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To write your college essay, Stay Open

April 7, 2021 by Sara Nolan Leave a Comment

Practice your ability to stay open, and the writing will come In the face of daunting things, like a college essay, it's easy to close up and shut down. But it’s spring now: stay open. If you think writing a college essay is hard, I also help people who are having babies. Now that's a bit hard. And one of the hardest things to do is the necessary thing: to stay open, and open more. Babies require it to emerge. Your writing does too. It’s spring and this is just what creatures do. Rabbits make more rabbits. Branches make buds. Buds crank petals apart and drink up sunshine. The sky seems bigger for longer.  Baby turtles linger on their warmed rocks. Teenagers linger on the warmed street. You’re a creature; you can act like one.   Continue Reading …

Filed Under: Exercise, Integrity, Practice, Solutions, State of Mind, Uncategorized Tagged With: Awareness, freewriting, material, preparation

Frog and Toad Write Your College Essay

October 27, 2020 by Sara Nolan Leave a Comment

Frog and Toad Write Your College Essay In one episode of the children’s book series Frog and Toad, Toad is concerned. His friend Frog has gone alone to their favorite rock, unannounced. Frog and Toad announce everything to one another, so, yes, this is a little strange. Toad does what any anthropomorphizing amphibian would do in a vacuum of information: he starts making stuff up. Does Frog not like him anymore? Is Frog mad? Does Frog think Toad is not a good friend? Did the flies they had at their last dinner party suck? (They are not true to their species: they eat sandwiches, cookies and ice tea). Did Toad do something wrong?  Continue Reading …

Filed Under: Integrity, Solutions, State of Mind, Uncategorized, Wisdom Tagged With: College essay writing process, parents, stress, students

Strategies for College Supplements

October 24, 2020 by Sara Nolan Leave a Comment

My 5 year old asked me, "Isn't it funny, that 1 +  2 = 3, and when we count we go 1, 2, 3?" It was a statement framed as a question. I'm only supposed to agree: it's funny. And when I thought about it: maybe. He's at an age when saying ordinary things that are true is still remarkable to him. I wish we never grew out of that age, but here we are, grown up, and faced with what feel like harder supplemental essay questions. But I'd like to help you make your supplemental essays feel easier and maybe, if you hit your stride, compelling. Writing all the college supplements requires strategy.  Continue Reading …

Filed Under: Essays, Prompts, Solutions, State of Mind, Uncategorized Tagged With: college essays, deadlines, organization, Supplements

I promise you don’t have “Nothing To Write About”

September 21, 2020 by Sara Nolan Leave a Comment

A common complaint: "I Have Nothing to Write About!" One of the most common things I hear from students at the beginning of the school application process is “I have nothing to write about!” Parents and professionals tell me all the time they get this response when students must answer personal questions about themselves.  And as a parent or professional, you know your kid or student is brimming with great ideas, yet when they sit down to write, they produce-- nothing. You remind them what's special about them, but “I have nothing to write about!” they complain. And they probably (think they) mean it. I've been there too.  Good news for students: it's really unlikely! You made it this far in life, you definitely have something to write about, you’re just not convinced you do. That usually means it’s just too hard to get started, you feel insecure, you’ve convinced yourself your ideas are poor in advance, or you aren’t thinking specifically enough. The best way to cut through the obstacle, whatever the reason, is just to start! Below I share my favorite tips for doing so. Try them all until something works, because something will.   Continue Reading …

Filed Under: Essays, Prompts, Solutions, State of Mind, Uncategorized Tagged With: admissions essays, essay topics, freewriting, the writing process, writer's block

Yes, your college essay topic can be your grandmother, or your torn ACL

August 26, 2020 by Sara Nolan Leave a Comment

Student free-writing

Yes, I promise, you can write your college essay topic about your grandmother, or your torn ACL. I know you heard opposite advice basically everywhere. So let me explain what I mean. I have read (and been moved to tears and laughed my water out my nose because of) college essays about   grandmothers  torn ACL’s   You just can’t write about it in the same way everyone else does.  This means: It’s not really “about” your grandmother. It’s not really “about” your torn ACL. So what is your college essay about then? It’s about the way you approach your topic. It’s about what your topic shows us about you.  Continue Reading …

Filed Under: Solutions, Stories, Uncategorized, Writing Tips Tagged With: advice, cliche, college essay topic, writing about yourself

Good news on Winning College Essay–Julian Jimenez, Princeton

May 7, 2020 by Sara Nolan Leave a Comment

Julian Jimenez's winning college essay begins, "Here comes Satanás... Behold his fiery, mischievous, defiant glory." I know: a risk. Just the kind that apparently makes admissions teams sit up and then salute. I had worked closely with Julian on his main college essay and supplements--if they don't take him, they're confused, I'd think. In admissions, though, criteria are complex. Excellent writing stands out, but it doesn't stand alone. Though the tone was often playful, I knew he wasn't playing. So when I saw his long list of impressive acceptances in the email, I was not surprised, but my heart did crack open. You'll remember my name Julian was dubbed "Satanas" as a child; Satan may have a really bad reputation in many circles, but we know what that figure does well is convince others to do things. In this case, his power of language (y'all are going to know my name!) held sway over admissions officers. They remembered his name and they put it on their BRING IT list. Committed to Princeton Julian wrote: "I'm proud to tell you that I have committed to Princeton! I actually got into roughly 90% of my top choices including Dartmouth, Columbia, USC, UCLA, Berkeley, Swarthmore, University of Notre Dame, UCSD and UCSB , and a few others." Now, if you follow my admissions essay work, you know I am not an Ivy Preacher nor swayed by school branding that's not backed up by substance and stellar education. Any school must be a potential a fit for that applicant. (Because, no, the Illustrious Ivies are not a fit for all, nor is their egregious price tag). But in this case, the enormity of the nations top schools saying YES YES YES CHOOSE US speaks volumes about Julian's renovation of his entire life, and his family's life and prospects. His was the kind of family this country claims currently to not want within our borders. Voice to and through the struggle Most of us have no idea what some students struggle through to get even a decent  Continue Reading …

Filed Under: Solutions, Stories, Students, Uncategorized Tagged With: admissions officers, college acceptance, college access, college essay, JP Morgan Chase The Fellowship Initiative, student stories, voice

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Recent Posts

  • To write your college essay, Stay Open
  • Your story matters more than ever
  • Writing About Your Weaknesses in Your College Essay
  • Frog and Toad Write Your College Essay
  • Strategies for College Supplements

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