College essays

The main college essay can be up to 650 words and supplemental essays vary in length. Learn more below.

  • How many college essays do students write?

    Many students will need to write about 15 essays. This includes:

    • The main personal statement for the Common Application

    • Separate essays, if applying to more selective public schools

    • Supplements for most selective schools, which usually range from six to 20

  • What should go in a college essay?

    College admissions officers are looking for the answers to these three questions:

    1. Who is this person?


    2. Will this person contribute something of value to our campus?


    3. Can this person write?

    We recommend sharing a part of oneself, describing something that matters to you, or showing deep knowledge about a topic.

  • How can a college advisor help with a college essay?

    When guiding the student through the brainstorming process, we’ll help identify what values they hold as priority and what details about their life stand out. Then, we’ll decide what is important for colleges to know about the student.

    We’ll discuss two options when exploring the topic for college essays: go broad or go deep. We’ll explain how going deep rather than repeating what’s on the college application is preferred.

    Next, we’ll outline the essay and decide which essay structure works:

    • A narrative structure will lend itself to three parts: challenges and impact, what the student did about it, and what student learned.

    • A montage outline gives the student the opportunity to share what they’re interested in and what makes them unique.

    Students often find it helpful to spend time writing about a few topics they know a lot about. This can include items of importance, special gifts or talents they possess, career interests, or an extracurricular activity that has had a profound impact on their life. Then they can select one structure, one topic, and write a draft.

    When working with a college advisor, we’ll follow up with several meetings to assess progress and revise essay drafts.

What our clients are saying

 

“Holly has been there every step of the way for me and I could not imagine the college process without her. She encourages me to continue pushing myself and is always coming up with new avenues to pursue even if I only displayed a slight interest in different paths she suggested. She got to know me and her advice was spot on.”

— Student, Santa Clara University

“I feel Holly Gray is the best of the best. I have been involved with 17-22 year-old youth as a professional my whole life I believe no one handles the college admissions process better than Holly.”

— College Admissions Staff