College Essays | Great College Advice

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Grades and Course Rigor Matter the Most in College Admissions

November 5, 2024

What factors carry the most weight when college admissions officers are evaluating applicants? The team at Great College Advice analyzes recent survey data to see what colleges deem most important in your application.

Why the ‘Community’ Essay has Become More Important in College Admissions

October 31, 2024

The ‘Community’ Supplemental Essay is an opportunity for you to provide insight into your unique background and how you will contribute to a campus community.

What Do College Admissions Look For in an Essay?

October 23, 2024

What do college admissions officers look for in an essay? It’s a difficult question, because every essay is different–and every applicant is different. However, Great College Advice’s Sarah Farbman offers tips on what your college essay should contain.

How to Write a Great ‘Why This College?’ Essay

October 16, 2024

Great College Advice’s Andrea Aronson discusses the do’s and don’ts for crafting the ‘Why Our College?’ supplemental essay.

Don’t Sleep on the Supplemental Essays!

October 7, 2024

Be sure to carve out time to craft thoughtful supplemental essays as part of the college application process. In this post, Great College Advice offers tips on how these short essays can help you stand out to college admissions officers.

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Common App Essay Prompt #5: Personal Growth

October 2, 2024

In this post, Great College Advice provides insight in how to best address the personal growth Common App essay prompt.

Tips for Prompt #3 of the Common App Essay: Questioning or Challenging a Belief or Idea

September 25, 2024

How do your beliefs and ideas shape who you are as a person? The Common App essay prompt #3 focuses on how those beliefs or ideas being challenged can reveal a lot about you. Here are some ideas to help you write a reflective essay about a belief or idea.

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Don’t Be Afraid of (The Failure) Prompt #2 of the Common App Essay

September 21, 2024

Great College Advice’s Jamie Berger discusses Prompt #2 of the Common App essay, the failure prompt.

Essay Tips for Prompt #1 of the Common App: Sharing Your Story of What Makes You Unique

September 11, 2024

Writing your Common App essay about your background, identity, interest, or talent is a great way to stand out from the crowd–if you zero in on what the essay prompt is really asking you. In this post, we do a deep dive of what the prompt is asking of you and how best to share your story with admissions officers.

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Common App Essay: Choose Your Own Topic

September 5, 2024

Not sure what to write about for your Common App college essay? Do not fear. You can write about virtually anything – as long as your essay contains fundamental elements. Here are Great College Advice’s tips on the ‘your choice’ Common App essay prompt:

Get Accepted–with Scholarships

December 14, 2022 / Jared Hobson

Mark Montgomery, expert educational consultant, uses his insider knowledge of the college admissions process to help you navigate the world of scholarships and save money on tuition.

Top 10 Summertime Tips for College Admission

January 29, 2019 / Jared Hobson

Summer is a good time to relax and recharge--and prepare for the college admissions process. Learn what you can do to give yourself an edge (and have fun, too!).

How to Choose the Best College For You?

December 21, 2015 / Jared Hobson

With over 4,000 colleges in the USA, how do you know which one is the perfect fit for you? College admissions expert Mark Montgomery will use his encyclopedic knowledge of American colleges to guide you to the right direction.

Get Into the Best Colleges For You

December 11, 2015 / Jared Hobson

College admissions expert Mark Montgomery can help you find the college of your dreams, and will use his insider knowledge to guide you through the admissions process.

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Getting Into Top Universities

December 9, 2015 / Jared Hobson

Mark Montgomery is a college admissions insider: that means he knows the ropes, and can offer invaluable help in your college search.

The Student-to-Faculty Ratio: A Bogus Statistic You Should Ignore

May 13, 2009 / Jared Hobson

Student-to-faculty ratios mislead. While they are oft-cited indicators of teaching quality, these ratios have no bearing on an individual student's educational experience.

Planning Your College Visit

February 17, 2025 / Jared Hobson

This is the first in a series of tips to help you plan your campus visits.

What Classes Should You Take in 12th Grade?

February 3, 2025 / Jared Hobson

High school juniors: As you put together your 12th grade class schedule, please keep in mind that colleges want to see you continue to challenge yourself with appropriate course rigor.