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Applications & Essays

Writing An Effective Resumé For High School Students Applying To College How to Write and Make the Most of this One Page

Your college application gives you 150 characters to describe an activity. A resume gives you room to show what you actually did, why it mattered, and what else deserves attention. But more space doesn't mean more filler! Here's how to build a clear, one-page resume for high school students, choose experiences worth including, describe results with useful detail, and help admissions officers see the person behind the titles. See examples of stronger descriptions and smarter formatting.

All About Colleges

The Research University Trap: Why a Famous Lab Is Not College Strategy & How to (Properly) Answer Your "Why This University" Essay? (Part 1 of 2)

If your “Why This University?” essay says you want to pursue research, how much do you actually know about the opportunities you're naming? A famous lab or an R1 label tells you surprisingly little about what YOU could actually do there. In Part 1, we show you how to research who can participate, when you can start, how students get involved, and what the path from your first semester to the opportunities you ultimately want could realistically look like.

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Parent Guidance

College Essays in the Age of AI It turns out polished writing is not exactly what makes you stand out. Here’s what does.

Can you use AI for college essays without losing the student behind the writing? AI can improve grammar, clarity, and structure, but it can also flatten voice, repeat generic ideas, and even conflict with a college’s policy. In this parent focused guide, we look at current research on AI assisted writing, explain what the findings do and do not prove, and show how parents can help daughters keep their thinking, stories, and personality unmistakably their own.

Experiences & Opportunities

150 Characters to Explain Years of Work What Admissions Readers Look for in the Activities Section

You spent years building your activities. Now the Common App gives you just 150 characters to explain each one. Learn how to decide what deserves the space, turn ordinary-sounding experiences into specific evidence of contribution and impact, and choose activities strategically across different college applications. BONUS: We show you how the same thinking can help you build better brag sheets so each recommender adds a distinct perspective to your application.

Applications & Essays

Not Submitting Your Test Scores May Be Hurting More Than It Is Helping. The Full Guide On When You Should Submit Your SAT or ACT Scores

Think your SAT or ACT score is too low to submit? Not necessarily. A score below a college’s typical range can still provide valuable information when admissions officers consider the context in which you earned it. We look at what score ranges actually mean, surprising Dartmouth research on test-optional admissions, and how to decide whether to submit, retake, or spend your limited application time somewhere else.