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...
8 days ago • 3 min read
Hi, Reader! It's hard to believe that we're already in late July. Summer is almost over for some, but there's still so much going on. Family trips. Camps. That last vacation (or college visit) before school starts. And somewhere in the middle of all that, application work is supposed to be happening, too. Here's the thing to remember: Aug. 1 is a big day on the calendar, but it's not a deadline. It's not a brick wall. Seeing that date looming doesn't mean you need to rush to submit. Submit...
16 days ago • 3 min read
Hi, Reader! Every year at the end of July, the Common App shuts down for a few days to refresh itself. Old data clears, new prompts load, and students who've spent June and July building drafts get a small pause before the floodgates (and applications) officially open. This year, the shutdown starts July 28 at 5 p.m. ET and reopens Aug. 1. (Although if history is any predictor, it often reopens several hours ahead of schedule.) If you or your student has been typing away in the platform, make...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Hi, Reader! I spent last week at Texas A&M running a two-day essay workshop for 36 students. They walked in stressed. And I'm not going to lie: I was a little stressed, too. That's a big group. And there's just one of me. I needn't have worried. They locked in, caffeinated up, and walked out with full drafts. That's the exact energy I want for you this month. Not "I have to have this perfect by August." Just: I'm sitting down, and I'm getting started. My Talk With Admissions Before I arrived...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Hi, Reader! Today is the last day to get my Texas A&M supplemental essay guide at the early bird price. This year, A&M added four new required essay prompts to their application — more than any previous cycle. Students applying for Fall 2027 have more to write, more to figure out, and less precedent to go on. That’s exactly why I built this guide. I’ve spent five summers running essay workshops on the A&M campus and 8+ years coaching students on their A&M applications. I can tell you from...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hi, Reader! Just a heads up — early bird pricing on the A&M essay guide ends Sunday, July 5. In case you missed it, Texas A&M added four new required supplemental essay prompts to their application this year. That’s on top of the existing personal statement and the existing required supplemental essay — and it means students applying for Fall 2027 admission have more to write than any class before them. But don’t panic. My new Cracking the Texas A&M Supplemental Essays is a self-paced written...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hi, Reader! If you have (or you are) a rising senior with Texas A&M on their list, this one’s for you. I just released a brand-new guide: Cracking the Texas A&M Supplemental Essays — a self-paced guide with video coaching that walks students through every required supplemental essay prompt, step by step. (And will be updated to reflect the new scholarship essay prompts when they're confirmed.) One thing I see constantly: Students pour everything into the longer personal statement and then...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Hi, Reader! Quick story. Every summer for the past five years, I’ve gone to Texas A&M to run essay workshops for aspiring Aggies. When I head up there on Tuesday for this year's workshop, things will be different: A&M just added four new required essay prompts, which means more students than ever will be writing essays they’ve never seen before, without much guidance on what A&M is actually looking for. Here's me a few years ago on campus. Students often show up with ideas already — which is...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi, Reader! Here's something I see a lot, especially as deadlines draw closer: a student finishes a draft and shares it with everyone they trust. Mom, dad, older sibling at Duke, favorite English teacher, piano teacher, the family friend who went to a good school 30 years ago. But here's the problem: Two weeks later, the student has six sets of notes, a lot of confusing feedback, and an essay that sounds like nobody. (Check out this video from the College Essay Guy on the risks of getting too...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read