Hi, Reader!

Welcome to August. We just got back from the beach today, and I'm already missing it for sure. I enjoyed cooler temps, my favorite foods, and catching up on my Kindle library. But it wasn't all relaxing. There was Aug. 1 prep. A few client meetings and student Power Hours. But I was often reminded this week of how doggone cool all of the students I work with are.

🎓 The Sticker Price Is Lying to You

But you know what isn't cool? The sticker shock of college. (My daughter graduated college in 2024 and my son is a rising college senior, so I'm feeling this, too!)

But there's some good news: Rice just joined a growing list of schools making tuition free for a lot more than just low-income families. Here's a few colleges who are doing it and what the actual cutoffs are:

• Rice: free tuition for families earning $100,000–$200,000, and a full ride (tuition, fees, room and board) under $100,000, starting fall 2027. Rice's announcement​
• Harvard: free tuition under $200,000, already in effect this year. Harvard's announcement​
• Yale: same $200,000 cutoff, starting 2026-2027. Yale's announcement​
• University of Chicago: raising the bar to $250,000, starting fall 2027. Coverage here​
• Colgate: free under $175,000, sliding scale up to $300,000, starting fall 2026. Coverage here​

If you've crossed a school off your list because of the sticker price, go check their financial aid page again. The number you see first is rarely the number you'll actually pay.

Of course, make sure you do your research before assuming a school is affordable for your family's situation.

😱 Why So Many Students Get the "Why Us" Essay Wrong

The "Why Us" essay trips up more students than almost any other supplement, mostly because they answer the wrong question.

What do I mean?

No admission officer needs to hear that their school has a great location, a low student-to-teacher ratio, or the most school spirit. They already know. What they actually want to know: What will you bring to campus, and what will you get there that you couldn't get anywhere else?

The solution: Spend an hour digging into specific programs, professors, and research opportunities before you write a word. College Essay Guy has two resources worth bookmarking — their full Why Us guide and their DOs and DON'Ts list. Both push you toward specifics instead of generic praise, which is exactly where these essays live or die.

🔎 Why This Major, Really?

Here's a related question worth sitting with: The "Why This Major?" essay isn't really about the major. Admissions officers aren't grading your taste in academic subjects — they're looking for evidence. Can you point to a class, a job shadow, a research project, a volunteer gig, anything that explains why this is the next right step?

That's a harder question than "what do you want to study," and it doesn't start when applications open. If you're a sophomore or junior, this something to start thinking about now (though you definitely don't have to have the answer right now). Flourish Coaching has a good podcast episode on this exact question if you want more on how to build that evidence. Listen to Episode 238.

✏️ Quick Writing Tip

Match your verb to the subject of the sentence, not whatever noun happens to be sitting closest to it.

Example: In "Showing your mad grammar skills is impressive," the verb has to agree with "showing," not "skills" — so it's "is," not "are," even though "skills" sits right next to the verb.

The same trap shows up in sentences like "One of the biggest challenges she faced was the long hours" — the verb should match "one," not "challenges," so it's "was."

It's a small grammar rule, but readers notice it, and it's an easy thing to catch in a final read-through.

📆 Upcoming Webinars and Deadlines

See my full calendar here.

Happy Writing!

Julia

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