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Caroline Koppelman
TKG's Official Common App Essay Guide 2026-2027

For those who have been with us from the beginning (and what the heck, newcomers too!!), feel free to take a big breath of relief. Weve done it! Over the last month, weve been breaking down the Common App essay prompt by prompt, which means were ready to bring it all together for the big finale: a comprehensive guide to writing the Common App essay.

Caroline Koppelman
Official Common App Essay Guide 2025-2026

Weve spent the past few weeks breaking down each Common App essay prompt one by one, and now it time for the grand finale: our ultimate guide to writing the Common App essay. Sure, there are seven different prompts, but at the end of the day, every school is looking for the same thing: a story.

Caroline Koppelman
How to Write Common App Essay Prompt 7: Example ...

Weve been waiting for this one: it finally time to dig into Prompt #7, the crown jewel of the Common App essay prompts.

Caroline Koppelman
Ultimate Guide to Letters of Continued Interest ...

Getting waitlisted or deferred from your dream school is hard. We know it hard! You feel rejected, but it this weird non-rejection rejection that can leave you feeling lost and confused. And while a lot of things in college admissions are totally out of your control, there is something you can do if youve been waitlisted or deferred to give yourself another chance. A letter of continued interest, sometimes known as a waitlist letter or deferral letter, is one of the few, actionable things you can control when admissions decisions seem so out of your control. It your only chance to make a good second impression, and we help students write them every single year.

Caroline Koppelman
Ultimate Guide to Getting Waitlisted 2025

Getting waitlisted is the ultimate limbo it not not a rejection, but it not a full-on denial, either. And depending on your circumstances, you could be feeling everything from mild disappointment to full-on panic. Don get yourself into a tizzy just yet, because there are things you can do to give yourself a shot at getting off the waitlist and make sure that you have a plan in place for the next year.

What are Colleges Looking for

Dear Aspiring College Applicant,

I know youre telling yourself youre not going to get into college. Everyone around you is so much more qualified than you are. You could have higher grades, better test scores, more impressive extracurriculars. If you had just put one more hour into studying, you would have gotten an A instead of an A- in that class. That class is the reason why youre not going to get into Brown. Youve convinced yourself youre going to get rejected from literally everywhere you apply, leading to shame, embarrassment, and regret.

Why you Shouldn Care About US News Rankings

In 1995, Reed College, one of the best liberal arts schools in the country, announced it would no longer submit data for consideration in the US News College Rankings. They made this decision based on the arguments that the ratings were deeply flawed and not representative of a school best qualities. In researching the system they found that just 2% of college counselors believed that US News methods were effective, and that 91% of colleges were manipulating their submissions to artificially raise their ranking. 

Things to do Freshman Year to Prepare for College

The college process starts earlier every year.  In our home base in New York City, it seems that it begins around age two when parents start looking at options for Pre-K. By the beginning of middle school many parents are already looking for independent college counselors, consultants, and ACT tutors. This approach might seem aggressive to some, and while we don think a ten year old should be thinking about college, ninth grade is an appropriate time to start talking about the future.  

When Writing your College Admissions Essay, Know your Audience

Up until now, the audience for your writing has probably been limited. Youve had essays and papers due for your humanities classes, where you know the teacher well, and maybe youve dabbled in creative writing for yourself or a school assignment. With the exception of a few students, most first time college applicants have never written a cover letter or any other sort of writing that is intended to be read by an unknown audience. This is one of the many struggles with the common app personal statementthe college essay. It is difficult to strike the right tone because most likely, youve never written anything quite like it. The first thing we always tell our students is to consider their audience.  

Should I Apply Early Decision to College?

When you apply to a school Early Decision you are making an unbreakable commitment. Youre telling the school, youre my first choice and if I get in I promise to attend. There basically no caveats, exemptions, or options. If you apply to a school Early Decision and you get in, youre going. If this sounds a little scary, that because it should be. Choosing to apply early is a big decision with ramifications for you long beyond the college process. It vital to thoroughly weigh the pros and cons. Early decision isn for everyone, and often times when students apply ED for the wrong reasons the college process can become even more stressful. 

How do you Choose the Right College After youve been Accepted?

Once youve been accepted to multiple schools the most fun part of the college process begins. You get the chance to imagine yourself as an incoming freshman and decide why youd want to go there more than the other schools you were admitted to. If youve gotten into your dream-reach school and a few safeties, the choice can be easy. But often youre choosing between a couple of great options, and it can be more than a little terrifying to definitively pick one.

Is it Better to Get an A in a Regular Course or a B in an Honors Course?

This is one of the most common questions we get asked at TKG and one of the most pervasive false dichotomies in the college process. The frustrating answer is that if you want to go to a top tier school, you need to have the best grades in the hardest courses. Simply put, you want an A in an Honors or AP course. As acceptance rates plummet and applicants become ever more qualified and impressive, the need to take the most rigorous course available has become more important.

The Difference Between Early Decisions 1 & 2, Restrictive Early Action, and Early Action

Early Decision (ED), Early Decision II (ED II), Early Action (EA), Restrictive Early Action (REA). All of these are ways students can apply to a school before Regular Decision. But, it is easy to get lost in a sea of abbreviations, overlapping deadlines, and indecipherable admission statistics. So were going to go through and outline the differences between these programs, what they mean, and the various deadlines.

How Important are Extracurricular Activities in the College Application Process?

Think of extracurriculars like a side dish at a restaraunt. They may not be the main event, but theyre chosen deliberately by the chef and without them youd be disappointed and left with an incomplete meal. The extracurriculars are not the main portion of your applicationyour grades, scores, and essays will always be more importantbut your application, like your meal, would be incomplete without them. You need to decide which activities are going to be the best for you, keeping in mind that they need to elevate you and bring out your best qualities. Colleges don want students who spend all their time in the classroom and the library. The more active a member of the community, the better you are as a candidate.

What Should my College Essay be About?

Of the hundreds of essays weve read, weve found that the most successful essays fall into five categories.

The first is the genuine thought-provoking essay. This is the hardest type of essay to write because it is absolutely impossible to fake, which makes it is a favorite amongst admissions officers. Students who write a genuine thought essay are unusually insightful for their age and tend to make precocious observations. What makes this type of essay so unique is the author ability to bring the reader into their world, to articulate in 650 words how they see the world and how their perception has shaped who they are. In , the author tells the reader how he sees and experiences the world by painting a picture rich in metaphors and depth. It showcases prodigious writing skills, an amazing level of intellectual depth, and a tone wise beyond its years. While these essays are not for all students, when done well they can often be the most rewarding.

When Should I Start the College Admissions Process?

The college admissions process is like preparing a five-course meal as a first time chef. It is incredibly daunting. If you prepare your ingredients correctly youll be fine, but you absolutely can wait until the last minute to figure everything out. The college process is multifaceted and everyone approaches it differently. There is no uniform start or end date. The Common App, the universal application that is accepted by over 400 schools, comes out on August 1 but if you wait until then to start thinking about college youll undoubtedly be overwhelmed. It would be like waiting until the day before Thanksgiving to start planning. After helping students who have started at every point possible, from sophomore year of high school to one week before the application is due, here are our key takeaways:

How To Write A Great College Supplement

After the enormous undertaking of your personal statement, supplements may not seem so bad to you. After all, theyre short and ask pretty direct, uncreative questions. Alas, they matter: for schools that accept the common app, for instance, theyre the sole writing assignment that each particular college gets to assign you. And so, a simple question like Why our college? can make a big difference in your application.

Five Mistakes People Make During The College Admissions Process

The college admissions process is a daunting undertaking. For you students it will require an insane amount of your time, effort, and focus. But youre probably sick of hearing this. Youve had this drummed into your heads by college counselors, teachers, and your parents. As consulting professionals (aka people who help get into college for a living) what we want to do is help you identify the five most common mistakes students like you make during the college admissions process. If you learn from these mistakes the whole process will undoubtedly go much smoother and youll have a much better chance of ending up at the school of your dreams.

A Letter To Students Upon Receiving Their First Rejection

I hope this process has not made you feel like a failure. You are not a failure, and deep down you know that. Even the most confident and strong-willed person will feel crushed when getting rejected from a university. But as cliche as it is, a rejection is not a reflection on who you are. That said, rejection is the worst, especially during this process.

43 Phrases You Should Never Use In A College Admission Essay

When most students are writing their college admission essay, they aren thinking about the Essay Readers at colleges whose entire job is to sort students essays into NO, MAYBE, and YES piles. As hard as youve worked on your essay, you may get exactly two minutes of a Reader time if he or she feels your writing is boring or unoriginal. Unfortunately, a huge percentage of essays fall into this category. On the other hand, the few essays that show clear, original thinking get promptly placed into the YES pile. The admission essay is one truly personal section of the college application; if your essay stands out, your chances of getting into your top choice school goes up dramatically. Therefore, take careful note of these 43 phrases. Using them might spell NO for your admission chances.

10 Essays That Don't Work

A college essay can fail for a number of reasons. The writing can be atrocious, the theme can be predictable, the execution of the essay can simply flop, or the student personality cannot shine through. Weve compiled a list of 10 essays topics that don work and would advise you to avoid them.