay Consultant, college application essay coach, college application essay help. college application essay tutor, Common Application Essay help, common application essay prompts, Common application essay tutor, Yale, Yale Admissions, Yale application essay prompts, Yale Application essays --- ## Pages ### [Home](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/) **Published:** May 4, 2026 **Author:** Hirsch Fishman **Content:** It's Not Too Late to Write Great Essays Your Activities Really Matter This Year Quit Worrying--Call or Email Today ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-content/uploads/elizabeth-benedict.jpg) ## [College Essay Coach, Admissions Strategist, Editor, Bestselling Novelist, Former Ivy Writing Professor Guides Applicants to Harvard, Yale, MIT & Other Top Colleges with Innovative Approach. Solo shop. When you work with me, I'm yours. We work together fast & smart. ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Benedict) **“Liz immediately saw who my son was and how he could shine on paper.”** ##### - A Harvard Mom ## Find Your Voice & Your Material, AI-Proof Your Essays, Write Your Best Personal Statements, Common Application Essay, and Supplements. Shape Your Activities & Honors. Present Your Best Self. - We work on video screen with Google Docs - We brainstorm & collaborate based on your profile and goals - I break down topics to make writing easy, detailed & personal - We review and edit together until your work sparkles & sings - You develop writing skills for a lifetime ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-content/uploads/ddaf38d0-d527-431d-8ae7-55064ecd6bbf.jpg) ## Read the Latest College Application News Essays, Financial Aid, Internships, Etc. 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[](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/01/6-universities-drop-supplemental-essays/) 01 June 2026 [6 Universities Drop Supplemental Essays](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/06/01/6-universities-drop-supplemental-essays/)Update: Thank you, Reader PG, Duke did not drop the essay rquirement but gave it a different weight in evaluating students. Because of AI, Duke will read... [](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/04/28/college-app-essays-for-colleges-with-free-tuition/) 28 April 2026 [College App Essays for Colleges with Free Tuition](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/04/28/college-app-essays-for-colleges-with-free-tuition/)When writing college application essays, we often think that this is the hardest part of the process – the difficulties of applying and getting in.... [](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/03/19/college-waiting-lists-waitlists-what-to-do-now/) 19 March 2026 [College Waiting Lists & Waitlists: What to Do Now?](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/03/19/college-waiting-lists-waitlists-what-to-do-now/)You’re expecting a YES or a NO. But not this: Welcome to the waitlist! These nail biter weeks of waiting on college decisions may require yet MORE... [](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/02/16/do-college-application-essays-matter/) 16 February 2026 [Do College Application Essays Matter?](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2026/02/16/do-college-application-essays-matter/)This is a trick question. Of course college application essays matter, whether you’re writing your Common App essay or supplementals! And they are... [](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/07/11/u-michigan-new-supplemental-essays-for-2025-26-big-news/) 11 July 2025 [U Mich Supp Essays for 2025-26 & Big News](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/2025/07/11/u-michigan-new-supplemental-essays-for-2025-26-big-news/)The University of Michigan’s got essay news and other admissions and academic news! There is a new dual degree program: Engineering and Business... [ More Blog Posts ](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/the-news-room/) [ Subscribe to the Blog ](#) ## Why Work With Liz? “I can’t recommend Liz enough, there is just something magical about her!” ##### - B.H., Tufts, UPenn, Williams, Brown, Johns Hopkins, Class of 2029 “She taught me to write and to think.” ##### - R.S., Vanderbilt, Class of 2026 “Dear Liz, working with you was one of the most transformative parts of my college application journey. More than a brilliant essay coach, you’ve also been a mentor, a friend, and most importantly, my biggest advocate since day one. Through the process, I grew not only as a writer, but as a thinker.” ##### - J.W., Harvard, UPenn, Brown, Class of 2029 “I can’t thank you enough for working with my kid and getting the best out of him. He had no idea how to do this kind of writing, and not only did you teach him how to write college essays, but you also helped him learn how to express himself, how to make his point in 200 words (or 50!), how to tell a good story about himself, how to interpret a question and brainstorm possible ways to approach it, and so much more!” ##### - A.C., Stanford, Class of 2029 “Liz was amazing. She helped me with my personal statement and multiple supplemental essays. She helped me turn my initial ideas for essays into amazing works that I’m proud of. Her expertise is not limited to writing. She knew the ins and outs of the schools I applied to, their values, and how to convey them effectively. She’s also a joy to work with!” ##### - P.F., Cornell, University of Michigan, Georgetown, Class of 2029 [ More Testimonials ](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/) ## Don’t Face Your College Applications & Essays Alone - 855-99-ESSAY (East Coast) - [ ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com ](mailto:ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com) “Dear Liz, You were there at every step – from our initial brainstorming sessions down to the final edits – and your sharp feedback helped me develop stories that truly reflected who I am.” ##### - Admitted to Harvard, UPenn, Brown, Class of 2029 Name First Last Email Phone Where do you live? City State / Province / Region Country AfghanistanÅland IslandsAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBonaire, Sint Eustatius and SabaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBrunei DarussalamBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCabo VerdeCambodiaCameroonCanadaCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas IslandCocos IslandsColombiaComorosCongoCongo, Democratic Republic of theCook IslandsCosta RicaCôte d'IvoireCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzechiaDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuadeloupeGuamGuatemalaGuernseyGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHeard Island and McDonald IslandsHoly SeeHondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsle of ManIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJerseyJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKorea, Democratic People's Republic ofKorea, Republic ofKuwaitKyrgyzstanLao People's Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacaoMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNorfolk IslandNorth MacedoniaNorthern Mariana IslandsNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPalestine, State ofPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPitcairnPolandPortugalPuerto RicoQatarRéunionRomaniaRussian FederationRwandaSaint BarthélemySaint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint MartinSaint Pierre and MiquelonSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSao Tome and PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSint MaartenSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSvalbard and Jan MayenSwedenSwitzerlandSyria Arab RepublicTaiwanTajikistanTanzania, the United Republic ofThailandTimor-LesteTogoTokelauTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTürkiyeTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayUS Minor Outlying IslandsUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuelaViet NamVirgin Islands, BritishVirgin Islands, U.S.Wallis and FutunaWestern SaharaYemenZambiaZimbabwe CAPTCHA Submit Δ --- ### [NEW!! Brainstorm with Me!](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/new-brainstorm-with-me/) **Published:** July 28, 2026 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** ### ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-content/uploads/Screenshot-2026-07-28-at-8.20.34-AM-300x236.png)It’s Common App essay season, and you’re here, hunting for advice and maybe a coach. Welcome! ### In honor of the new Common App platform, I’m offering a service that I hope will be helpful for anyone still struggling with a topic: a freestanding brainstorming session for the Common Application essay. ### I work with students wherever they are in the process, and many are still not sure of what to write. If that’s you or your high school student, here’s my offer: ### \* A Zoom session up to 2 hours where I review the student’s transcript, resumé, college list (partial is OK), and academic interests. And we go through the Common App essay prompts one-by-one on a Google Doc. Once answers are on the screen, we look for common themes and choose a topic for the essay *together.* ### At the same time, I then provide the student with an original outline for the topic in the form of questions, 5 to 8 questions, depending on the topic. With those questions, students should be able to answer each in a paragraph and find the material from which to put together an essay on their own. ### This is sometimes all students need to get going. Other students might want to continue to meet with me. That would be the flat fee Common App Essay Package–flat fee, any number of drafts, minus the brainstorming fee. I work on supplemental essays, too, along with PIQs and the MIT essays. ### Costs: Brainstorming session for Common App Essay, PIQs, MIT essays (choose one). $250.00. ### Flat fee Common App Essay Package: $1850 minus the $250 if you’ve elected brainstorming. ### Flat fee PIQs or MIT essays: $1950, minus $250 if you’ve done the brainstorming. ### Payment via Zelle, Venmo, or international wires. ### Let me know if you’re interested! I’d love to help you with this project…. **<ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com>** ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-content/uploads/Screenshot-2026-06-01-at-9.31.57-AM-291x300.png) --- ### [When You Write Your Essays With Me](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/resources/how-to-write-your-college-application-essay/) **Published:** July 11, 2016 **Author:** admin **Content:** ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-content/uploads/images-7.jpg) #### How to write your college app essay can feel like an unfathomable mystery. Which Common App essay prompt to pick? Where to start? What do colleges want to know? How to stand out? **As a novelist, journalist, editor and longtime writing coach, I help students convey who they are in their Common App and other application essays. They come to me with their accomplishments and ambitions — and we go from there. I give them a series of focused sessions, clear assignments, and on-screen time together. They learn writing and editing techniques and ways to translate their interests and their uniqueness to the page.** I do not have assistants reading student work, and I take only enough clients that I can give each one my full attention. **Whether you’re applying to [Cal Tech](https://www.niche.com/colleges/california-institute-of-technology/), [Clemson](https://www.niche.com/colleges/clemson-university/), or [CUNY](https://www.niche.com/colleges/cuny-city-college-of-new-york/), the college application essay is a unique – and uniquely intimidating – piece of the admissions puzzle. Beyond your grades, test scores, and extra-curricular activities, the essay is your opportunity to speak directly to the admissions committee about who you are, in 500 to 1000 words in your voice and your words.** **And there is this: Most students are applying to colleges within the Common Application Organization system, where they begin with what’s known as The Common App Essay. But that’s often only the beginning of the essay writing process, as many colleges have additional essays known as supplemental essays. Still other colleges are outside the Common App orbit, including MIT, the University of California system (nine colleges), and the University of Texas. Those require different sets of essays. There may be many essays involved, but the overall rubric is The College App Essay.** Whatever number of college essays you write, they are your chance to make a unique impression and round out who you are. Stellar students can show an interesting mind at work, reveal a backstory that isn’t apparent, and present writing ability that’s critical for college success . Students with more of a mixed record can reveal interests and perhaps explain their history and circumstances. “Liz was amazing. She helped me with my personal statement and multiple supplemental essays. She helped me turn my initial ideas for essays into amazing works that I’m proud of. Her expertise is not limited to writing. She knew the ins and outs of the schools I applied to, their values, and how to convey them effectively. She’s also a joy to work with!” ##### - P.F., Cornell, University of Michigan, Georgetown, Class of 2029 **My job is *not* to write and edit your college app essays, but to help you find your material, your essay subjects, your voice, your organization, and your words.** I work with clients at every stage of the process, depending on your needs and your deadlines. **If you don’t have a clue how to begin your application essay, we start at the beginning. If you’re on your third draft and something’s just not coming together, we start there. My services are tailor-made to your needs. One size does not fit all, but there are common techniques and strategies I’ve developed to move through the many phases of the process. Among them:** - We review the schools you’re applying to and attempt to winnow down the number of individual essays you will need. - We review your application to make sure that the essay does not repeat information that’s presented elsewhere. - In a brainstorming session, we will go through the essay prompts – usually starting with the Common Application or the other central prompts you are required to do – and locate your best material. I *do not* impose subjects on you; I work with you to find material that best represents who are you and how you want to present yourself to colleges. - Once we’ve decided on what you’ll write, I provide a unique framework in which you can write organize, edit, and polish your essays. - You’ll come away with essays you can be proud of, essays that present your best self to the world, and lifelong lessons in good writing. [ Get Started on Your College Essays ](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/contact-liz/) ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com//wp-content/uploads/download-1-2.jpg)**The pandemic has accustomed us to communicating online, but long before COVID, most of my work with students was online. I work with students as far away as Hong Kong — and as close as Boston and Chagrin Falls, Ohio (really!). Even through the screen, the students and I develop real relationships. There’s good conversation, laughter, serious work, and best of all, I help students become more confident, capable writers *and* achieve their college goals.** --- ### [How to Choose Colleges](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/resources/how-to-choose-colleges/) **Published:** June 16, 2022 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict **Content:** #### How to choose colleges can feel like a mystery, yet creating your list has never been more important. With acceptance rates plunging and tuition soaring, students need information and resources to do it well. The nation’s selective colleges accept as many students this year as they did 20 years ago, even as 10 times more students are applying. Since colleges are not expanding their populations, students need to expand their horizons. We are a land of colleges and universities – about 4000 of them. They are institutions as **varied and complex as our fifty states – times eight.** **There are Ivy League universities; undergraduate schools of engineering, computer science, journalism, and business; music and acting conservatories; and community colleges. There are small women’s liberal arts colleges, small and medium-size liberal arts colleges, a network of [HBCU](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_historically_black_colleges_and_universities)s (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), and huge state universities with major sports stadiums and [football coaches ](https://espnlafayette.com/10-highest-paid-college-football-coaches-in-2021/)whose salaries are much higher than those of university presidents. Hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world apply to US colleges because of this huge variety of resources.** **Tens of thousands focus on the top 10, 20 and 30 colleges. These often include Ivies, [Northwestern](https://northwestern.edu), Tufts, and the most selective state universities. Those are the [University of Michigan](https://umich.edu), University of Texas, and the vast University of California system. But even as application numbers soar, the real estate at these places stays the same.** In your search, look beyond the usual suspects. There are state schools with programs that have your name and your interests on them. Hunt for [hidden gems](https://ctcl.org) that will give you a fabulous education – and maybe a lot of merit aid. ## How to Choose Colleges 2026-27 People choose their colleges based on interests, geography, weather, and family resources. Google matters. If you want to major in Computer Science, Google will spit out top CS undergraduate programs. Don’t apply only to the top 10! Dig deeper than that! You can find just about everything you need by searching: “top X programs,” and the rankings go far beyond the top ten. But there’s much more information that’s important to this process. For example, Google will tell you just about anything, but if you’re looking for business schools, I love the site Poets and Quants, which focuses on MBAs but has an info-packed [undergrad website right here](https://poetsandquantsforundergrads.com/news/best-undergraduate-business-schools-of-2026/). **Once you have a few ideas, these are two great resources to help you choose colleges to apply to. One is free, and the other is about $20.** **[College Niche](https://niche.com)** is a free website listing all high schools AND colleges in the U.S. Each page publishes extensive information about admissions figures, requirements, costs, 10 most popular majors, and — best of all – REVIEWS, often from hundreds of students, broken down by different aspects of the college experience. You can also enter your GPA and test scores and see a scattergram of your chances of admission. You can search by college name or by state. The REVIEWS are at the bottom of the page, and there is a DROP-DOWN MENU to the LEFT that allows you see reviews by category. — see the arrow below. When you read reviews, read several dozen, not 2 or 3, so you get a wider view. ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com//wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2020-04-05-at-11.12.28-PM.png) **Another resource for choosing colleges is the series of guidebooks published every August by Princeton Review, called *The Best 387 Colleges. Note:* the number in the title goes up 1 or 2 every year.** Often available at many **[Barnes and Noble](http://bn.com/)** branches, you can order the book online from **[BN](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-best-385-colleges-2020-edition-the-princeton-review/1131303278?ean=9780525568421#/)** and [**AMAZON**](https://www.amazon.com/Best-385-Colleges-2020-Depth/dp/0525568425/ref=sr_1_1?gclid=CjwKCAjw5fzrBRASEiwAD2OSV2hlp-hZlOMjM81D-g82qn3c4XNW7kIE2Dg2-yXhrfu5IBt2su_T-RoCMAgQAvD_BwE&hvadid=381151515116&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9004077&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=2255112718134712902&hvtargid=aud-647846986441%3Akwd-832841718447&hydadcr=1777_9636518&keywords=best+385+colleges&qid=1568684538&sr=8-1), and the publisher’s own site. [**Best 391 Colleges**](https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/best-colleges) has lots of quirky “best lists” in front, but the heart of the book are 2-page overviews of these “best colleges.”) You can also get plenty of information on rankings and much more**.** The 2-page overviews offer great information in the text and sidebars. You can read about what’s important in admissions, student comments, the vibe, the study scene, the most popular majors, and — my favorite — ratings in the lefthand sidebar for **PROFESSOR INTERESTING RATING** and **PROFESSOR ACCESSIBLE RATING**. For example, for **PENN STATE**, those numbers are 81 and 84. For **HARVARD**, 78 and 81, and for **HARVEY MUDD** 98 and 99. In case you want to know whether you’re likely to have much of a relationship with your professors. Figuring out how to choose colleges for your list will take time, research, and, if possible, a visit or three. Should you consult these resources and are want to pursue additional help, please contact me. “I’ve researched so many college essay coaches on the Internet, but most don’t market anything other than a promise to get your child into a top school. I convinced my parents to go with you because I saw you had uniquely strong writing experience and a passion for your craft.” ##### - Princeton Class of 2028 [ Get Help & Get Started ](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/contact-liz/) --- ### [College Essay Coach Testimonials](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/) **Published:** July 11, 2016 **Author:** admin **Content:** ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-content/uploads/fullsizeoutput_3eb1.jpeg) College admissions is a tough competition. The written word is key. I help students create powerful personal statements, supplements that reveal their interests, and a lifetime of writing skills. I’m heartened when I hear from them and their parents about the experience. Thank you all so much! [ Contact Liz ](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/contact-liz/) #### **NEW!!!** “I am extremely grateful for all your help on both kids’ journeys (to the opposite sides of the nation!).” MIT, Class of 2028; UC Berkeley, Class of 2030. #### **NEW!!!** “Liz, thanks again for your help. It may have been the essays that tipped the balance!” U Michigan, ED, Class of 2030 #### **NEW!!!** “You are a Godsend!” Colgate, ED, Class of 2030 #### **NEW!!!** As a Korean international student, beginning my college application process in the US was worrisome. Especially regarding the essay component of my applications, I had no idea where to even begin. It was during this time that I met Liz, who immediately made the process feel far less overwhelming. She helped me break down the essay into manageable steps, guiding me in finding my voice and shaping my personal story. With her support, I gained confidence not only in my writing but also in my ability to present myself authentically. It was extremely comforting to know that I could always rely on Liz, as her experience and knowledge of schools were invaluable. In the end, after applying to 26 reach-schools (without any safeties), I was accepted to 12, and I have officially committed to UC Berkeley. Never in my life would I have expected to turn down offers from incredible schools like Georgetown, USC, UMichigan, Boston College etc. Thank you, Liz, for making dreams come true and for supporting me with nothing but kindness throughout this stressful process.” R.S., Class of 2030 #### “Dear Liz, Working with you was one of the most transformative parts of my college application journey. More than a brilliant essay coach, you’ve also been a mentor, a friend, and most importantly, my biggest advocate since day one. You were there at every step—from our initial brainstorming sessions down to the final edits—and your sharp feedback helped me develop stories that truly reflected who I am. Through the process, I grew not only as a writer, but as a *thinker*. I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to have worked with you—thank you so much!!— J.W., Harvard, UPenn, Brown, Class of 2029 #### “I wanted to reach out to thank you SO much for your guidance and support with my daughter’s personal statement and supplemental questions, and helping her sort through how to best present herself. Your insight and thoughtful approach helped her to articulate her story concisely and meaningfully. Plus, she enjoyed working with you!! She always had wonderful things to say, and we’ll be forever grateful that we stumbled across your website.” — J.P. Barnard Class of 2029, Early Decision #### “Coming into the college admissions process, I knew that my writing was going to be a make-or-break factor. With a “lower” unweighted GPA (3.7), I wanted to ensure my story was effectively communicated to admissions officers. Liz was amazing. She helped me with my personal statement and multiple supplemental essays. She helped me turn my initial ideas for essays into amazing works that I’m proud of. Her expertise is not just limited to writing. She knew the ins and outs of the schools I applied to, their values, and how to convey them effectively. She’s also a joy to work with!” –P.F. Cornell University (will attend), University of Michigan, Georgetown, Class of 2029 #### “Dear Liz, I don’t think I would have such a tremendous smile sitting on top of acceptances if it weren’t for you and your work. Truth be told, as a first-generation college student, I was lost in the entire process, juggling essays, classes, and fly-in programs. Your unique ability to understand not only writing but my life from my perspective made it incredibly easy to bounce ideas off of you and to tell my story. #### “I can’t recommend Liz enough, there is just something magical about her!” — B.H., Tufts, UPenn, Williams, Brown, Johns Hopkins, Class of 2029 #### “Liz made the application process seamless from start to finish. She helped our son stay focused on the tone and details of his essays, and showed him how to keep a realistic schedule so he was finished well ahead of his classmates. He was able to get into his dream school, Tufts, for early decision!” J.M., New England, Tufts, class of 2029 #### “Liz, THANK YOU! From our very first conversation, you genuinely cared about who I was, not just as a student, but as a person. You helped me to think more deeply about my story when writing essays. You also encouraged me to embrace my passion for English, and now I will be pursuing it alongside public health on a pre-med track. Thank you for believing in me when I needed it most, I’m so grateful for your help!!!! –Z.N., Vanderbilt, UMichigan, Georgia Tech, UT Austin, Class of 2029 #### Dear Liz, Working with you was one of the best decisions we made during the college process. After our daughter was deferred from her early decision school, you answered our 11PM phone call and brought us immediate reassurance and clarity. You went above and beyond—researching schools, editing essays, easing our stress, and offering thoughtful, compassionate guidance every step of the way. We’re endlessly grateful for your insight, dedication, and support. Thank you!! C.N., Vanderbilt, UMichigan, Georgia Tech, UT Austin, Class of 2029 #### Dec. 2023: “Dear Liz, I am writing to thank you for helping me navigate the college essay process during these past few months. You’ve helped me not only earn an acceptance at my dream school but also grow as a writer. I’ve researched so many college essay coaches on the Internet, but most don’t market anything other than a promise to get your child into a top school. I convinced my parents to go with you because I saw you had uniquely strong writing experience and a passion for your craft. I’m glad I made the decision, as you helped me find excellent topics, structures, and messages for my essays. You brought a perspective I could have found nowhere else and for that, I am truly grateful.” Best, A.E – Princeton Class of 2028 ### To Contact Me, Please [Click Here.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/contact-liz/) #### “I can’t thank you enough for working with my kid and getting the best out of him. He had no idea how to do this kind of writing, and not only did you teach him how to write college essays, but you also helped him learn how to express himself, how to make his point in 200 words (or 50!), how to tell a good story about himself, how to interpret a question and brainstorm possible ways to approach it, and so much more! (He said you also introduced him to art/people/ideas he hadn’t been exposed to. He thinks you’re absolutely brilliant… and I agree!) #### “You also had tremendous patience and made B. feel positive about the process. He told me repeatedly how grateful he was to be working with you, and that he couldn’t imagine having a better experience doing college essays than he had with you. I never would have been able to do any of this with him. He and I got to enjoy our relationship without too much nagging on my part, because you told me to trust you, and once I let go (with your gentle encouragement), I got to sit back and let the magic happen between you two. B’s mantra has been, “The best decision you made was getting Liz,” and there’s no hyperbole there.” Admissed Harvard, Yale, Stanford Class of 2028. #### “Liz is exceptionally talented at her craft. She was so invaluable in helping me get into Columbia for my undergrad, that 6 years later, I reached back out to seek her help with my law school applications. Her talent lies in her storytelling abilities: transforming the mundane into a compelling and powerful personal narrative. She provides thoughtful and strategic feedback through every stage of the writing process, and is wholly dedicated to helping her students find their voice. She is fully invested in every student she works with, and will share in your joy of every accomplishment— big or small. Liz is a priceless resource that I could not recommend more highly.” – P.F. Columbia Law School Class of 2027 #### “Dear Liz, P. got into MIT early action!!!! She has also received acceptances to UT Austin CS and Purdue CS, but she is already 100% committed to MIT. Your help on her essays is greatly appreciated. She loved the ideas that you two came up with. You also kept her on track! I will be contacting you in a year for my son!”- F.S. MIT Class of 2028 #### “Liz was not only a mentor and writing coach throughout my application process, but an amazing friend. She consistently kept me on track despite my constant tendency to procrastinate. She was an excellent communicator–always answering her email within a couple hours. To put it simply, Liz was a true lifesaver in this process. What makes Liz stand out is not just her ability to edit written essays, but to help her students *think differently* and to guide them through the entire writing process– from ideas & outlines to first drafts & final pieces. I’ll definitely be keeping in touch. Thank you, Liz!!! Stanford, Class of 2027″ #### “Liz helped me sort out my ideas and polish my essays so I could submit my applications with confidence! She also helped me ‘get into the minds of the admissions officers,’ since I wasn’t entirely sure what they were looking for when I began to draft things. I’m so grateful for all of her support and stoked to be committing to Harvard, Class of 2027.” #### Liz is outstanding! We came to her not knowing what to do, but we knew that she could draw out the best in our high school senior for the 2023 college application cycle. Liz worked 1:1 with our kiddo on several essays for many of the top universities, including MIT and the University of California system. Liz is very accessible to students/families, caring, and has a strong commitment to her students. Our kiddo ultimately was admitted to the #1 university for Mechanical Engineering, 3 of the top 20 colleges in the world, 2 Ivy League schools and 9 of the top 30 engineering colleges in the US. We are so privileged and blessed to have had the opportunity to work with Liz, she is truly phenomenal!” Columbia, Cornell, Tufts & Others, Class of 2027 #### “Liz helped me immensely in my writing and in the transfer application process overall. I knew that transferring to Yale or Georgetown would be no easy feat, but with Liz’s guidance, I was able to write essays that conveyed my story and my goals in wanting to transfer. I will always be profoundly grateful for my experience working with her. She is truly a phenomenal resource for anyone applying to colleges.” ~SR Admitted as transfer to Georgetown & Yale College, 2022. #### “Liz was so helpful throughout the entire application process! Her thoughtful feedback helped me turn even my most convoluted ideas into beautiful, polished essays. My experience with Liz made the whole stressful affair of applying to college bearable.” — JH, Early Decision, Brown, Class of 2027 #### “Dear Liz: My daughter was officially accepted ED to Middlebury, and she’s over the moon. Huge thanks for all you’ve done to help us out. Can’t wait for daughter #2 to use you next year!” — JC, Early Decision, Middlebury, Class of 2027 #### “After working with Liz, my son embraced the art of storytelling. His confidence in his ability to craft and tell a story concisely and articulately has increased substantially. He was accepted into his top school, but the most important lesson learned was rooted in the belief that a left-brained learning mathematics student can tap into his right-brained creative side. Yes, she succeeded in assisting him with college applications, but more importantly, she made him a much better writer.” — USC, Class of 2027 #### “I had my eye on Boston College, with a plan to apply Early Decision, so I wanted to make sure that both my common app essay and my Boston College supplemental essay were well written. I was having trouble picking a topic for my Common App essay, and Liz had some great ways for me to tease out a bunch of ideas and ultimately pick the best one to expand on. The BC supplemental prompts were very deep and overwhelming to think about, but Liz helped keep my focus on what I wanted to write while making sure it answered the prompt. I learned some great writing tools that certainly made writing other supplementals easier and will definitely serve me well in the future. I really believe my essays played a big role in my acceptance.” — MT, Early Decision Boston College 2027 #### From an East Coast Mom: “Our son just got in early to Harvard! Liz’s help was invaluable. Liz worked with our son on Zoom and immediately grasped who he was as a person and saw how he could shine on paper. She made the process for our son and our family seamless. He improved as a writer and learned a tremendous amount from her. I slept better knowing Liz was helping our son. She was extremely creative, flexible and efficient–truly brilliant!” Early Action-Harvard Class of 2026 #### From a Georgia Mom: “My son has just been accepted Early Decision to Cornell. Liz was an integral part of his success in getting there. She worked tirelessly with him on his essays and they were perfect by application time. She is an incredible writer and her advice and guidance was spot on. What’s been the most wonderful about Liz though is the way she has supported my son (and our family) throughout this whole process. As we all know, applying for college is stressful. However, Liz was always there to answer our questions and help reassure us that we were on the right track to getting my son accepted to a very selective school. Quite frankly, I’m not sure how we would have made it through without her. Her services were an investment in my son’s future and it has already paid off.” Early Decision, Cornell, Class of 2026 #### From a New York Mom of twins: “Thank you again!!! You were fabulous! Absolutely praise worthy and one of the most important parts of the process! See you in a few years for our daughter!” Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, UVa, University of Texas at Austin, University of WIsc Madison, Class of 2026 #### From a NY Mom: “Working with Liz was the best decision we made during the college process. Because of the pandemic, my son was stuck in his bedroom during the summer before his senior year, and meeting with Liz (on Zoom!) helped him concentrate and think deeply about himself—his interests, his strengths, his desires for the next four years. The college essay is such a particular genre, and even though I’m a professional editor, I would never have been able to elicit the great essay he ended up writing; Liz helped him take his wide-ranging interests and weave them into an engaging story that brilliantly displayed his personality. And somehow she managed to make the whole experience stress-free and even enjoyable for him.” Tufts University, Class of 2025 #### From a Florida Father: “Liz was immensely helpful, from start to finish, during my son’s 2021 college application process (Class of 2025), which yielded acceptances at Columbia University’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, Carnegie-Mellon’s School of Computer Science, and The University of Michigan’s School of Engineering. Liz was a trusted thought-partner, writing coach, and psychologist helping my son find his authentic voice throughout his essays, pushing back constructively, and encouraging my son through the long and stressful process. Liz was also highly responsive, 7 days a week. We were thrilled with the outcome. Thank you, Liz!” #### From a Mother About her Son: “There is a significant difference in his writing, which provokes a change in his thinking patterns, ability to analyze, and act. As a philologist, I know that the quality of writing is an indicator of the internal world. Your contribution to my son’s personal development is much more valuable than college acceptances. It is commonly known that who we are greatly depends on the people surrounding us. Your influence on my son’s perception of himself was profound. Again, I thank you for your work, care, and presence in his life.” ~ T.D., Accepted to University of Illinois, Class of 2021 #### From a Father: “As parents, this was our first time going through the college application process and Liz “de-stressed” the whole process. From our first contact with Liz, we were reassured by her guidance and support in the essay process. She is an excellent writing coach and, by taking a personal interest in getting to know our son, she helped him highlight his strengths and voice in his essays. We were impressed with Liz’s responsiveness and her ability to keep our son on task as well as inspiring him to keep improving his essays. Our son is excited to start Stanford, Class of 2023!! Liz, we are reserving you to work with our daughter. ~ C. L., New England.” UPDATE: Daughter accepted at Bates, Middlebury, Northeastern, BU, William and Mary, and Syracuse Honors Program. Class of 2025. #### **From a Father: “**Liz helped our 8th grade son write seven application essays for very selective **New England boarding schools**. Liz met with him entirely via Skype and was able to quickly get to know him and help his voice come through in those essays. They bonded over weekly cycles of talking about the essay topics, reviewing first drafts and suggesting how he could improve them. The results were authentic essays written by the student with encouragement and terrific suggestions by Liz – **and best of all, he was admitted to two of his top choice schools in spring 2020. ~** N.S., New York #### **From a Mother:** “I could not have hoped for better results from your time working with my daughter. I originally reached out to you to help my daughter with her personal essay. I had helped my eldest daughter with her college applications, but found myself too busy with work to help my middle daughter. I’m so happy I was too busy! My daughter received a lot more than guidance on her personal essay. You took time to get to know my daughter. You helped her write an essay that she felt really captured her essence. Her writing is forever improved. In addition, you really took time with both of us and offered information on potential colleges that we had not been considering. In fact, she’s attending **Smith College** next year, which is a school we originally were not considering. My daughter fell in love with the campus when we visited and really feels this is the perfect school for her! You’ve made a life-long impact on my daughter and on me. I’ll be seeking your guidance in a couple of years for my youngest daughter!” M.C. **Smith College, Class of 2025** #### **From a Mother: “**When it was time for my son to start his college essay, he couldn’t begin to fill that blank page. Liz began working with him via Skype, and I couldn’t believe his progress. She really got to know him and he learned a lot in a short time. His dream school was a reach. We called Liz one last time for advice on what to send and set him apart. If we had not called her, we truly believe he would not have gotten in. Thank you so much for bringing out the best in our son. Forever grateful. His sister will be calling you.” The Wards, Massachusetts, **University of Miami, Class of 2025** #### **From a Mother: “**Applying to colleges is no joke. It is an intense process for someone who is just barely of age to buy a lottery ticket (if that), and possibly a tense time for the entire family. Liz helped our daughter to excel not just as a high school senior frantically writing college essays, but as a young woman writer. With more confidence as a writer than I imagined, our daughter heads into her freshman year of college ready to write those longer papers. If you ever question whether a tutor for college essays is valuable, know that with Liz you will gain tremendous benefit as a writer and editor well beyond these few crazy months… on top of feeling you left everything on the field as you submit supplements to your top choice schools.” M.B., **Northwestern, Washington University, Boston College, Class of 2025** #### “Liz is absolutely brilliant. Her suggestions really made my essays reach their full potential, flow more naturally, more logically, and become more powerful. Liz also helped me emphasize my strengths on my application and gave clear, insightful advice on the application process in general.” ~ V. P., Accepted to **Harvard College** and **Yale College**, **Class of 2017** #### “Dear Liz, Thank you so much for everything!! It was amazing to work with someone who knows what admissions officers are looking for *and* embraced my personal writing style. Speaking with you helped me to approach each of my essays with a clear sense of direction, and I am truly proud of my final drafts. You helped make my dream school, **Columbia**, a reality, and I was also admitted to **Northwestern**, **UCLA**, and **UC Berkeley**! The college admissions process can be so overwhelming, and your help was truly invaluable. My dreams came true! 🙂 ~ K.W. California, **Columbia University Class of 2024** #### “Liz is one of the finest resources a student can have during the college process. The countless articles or videos claiming to ‘crack the common app essay’ can only take you so far. What Liz offers isn’t some sort of mechanical ‘perfect’ essay that’s been run through a million algorithms. She works one on one to bring out the best in you, guiding you seamlessly towards producing essays that represent you as a student, and more importantly, as a person. She’s kind, friendly, and manages to make one of the most stressful parts of applying to college something to look forward to. I cannot recommend this phenomenal teacher enough.” ~ P.K. New England, **New York University, Class of 2024** #### “From the first time I met Liz, it was clear that she really cares about her clients. She took the time to understand my needs and personalized her service for me. Liz was there with me through the whole writing process. She helped me find original topics that were personal to me, gave me the confidence to write on them, and got me through any writer’s block. In this way, Liz improved my writing and saved me a lot of time. I’m extremely proud of the end result. Liz, thank you for helping me transfer to Barnard College!” B.R., New England, Transferred to **Barnard College**, **Class of 2021** **“Writing personal essays has always been my weakness, and the idea of being judged so carefully off of a skill I was not proud of was considerably daunting. Liz gave me a sense of security in my college application that I never would have had otherwise. She was great at working with me to take the vague, complicated version of an idea in my mind and make it make perfect sense. Not only that, but she is so easy to talk to! We would always go over time because we’d start talking about some book she recommended for me, or an idea I had had. She was also so willing to help with any part of the process, giving me advice on everything from my Common Application activities list to my On-Campus interview. She has an uncanny ability to pick up on exactly what made me unique — the very aspect she said to emphasize in my application was what my admissions officer wrote about on the note she sent me after my acceptance!” ~ L. E, New England, Early Action to** **Yale College**, **Class of 2022** **“Liz’s extremely patient, thoughtful and encouraging teaching process helped me gain a deeper understanding of my graduate program’s expectations. The process not only helped me write a statement I am incredibly proud of, but it challenged and allowed me to develop a critical way of thinking about the prompts at hand which is a perspective I will carry on in my studies. Our initial sessions helped shape my final statements, and I received acceptances from Cornell, UPenn, Columbia, RISD, Pratt, UCLA, and CCNY**. **Highly recommend her guidance!” -A.Z, New York, dated:** **April 2021** **“****Liz was incredibly helpful and helped my gather all of my ideas together to form an essay that reflected my personalities and passions. I had no idea where to start with the college essay process and she made it so much easier. I would definitely recommend her to anyone!!! Thanks so much” –** **M.W. Vanderbilt University, Class of 2025** **“Liz is great at helping you come up with Rule Number 1 of college essays: grab the attention of an exhausted admissions officer and even bring a tear to their eye by the end of the essay. She coaches you along making sure your authentic voice shines through, which is crucial in the eyes of admission officers. Ready for the best part? Liz helped me plan and “work smart” beforehand in choosing prompts and core ideas that aligned well between schools to save me much needed time and energy. That said, every essay was unique to each school, and Liz always made sure we were answering the question asked — advice I heard many times from the college information sessions I attended.** **“She guides you with honesty, humor, and incredible authorial skill until you feel 100% confident in each of your essays (and until they follow the word limit!). Beyond the writing, Liz was my cheerleader, always there to help me through an essay, especially at the final hour. When it comes to writing and college essays, she is truly the expert and much of the reason I was accepted into top tier schools (including some scholarships!)” – H. S.** **UCLA, UCSD, Washington University, Northwestern, William & Mary, Wake Forest, Boston College, Santa Clara; scholarships at William & Mary, Santa Clara, and WashU, Class of 2025.** #### “My final college decision is to attend the **University of Pennsylvania** in the fall. I am ecstatic at this opportunity and all of the avenues my life can go on from here, and I would like to thank you for all of your help and guidance during this process. My family and I appreciate it immensely.” S.R. **UPenn**, **Class of 2024** #### “I truly enjoyed everything about working with Liz. She really helped me organize my ideas and turn them into quality essays that I felt passionate about. Our sessions significantly reduced the stress of this generally foreboding process. I highly recommend Liz based on my positive experience with her.” ~ B.B., New England, Early Decision to **Dartmouth**, **Class of 2022** #### “It was absolutely wonderful working with Liz. After countless hours discussing essay improvements on Skype and spending much time preparing for interviews, Liz and I got to know each other quite well throughout this long college process. The time we spent together brainstorming essay topics and discussing overall strategy was an invaluable resource for me, and it was always so nice to have a real mentor to talk to about how everything was going, and work to temper any budding anxiety. Liz, thank you so much for everything!” S.P., New York, Early Decision, **Harvard College, Class of 2024** #### “Liz helped calm any anxieties I had regarding writing the essays, and together we came up with topics that were personal to me and truly conveyed my best qualities through my writing. She was a comforting and encouraging force ,and I was always satisfied with the end result. I’ve really appreciated her guidance throughout the process. I even learned some nifty grammar rules along the way!! ” – A.R. New England, **Georgia Tech**, **Class of 2024** #### “I contacted Liz about three weeks before I sent off my first college application. A nervous senior, I was anxious to get my essays ready in such a short time. Liz replied very quickly and very promptly, and offered to help me improve my essays. From the very beginning, it was clear that she really cared about me as an individual and that she really wanted me to be as successful as possible in my college process. She was so responsive and insightful that is often felt like she had known me for years instead of weeks! After I sent her my first essay, she replied within a few hours with detailed corrections and suggestions. Each time, she would help me further develop my distinctive, creative voice while also illuminating my errors. Every time, I could learn from the suggestions, make my own changes, and send her back a newer version for more advice. It was absolute pleasure to work with her– she was both incredibly efficient and helpful. Now that I’ve been accepted to my dream school, I not only appreciate Liz as a great mentor, but also a great friend. Thank you so much”! ~ A. M. R., Early Action, **Harvard University**, **Class of 2017** #### “I started the application process particularly worried about my essay. I spent the first half of my summer trying to think what I would write about and had no luck. Within an hour, Liz helped me find a experience in my life that truly changed me and would express some of my best qualities to colleges. Moving forward, she helped me write an essay that I felt truly put my best self forward and was proud to submit. Furthermore, she helped me become a better writer and thinker. I cannot thank her enough.” ~ R.D. Early Decision to **Vanderbilt University**, **Class of 2022** #### “Dear Liz: I just wanted to write you an email to convey how glad I am to have worked with you and to say thank you so much for all your help with my essays. I have decided to go to **University of Texas at Austin**!” ~ T.S. California, **Class of 2023** #### “To future clients of Ms. Benedict, I was in your position a few months ago. I pride myself on being a powerful writer who never needed help in high school, but when college application season came around, I felt quite overwhelmed. The style of writing that is required for colleges is very personal and unlike anything else I had ever written before (i.e. literary analysis). Liz was very prompt in responding to my first request for information, and she worked with me to ensure that I felt comfortable with her legitimacy and reassured me that she would not be writing anything for me—she would simply teach me how to write personally and clearly. When working with Liz, she was funny, creative, and helpful. If you are considering hiring her, I can assure you it will be money well spent, and it will not be hiring someone to “do your work for you.” Liz is strict in not writing anything, but rather helping her students craft creative personal stories that sound pleasing and flow well. I am very thankful to her, as I have received acceptances from **UCLA, USC-Marshall, NYU-Stern, and UC Berkeley**!” ~ M.D., Southern California, Class of 2018 #### “It was an absolutely wonderful experience to work with Liz. Being a nervous international student desperately looking for help and advice to compose essays for a system I knew nothing about, I’m so glad that I found Liz. I was quite skeptical about this whole process at first, to work with someone from the States while I’m in Hong Kong. I never thought this whole thing could work over internet with her being 8000 miles away from me! But here we are. We worked the whole thing out through Skype and Google Docs. She was very helpful, inspiring, and patient, and she encouraged me to dig up stories within myself that I wouldn’t have considered as writing materials otherwise. She helped me to see a bigger picture of where my words were heading, while correcting minor but essential grammar mistakes. She also helped me organize my stories. Liz is an amazing tutor, and I’ll always be grateful for her guidance and understanding.” ~ S.P., Early Action and Merit, **School of the Art Institute of Chicago**, **Class of 2018** #### “Before I met Liz, my family and I felt stressed out by the entire application process. The Common Application and countless other supplements were daunting obstacles that had me twisting into awful contortions. While I was initially hesitant to work with an essay editor because I wanted to make sure my work was my own, it turned out that I had nothing to fear. Liz provided me with a comfortable environment where I could reflect on my interests and personal experiences to draft compelling stories about myself. The essays I wrote were unmistakably my own, and over a series of low-stress meetings, she helped me to refine my writing until I had an application that I felt very proud of. The advice and lessons I’ve learned from Liz will undoubtedly help me whenever I’ll need to write applications or grants in the future. Thank you!” ~ S.M., Early Action, **Yale College**, **Class of 2019** #### “Liz was one of the most helpful people in my application process, which, like most people’s, was hectic. She uses her familiarity with the schools and the process and her skill as a writer to improve your essays on every level. Whether you’re having trouble with the big picture, like picking an appropriate topic or deciding what ideas to include in your essay, or with the small details, such as style and grammar, Liz will help make your essays fantastic. She helped me on all these levels, and the results were quirky, personal, and successful essays that landed me a spot in my first choice school. Thank you, Liz!” ~ K. E., Accepted Early Decision to **Columbia College/Columbia University**, **Class of 2018** #### “Dear Liz: I just wanted to let you know that I got into **Tufts**! I’m very excited and wanted to thank you for everything and all you did for me these past few months!” ~ E.S., Early Decision 2015-16, N. Jersey #### “I started my college applications (particularly the essays) very late. There was no real reason other than procrastination. My hopes for reaching the Ivy League soon became hopes for simply getting into college. However, with the little faith I had left, I browsed Google for useful college application resources/mentors, and I found Liz’s website; I remember reading the amazing testimonials for her services, and yelling to my mom, “Mom, we NEED to call this lady!” I was initially concerned she wouldn’t even have the time and availability to help me so late into the year, so upon hearing she would welcome me as her student, I was shocked. Over the next two months, she guided me throughout not just the essay-writing process, but my entire college application process, providing me invaluable information with her wide range of college-related experiences. From helping me transcribe my creative voice onto paper to helping me write my resum�, Liz taught me things that will last into college and beyond. Thank you so much, Liz. Writing this testimonial is an honor, and I hope mine will inspire others as your previous testimonials have inspired me.” ~ C.Z, **Emory University & Cornell University**, **Class of 2019** #### “Liz was able to take some of my rough ideas for an essay and lead me to creating an amazing personal statement for my law school application…. A handwritten note on my acceptance letter commented on how powerful my essay was.” ~ S. H., **NYU Law School**, **Class of 2015** #### “Hey Liz! I just wanted to let you know that I was accepted into Colgate early decision!!! I wanted to thank you for your help on my Common App essays and my supplements. Thank you so much for always replying so quickly, for helping me clarify important moments in the essays, and giving me ideas on how to cut down my essays when I was way over limit. I couldn’t have done it without your help.” ~ N. M., **Colgate**, **Class of 2015** #### “I spent months ruminating over my college essays before I sought Liz’s help. Her guidance and knowledge of the admissions process gave me the extra push I needed to get into my top choice college! In my case, the admissions essays were crucial as UC Berkeley uses holistic review. Liz helped me turn my experiences and ideas into effective essays! She will help with everything from structure to theme to diction, all while preserving your unique voice as a student. It was extremely reassuring to have my writing reviewed by someone who knows what she’s doing. My admission to **UC Berkeley** is due in part to her help.” ~ E.H., San Francisco, also admitted to UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, and UCIrvine, **Class of 2020** #### “Liz truly helped me simplify the essay writing process. She helped me break it down into smaller, more achievable steps. The end result was a powerful essay that would have never come together without Liz’s process. Once again, thank you so much for the help!!” ~ M.B. Hong Kong, admitted to **Cornell University**, **Class of 2020** #### “I wanted to let you know that I am going to be attending the University of Virginia. I am so grateful for all of your help during my application process. I absolutely could not have done it without you and I am incredibly proud of the essays that you helped me to write. The lessons that I learned gave me a new confidence in my writing skills both in and out out of the classroom. I will be sure to pass your name and contact information on to my friends who are rising seniors.” ~ M. L., **University of Virginia**, **Class of 2017** #### “I was stuck, and the essay was taking over my life. There was so much riding on it, and my friends had already finished theirs, which made me even more nervous…. You drew me out, but you didn’t put words into my mouth. You helped me to understand what it was that I wanted to say. Thanks to you, I’m proud of my final essay and confident in what I wrote.: ~ T. G., **Smith College**, **2015** ### Testimonials from Parents #### “I am not a gratuitous flatterer, but I am just gobsmacked by your talent.” ~ A mother, New York, **Barnard College**, Early Decision, 2015 #### “I am so thrilled with how you and my son worked together. He and I are very close and I didn’t want to jeopardize that by trying to work with him on my own. I was enough of a nag with everything else we had to do. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!” ~ Early decision, **Northwestern University**, L.K., Southern California, December 2015 #### “I wanted to express our deepest gratitude for all your help. You have taken time during holidays to work with my daughter and help her with finalizing all the essays. Your guidance was invaluable and has helped her articulate her thoughts and ideas in an eloquent manner.” ~ P.K., Minnesota, admitted to **UPenn, Brown, Cornell, Duke, Johns Hopkins**, Class of 2020 #### “Elizabeth Benedict helped our son with what seemed like the daunting task of writing and editing the Common App essay and several other supplemental essays. **She was fantastic at helping him calmly figure out his topics and write in his own distinctive, creative and unique voice.** She has an amazing way of relating to a 17-year-old that made our son feel confident in his own writer’s voice. She also helped review all the short answers on the Common App for the various colleges to make sure everything was clear and not redundant. This made the entire process feel very much under control and contributed to reducing the stress level for everyone. As parents, we were able to be much more in the bystander role, which seemed better for everyone. And we have even more confidence in Liz’s work and her judgment once **he was accepted to Yale for early action!” ~** M. K., New York City, Class of 2017 #### “I cannot imagine having lived through the essay writing aspect of college applications without Elizabeth Benedict. Liz worked with my daughter during the summer between her junior and senior years. By getting an early start, Liz was able to encourage my daughter to revisit her essays multiple times. The end product was outstanding and really conveyed a sense of her individuality and strengths. Liz and my daughter worked from different states initially and finished up their work in a live session. Liz’s help was particularly critical in avoiding frustration and conflict, moving the process along and sparking my daughter’s imagination and creativity to produce multiple original and thoughtful essays. She was admitted to two of three of her early application schools, and I have no doubt that Liz’s coaching contributed to this success.” ~K. O., Arizona, Class of 2015 #### “Liz is the calm in the midst of a storm. Her honesty, integrity and conciseness are the essence of her soul. She has the gift of gently and skillfully guiding the student without altering or influencing the thoughts of the young person she is shepherding. My daughter found her voice and matured academically through Liz’s guidance and was able to condense and express her thoughts so eloquently with the end result being that she was accepted to the college of her choice. As a mother, I will always be grateful to Liz, who came into our lives and magically and patiently transformed the overwhelming college essay into a positive and cheerful situation. Brava! Thank you!” ~ S. L. C., New York City – **Vassar**, May 2014 #### “My daughter scored more than 2300 in her SATs. Besides the academic achievements, she also takes upon leadership roles at school and volunteers regularly. When her early applications were deferred, she was in total shock and decided to increase her applications to ensure a better shot at an esteemed college. Winter break was not a break for her at all. She devoted all her time to write the essays and research the colleges. As a parent, I felt powerless to help her in the process. I turned to online blogs trying to find some thoughts and experiences shared by other parents. I came across some articles by Ms. Elizabeth Benedict, who had a very calm and logical tone in her suggestions. It turns out that Ms. Benedict is not only an author, but an avid college essay consultant. She was quick to address my concerns and charges reasonably. Even when she traveled, she informed me of her schedule and availability. There are many consultants out there. If you need to talk to one, Ms. Benedict is the person to go to. My daughter was admitted to her dream school!” —From a grateful parent, Southern California, April 2014 “Although we were initially hesitant to seek the help of a writer, we are now extremely happy that we did. Ms. Benedict was wonderful. She was very helpful and was able to communicate and help our daughter, who is very shy. The essay was our daughter’s work. Ms. Benedict was a pleasure to talk to and was always accessible. We were very pleased with her work and the responsible manner she handled everything.” —G. M. A., Northern New Jersey – **Early decision University of Pennsylvania** “Elizabeth Benedict has been a Godsend for our son and our family in the overwhelming process of applying to college. She provides focused, good-humored, and experienced support in both the essays and the application process. Elizabeth does not write your child’s college application essays. She draws them out of him or her with the same skill she exerts as a superior college writing professor. Our son’s experience of writing and re-writing and re-writing again his various essays under Elizabeth’s guidance was the equivalent of a mini-essay writing course with tangible results. Our senior and Elizabeth worked together via phone sessions, e mails, and two face-to-face weekends of college application “boot camp.” The end result: college essays that ring true and that our son owns and feels proud of. What could be better? It was worth every penny. **UPDATE: Our son got into his first-choice school with a scholarship.” ~** D. N., Chevy Chase, Maryland “I just want you to know that my daughter made it through the college process with her mind and sense of humor intact. I would like to think your assistance played a major part… Thanks so much for all your help. She has decided to attend **Smith College** this fall.” J.P. Bronx, NY ### Testimonials Elizabeth’s undergraduate writing students at Princeton: “One of the most stimulating, helpful courses I have ever taken. Liz was extremely accessible, and also encouraging. Her comments were always insightful, and given in a positive way.” “Benedict is an insightful teacher. She knows how to get us to improve our writing, and, most importantly, knows how to tell us how to make our writing better without making us feel badly about it.” “Liz’s encouragement and sensitivity enabled me to explore and grow. I feet that I am a much better writer with the experience of her class, and having been exposed to her wisdom.” “I’ve really learned a ton about myself and good writing. I feel better able to self-criticize and also more competent to be critical of others’ work.” **Please call me toll-free at 855-99-ESSAY or email me: <ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com>** --- ### [The News Room - Copy](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/the-news-room-copy/) **Published:** May 31, 2026 **Author:** Elizabeth Benedict --- ### [Meet Liz](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/meet-liz/) **Published:** July 11, 2016 **Author:** admin **Content:** ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-content/uploads/elizabeth-benedict.jpg) [ Contact Me to get started ](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/contact-liz/) ### Don’t Sweat the Essay Founder Elizabeth Benedict writes: I came to helping students with their college and graduate school admissions essays and personal statements after teaching writing at top universities and colleges for more than twenty years and writing and editing about a dozen books and hundreds of essays and articles in major newspapers and magazines. I have decades of experience helping young people and adults learn to express their stories, experiences, and ideas in ways that are persuasive and effective. **Best of all, I love doing this work. I love the focused, practical nature of it. I love helping people make these important transitions in their lives. And I love the fact that in addition to coming away with essays you can be proud of, essays in your own voice and your own words, our working together will give you useful lessons that you can bring to your writing for the rest of your lives.** My latest book effort is the memoir, [*Rewriting Illness: A View of My Own* ](https://www.amazon.com/Rewriting-Illness-Elizabeth-Benedict/dp/1942134916)(2023). Before that, I edited an anthology by leading writers, [*Me, My Hair and I: Twenty-seven Untangle an Obsession* ](https://www.amazon.com/Me-My-Hair-Twenty-seven-Obsession-ebook/dp/B00U6YR09E/ref=sr_1_1?crid=90E2AYD7MX3T&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.eugHJAFueDIQZAz3mNYKu7oSqpSu51p6MzxDKB-Ppb5iUdyiJQwYrC77w4TRXs7ScGRRawsJyea3N_x2A9tafvtkJMhoPcJYtg30URRlgyw5lkdq9hHvV4cnX0XTU5EDukysHwBBps8GcE3HHZ3qKQ.nZwp8xhpOyaI3ejosQp9Cd5RHjm0nKyFVIPE5kUjPgQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=me+my+hair+and+i&qid=1778266370&s=books&sprefix=me+my+hair+and+i%2Cstripbooks%2C251&sr=1-1)(Algonquin Books 2015), which was *People* magazine Pick-of-the-Week, and brought me to *The Today Show.* Two years earlier, I conceived of and edited the **New York Times Bestselling** anthology about mothers and daughters, [*What My Mother Gave Me: Thirty-one Women on the Gifts That Mattered Most*](https://www.amazon.com/What-My-Mother-Gave-Thirty-one-ebook/dp/B00AFKIRHS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=28T0GFGY61ZES&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.x9Pv50tPmfQgq15b11HFdGoMvhKpxNmkcW9wa2rplMc01FPzeylXLYyn3rgZGOoe1YtidF3UI6ssYsKpk7P_73y9flxRdnTdWTDQI_kYIBHHvkbh2GDmlqc_ktVnwD0CAOu8ijFcMoHbA-ukhL1Yjm4sqoPUBtiYpmv5xGujE_py120JAMcOGQlt3xL-O3H2kW4kkneHxZIpXxnX1lnGzZJqX6oTcRsEiUZDclukqX4.7xKV61SkfI3i4voMiIcFE7ZBFJSZvK6xmfaOxHEFxEg&dib_tag=se&keywords=what+my+mother+gave+me&qid=1778266410&s=books&sprefix=what+my+mother+gave+me%2Cstripbooks%2C247&sr=1-1) (Algonquin 2013). I’m an award-winning author, editor, and professor of writing. I’ve taught nonfiction and fiction writing workshops for more than twenty years at Princeton, the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Columbia, Barnard, Brandeis, Swarthmore, MIT, Skidmore, and Davidson, working with undergraduates, graduate students and adult learners. One of my five novels, *Slow Dancing*, was a finalist for the National Book Award. Another, *Almost*, was a national bestseller and made the **Top 5 list of Best Novels of the Year** on NPR’s *Fresh Air*. I wrote a now classic book on how to write fiction, and I’m the editor of a major anthology, *Mentors, Muses & Monsters: 30 Writers on the People Who Changed Their Lives* (Simon & Schuster 2009; SUNY Press 2011). And I’ve written hundreds of articles and essays for major publications, including *The New York Times*, *Washington Post*, *Boston Globe*, *Huffington Post*, *Allure*, *Self*, and *Daedalus*. Five of my recent essays made the **Notable Essay** section of the *Best American Essays* (Houghton Mifflin). I graduated from Barnard College, and am an active alumna there. Family members have attended Amherst, Juilliard, and SUNY Stony Brook. I teach a fiction workshop every year at the **New York State Summer Writers Institute at Skidmore College**. For more about my literary career and background, please visit my [Wikipedia page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Benedict). To contact me, please [click here.](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/contact-liz/) ## Location Through the wonders of Google Docs, Zoom, Facetime and other video platforms, I work with clients throughout the U.S. and everywhere around the world. I live in New York City, and spend part of each summer on Martha’s Vineyard, where I meet year-round and summer families. I’ve worked with students from Austin to Australia. [ Contact Me ](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/contact-liz/) --- ### [Acceptances](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/acceptances/) **Published:** July 11, 2016 **Author:** admin **Content:** ## My clients have gained admission to the following schools: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Columbia, Brown, University of Chicago, MIT, Cal-Tech, University of Pennsylvania, Wharton UPenn, Cornell, Wesleyan, Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, Tufts, Barnard, Cooper Union, Bryn Mawr, Vassar, Smith, Middlebury, Pomona, Rice, Harvey Mudd, Carleton, Kenyon, Oberlin, Howard University, Lawrence College, Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Sarah Lawrence College, Carnegie Mellon, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, UC Irvine, SUNY (Binghamton, Geneseo, Stony Brook), CUNY, Eugene Lang College at the New School, NYU, NYU-Stern, NYU Law School, University of Virginia, UCLA, University of Michigan, UNC, Boston College, Washington University Medical School, Colgate, Clark University, Connecticut College, Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, McGill, Skidmore, Art Institute of Chicago, Franklin and Marshall, William and Mary, Villanova, St. Olaf, George Washington, University of Toronto, Boston University, University of Vermont, University College London, London School of Economics, St. Andrews, Kings College London, Universities of Edinburgh, Exeter, and Warwick. ## Liz's Note About Transferring Every year I work with a few students who want to transfer to another college. Transferring into the usual top-10 colleges is MUCH more competitive than regular admission. Openings depend on students who’ve left, leaving room for transfers. The more selective the college, the fewer the spaces. Harvard may admit a handful of students. Princeton did not accept transfers until a few years ago. **To get started, [click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/contact-liz/):** I’ve helped students transfer to UPenn, Barnard, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Emory, Boston University, and Yale, whose transfer admission rate is 1.2%. For Yale, you need a stellar record, a compelling personal story, killer essays, and more than a little luck. ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-content/uploads/type-writing-machine-225x300.jpg) “Liz made the application process seamless from start to finish. She helped our son stay focused on the tone and details of his essays, and showed him how to keep a realistic schedule so he finished well ahead of his classmates.” ##### - Tufts, ED, Class of 2029 [ Get Started ](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/contact-liz/) --- ### [Contact Liz](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/contact-liz/) **Published:** May 4, 2026 **Author:** Hirsch Fishman **Content:** - 855-99-ESSAY (East Coast) - [ ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com ](mailto:ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com) Please contact me for the price of my services. Everyone’s needs are unique, and the work involved varies enormously depending on many variables. Also, please bear in mind: - There are many types of admission and admission dates: Rolling admission, where it’s first come/first served; Early Decision or Early Action, with applications usually due November 1; Early Decision 2, various due dates; and Regular Decision, usually due Jan. 1 or in the days just after. Please keep these many dates in mind as you make your plans to work on college application essays. - There are many types of essays involved, depending on what colleges you apply to. Some students have to write 5 to 7 essays, others 20 to 25. **FOR A SAMPLE OF ESSAY PROMPTS, PLEASE CONTACT ME BY EMAIL AND I WILL SEND YOU A PACKET.** - I have a sliding scale for low income families and others with special circumstances. To read more about what it’s like to work with me, [please click here](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/). Name First Last Email Phone Where do you live? City State / Province / Region Country AfghanistanÅland IslandsAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBonaire, Sint Eustatius and SabaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBrunei DarussalamBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCabo VerdeCambodiaCameroonCanadaCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas IslandCocos IslandsColombiaComorosCongoCongo, Democratic Republic of theCook IslandsCosta RicaCôte d'IvoireCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzechiaDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuadeloupeGuamGuatemalaGuernseyGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHeard Island and McDonald IslandsHoly SeeHondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsle of ManIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJerseyJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKorea, Democratic People's Republic ofKorea, Republic ofKuwaitKyrgyzstanLao People's Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacaoMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNorfolk IslandNorth MacedoniaNorthern Mariana IslandsNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPalestine, State ofPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPitcairnPolandPortugalPuerto RicoQatarRéunionRomaniaRussian FederationRwandaSaint BarthélemySaint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint MartinSaint Pierre and MiquelonSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSao Tome and PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSint MaartenSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSvalbard and Jan MayenSwedenSwitzerlandSyria Arab RepublicTaiwanTajikistanTanzania, the United Republic ofThailandTimor-LesteTogoTokelauTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTürkiyeTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayUS Minor Outlying IslandsUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuelaViet NamVirgin Islands, BritishVirgin Islands, U.S.Wallis and FutunaWestern SaharaYemenZambiaZimbabwe CAPTCHA Submit Δ --- ### [SAT Prep & Other Services](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/resources/sat-prep-and-other-services/) **Published:** July 11, 2016 **Author:** admin **Content:** ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-content/uploads/download-1-2.jpg) I am available to assist those applying to graduate school and other educational programs, including summer programs, private schools and boarding schools. I offer full-service editing and coaching for individuals writing fiction and nonfiction, and for organizations and companies. For details, please visit my website or [email me](mailto:ElizabethBenedictOK@gmail.com). [ Visit My Website ](https://www.ElizabethBenedict.com) ## SAT/ACT Prep and Test Optional Colleges In this crazily competitive college application world, standardized tests matter in many – though not all – applications. A growing number of colleges are “test optional,” and the list changes from year to year, so please check carefully. For the current list of “test optional” institutions, go to **[FAIRTEST](https://www.fairtest.org/university/optional)**. If you are applying for financial aid, “test optional” may not be an option, but check with specific colleges. I am happy to refer clients who need SAT, ACT, and other standardized tests, including TOEFL, to **[ArborBridge](https://www.arborbridge.com/)**. They work on-line with students around the world in innovative ways and offer many different packages depending on your child’s specific needs. They also offer a free diagnostic test. If you or your child prefers an IRL experience – a tutor showing up at the door – please consult **[NoodlePros](https://www.noodlepros.com/request)**, which also works online as well as in cities around the country and in Canada, France, and New Zealand, offering a range of tutors at different prices levels. “I can’t thank you enough for working with my kid and getting the best out of him. He had no idea how to do this kind of writing, and not only did you teach him how to write college essays, but you also helped him learn how to express himself, how to make his point in 200 words (or 50!), how to tell a good story about himself, how to interpret a question and brainstorm possible ways to approach it, and so much more!” ##### - A.C., Stanford, Class of 2029 [ Get Started ](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/contact-liz/) --- ### [Martha's Vineyard 2026](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/marthas-vineyard-2026/) **Published:** January 23, 2019 **Author:** admin **Content:** ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-content/uploads/Marthas-Vineyard-Chamber-of-Commerce-and-Tourism-2-1024x683.jpg) ![](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/wp-content/uploads/fullsizeoutput_39f7-1024x764.jpeg) I’m always smiling on the ferry trip to the island! ## Write your college application essays this summer on Martha’s Vineyard Are you psyched to write your [Common Application essay](https://www.commonapp.org/blog/announcing-2026-2027-common-app-essay-prompts) on your summer vacation? Or apply to the [University of California](https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/applying-as-a-first-year/personal-insight-questions.html) with their PIQ essays? I’m available to show you the way from July 18 to Aug. 21st–and throughout the summer on Zoom or Facetime. Whether you’re writing supplemental essays for Ivies, art schools, small liberals arts college or the State University, I can meet you in your home, in local libraries, or somewhere in between. **And while on the Vineyard, I work with students on their application essays everywhere else via Zoom or Facetime.** ## For Vineyarders Being there is a great opportunity to meet with year-round families and summer families I wouldn’t otherwise meet in person. Whatever your situation, shoot me an email or give me a call (EAST COAST TIME ZONE), and we can talk about what I do and how I do it. See my [website testimonials](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/college-essay-coach-testimonials/) for recommendations from students and parents. [ Contact Me ](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/contact-liz/) “S. was accepted Early Decision to NYU. She is elated. Her dad and I want to thank you for all your work and engagement with our son and daughter these last three years. It was a blessing meeting you on Martha’s Vineyard.” ##### - A Mom: Brown, early decision; NYU, early decision --- ### [Resources](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/resources/) **Published:** May 4, 2026 **Author:** Hirsch Fishman --- ## Categories ### [Uncategorized](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/https:/www.dontsweattheessay.com/topics/collegeessay/uncategorized/) --- ### [College Application Essay](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/https:/www.dontsweattheessay.com/topics/collegeessay/college-application-essay/) --- ### [Tips for College Application Essays](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/https:/www.dontsweattheessay.com/topics/collegeessay/tips-for-college-application-essays/) --- ### [Common App Essay Tutor](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/https:/www.dontsweattheessay.com/topics/collegeessay/common-app-essay-tutor/) --- ### [College Application Essay help](https://www.dontsweattheessay.com/https:/www.dontsweattheessay.com/topics/collegeessay/college-application-essay-help/) 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