Nervous and struggling with getting your senior to start the college application essays? Feel fully aware and pressure with timelines and due dates for college applications? 

Although college application deadlines are quickly approaching, it is not too late for your senior to write killer college admissions essays that can earn acceptance or even scholarships to top choice schools. 

Getting started with writing an essay is arguably the most difficult part of writing. 

Here are 5 quick but essential tips for getting the college admissions essays written efficiently but successfully for your senior!

1. Brainstorm a list of objects (a trophy, family picture, favorite recipe, lacrosse stick, book) that represents something special about you (meaning, your senior!). 
2. Create a T-chart: On a piece of paper or a document on the computer. 
   1. On one side, help your teen identify his/her important values (honesty, travel, creativity, helping others).
   2. On the other side, come up with examples from life where these values have come into play.
      1. Note the ACTION your teen took to show those values.
      2. Note any emotional response your teen had while taking action.
3. Make an All About Me Essential List
4. 1. This is simple and so good: bullet point out all the qualities that will help your teen get into college. 
   2. The point of this list is to generate details and possible topics for the Common App and supplemental essays. (If examples pop into your mind, get them down!)
5. Select a Common App prompt that best fits the topic of the essay from their list. 
6. 1. This truly is the easiest part as so many of the questions are the same. 
7. Most importantly, schedule time for essay writing. 
8. 1. Seniors are juggling school work, extracurriculars, and college applications all amid the added stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
   2. Blocking out time explicitly for writing essays helps guarantee that your teen will sit down, focus, and get to work on their essay!

Good luck with writing! Don’t forget to stay positive and confident in yourself and your teen. 

If you are interested in learning more tips and tricks about the college application essay, don’t miss out on our weekly newsletter to keep you and your teen steps ahead of the competition and closer to college acceptance by scrolling to the bottom of this page and entering your information. 

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You’ve got this!

Moira