common mistakes in application essay

19 Common Application Essay Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many students trip over common obstacles in their college application essays. For example, many students can’t see beyond the superficial prompt to construct an essay that positively communicates their personality and passion. Some students rehash their activities and achievements without adding the personal flavor, perspective and substance that admissions officers look for. Learn how to avoid these and other damaging traps.

As an independent college admissions consultant, I read many application essays and see many common application essay mistakes. Here’s some helpful advice:

• Select the Best Topic and Subject. The Common Application, as well as many individual college applications and supplements, give students a choice of essay topics. Resist the temptation to quickly make a selection. Instead make an inventory of your key experiences and achievements, adjectives that describe you, anything significant in your background, as well as what you can potentially “offer” (e.g. athletics, music, dance) a college. Then read the options carefully and decide which topic(s) provides the best opportunity to portray your self in a desirable manner. If the application requires more than one essay, select distinct topics and subject areas so the admissions people get a broader, and more complete, picture of you. If you are an athlete, for example, try not to write more than one essay about sports.
• Answer the Question. Read the prompt carefully and pay particular attention to two part questions. For example, if you choose to “evaluate a significant experience, achievement or risk you have taken and its impact on you”, make sure you thoughtfully and critically analyze both the situation and its impact. If you choose to “discuss an issue and its importance to you” make sure you focus on its importance to you. The admissions people are looking for a window into your character, passion and reasoning.
• Be Personable and Specific. Colleges don’t learn much from a generic essay. If you are asked to describe your reasons for your interest in a particular school that you are applying to, make sure your essay addresses the particular features of that school that appeal to you and explain why. Brainstorm with others. Don’t be afraid to think creatively. Don’t be afraid to reject ideas! Most strong essays have more “show” than “tell”.
• Make Your Essay The Right Length. Many prompts specify a desired number of words or a range. If it’s 200 to 250 words, don’t insert your 500 word essay. In fact, many on-line applications will not even accept more than the stated limit. If there is only an upper limit, don’t stress if your essay appears too short. Lincoln got his points across succinctly in the Gettysburg address — in less than 275 words. Be concise. Omit irrelevant details, clichés, and poorly developed ideas. Do not distract the reader with unnecessary words and repetition.
• Watch Your Tone. If you come across as a spoiled child, a stuck-up rich kid, lazy, sarcastic or a cynic, the admissions team might decide that you are not the right fit for their school. A bit of well placed humor is fine, but don’t try to be a comedian.
• Don’t Appear Self-Interested or Materialistic. While few applicants are genuinely altruistic, most colleges are turned off by students who appear more focused on what the school can do for them, rather than how they can benefit from the education and at the same time be a contributing member of the campus community. If you are applying to a business program, the average starting salary of recent graduates should not be your stated motivation for seeking admission!
• Don’t Rely on Your Computer’s Spell Checker. Applicants who rely solely on their computer’s spell check program may find themselves submitting applications with poor grammar and word choice. Just because everything is spelled properly doesn’t mean it is correct. A good way to catch mistakes is to read your essay very slowly and out loud.
• Don’t Overlook the Mundane. Some of the best and most memorable essays are based on a simple conversation between people. The impressions and takeaways from such a conversation can be extremely engaging and provide a valuable window into the personality and values of the writer. Some essays of this type center on a moment of enlightenment or illumination when the writer views life from a new perspective and/or gains new confidence.
• Skip the Volunteer Trip. Dedicated community service over a period of time can be a strong topic for an application essay. Volunteer day at the local park, or two weeks of school building in Africa, will probably not impress the admissions committee. They see many essays of this type. Not only is it difficult to stand out from the pack, but these experiences are often more about the experience than about you, or convey that money buys opportunity.
• Don’t Rehash the Resume. The admissions committee relies on essays to learn additional things about you such as your initiative, curiosity about the world, personal growth, willingness to take risks, ability to be self directed, motivation and ability to make the most of a situation. They are interested in your personal qualities such as leadership, confidence, ability to work in a team, strength of character, resilience, sense of humor, ability to get along with others and what you might add to the campus community. In short, use your essays to showcase a side of you not visible from other parts of the application.
• Peruse the Entire Application. Many applications, especially for some of the more competitive schools, are complex and require multiple essays and short answers. Don’t look at each question in a vacuum, but rather view the application holistically when deciding how to best portray yourself through responding to the various prompts. For example, if you have five key areas you wish to cover, and there are five essays, try to strategically focus on one area in each essay.
• Don’t Fall in Love with the Thesaurus. Resist the temptation to be a sesquipedalian or come across as a pedantic fop! There’s no need to use a big word in every sentence. Use caution when showing off your extensive vocabulary. You risk using language improperly and may appear insecure or overly eager to impress. Admissions people aren’t keen about picking up a dictionary to understand your essay. Worse yet, if your essay vocabulary is at a much higher level than what would be expected from your English grades and SAT/ACT scores, it may appear that your essay is not your own work. Most teenagers don’t use myriad and plethora in their daily vernacular.
• Check Your Ego at the Door. Even if you are impressed with yourself, most admissions officers don’t respond favorably to students who brag, put down classmates, or wax eloquent about their amazing achievements. While self doubt is generally undesirable, a bit of humility can be well received, especially in an essay about overcoming adversity.
• Accentuate the Positive. Few students have a perfect resume, which is apparent in the application. Drawing attention to weakness in an essay is generally not a good idea, unless you were able to overcome a weakness, and make it a strong suit.
• Proofread Carefully. Don’t let your eagerness to submit an application cause you to overlook careless mistakes. Errors can doom your otherwise excellent application. Make sure you schedule sufficient time for a thorough review. When possible, have at least one other person proofread your essay. They may catch something important that you missed. For example, you don’t want to tell Ohio State that you really want to be a Wolverine!  Again, read your essay out loud.
• Organize Your Essay. An impressive essay generally contains a strong opening, well organized content, and a powerful closing. If your essay lacks structure and seems to ramble, chances are it won’t impress the reader. Start with an outline and design your essay paragraph by paragraph. Make sure you include enough background information about whatever topic you are writing about so that the reader can put it into context. For example, one student wrote an excellent essay about a horrible first day of school, but forgot to include that he had just moved to town, from halfway around the world, and was struggling with English. Resist the temptation to run off and start writing. Experts will tell you that up-front planning of your essays is well worth the time invested. Not only will the quality of your essays be much higher, you’ll probably end up saving time in the long run!
• Research the College Before Writing the Essay. Almost every school has its own identity and mission. Some universities even have a slogan. Others have niche areas of study that they like to promote. Pay attention to what is important to the particular school and, when appropriate, consider including it in some manner in your essay.
• Invest in a Strong Introduction. Admissions people read a lot of essays and may not be energetic and fresh when yours reaches the top of their pile. That’s why it’s essential to attract their attention up front. It is critical that the first few sentences capture their interest. A boring opening may cause the reader to not pay close attention to the remainder of the essay. Design the introduction to draw them into your essay. A well-planned essay may omit some key details in the opening forcing the reader to pay close attention to the rest of the story.
• Start Early and Take Your Time. Don’t wait until the last minute. Application essays almost always take longer than you anticipate. Invest the time necessary to do it right. It should be your best work. Ask others to review your drafts and offer comments and suggestions. Take comments and suggestions seriously – behind every good writer is usually at least one good editor!

Author: Lynn Radlauer Lubell is the Publisher of InLikeMe.com, and the Founder of Admission By Design , a College Consultancy, based in Boca Raton, Florida.

Lynn Radlauer Lubell, Publisher of InLikeMe.com and Founder of Admission By Design, an Educational Consultancy based in Boca Raton, Florida.

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Ultimate Guide to Writing Your College Essay

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College admissions essays are an important part of your college application and gives you the chance to show colleges and universities your character and experiences. This guide will give you tips to write an effective college essay.

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5 Common Mistakes Students Make On The Common App Essay

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This week, the Common Application opened, allowing students across the country to officially begin their college applications. As they embark on the admissions process, one of the most significant components that students will tackle is the oft-dreaded Common App personal essay. The personal essay offers students an opportunity to showcase their unique personalities, experiences, and aspirations and give their application dimension beyond numbers and statistics. A well-crafted and compelling essay can be the factor that sets a candidate apart from thousands of other applicants.

However, in their desire to impress admissions committees, many students inadvertently fall into common traps that diminish their essay’s impact. Approaching the essay strategically and with an understanding of what colleges are looking for—as well as prevalent misconceptions about what they are looking for—will help students develop eye-catching essays.

Below are five common mistakes students make when writing their personal essays—and, more importantly, how to avoid them to create a memorable piece of writing.

1. Telling Stories They THINK Admissions Officers Want to Read

One of the most common mistakes students make is writing what they think colleges want to hear rather than embracing their authentic voice. Doing so leads to contrived, generic, and uninspiring essays. The essay is a critical opportunity for students to share their unique voice and perspective with admissions officers— they want to hear who an applicant is in their own words. When choosing a topic, students should strive to tell a story only they could tell, and do so in their own distinct way.

2. Listing Achievements Without Narrative or Reflection

While extracurricular activities are important, students often make the mistake of merely listing a myriad of accomplishments without providing depth or insight into their involvement and the impact these experiences have had on their perspective. While it is natural to want to highlight accomplishments in a personal essay, simply reciting a list of achievements without reflection fails to demonstrate growth, personality, and self-awareness. Admissions committees are interested in understanding how a student has overcome challenges, what lessons they learned, and how these experiences have shaped their character and outlook on life. Rather than creating a laundry list of activities, applicants should focus on a few meaningful experiences and explain how these pursuits have shaped their character, skills, and ambitions.

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While the personal statement should showcase the applicant's experiences, students should not seek to provide a chronological account of their life or a detailed description of their relationships with various family members. Instead, students should focus on a specific aspect of their life or a transformative experience that reveals something deeper about their personality, values, and goals. The subject students choose to write about does not have to be something earth-shattering or jaw-dropping—often, the most mundane or quotidian topics are the basis for particularly creative and engaging essays. However big or small, the anecdote that students choose should paint a vivid picture of one important aspect of their character and story.

4. Relying on Cliches

Many students employ overused clichés and generic phrases in their personal statements. Overused topics students should generally avoid include study abroad or travel, sports, the death of a pet, or the college application process itself. These topics are boilerplate and blend in with a sea of other applications rather than grabbing the attention of the admissions committee. Additionally, phrases like “broadened my horizons,” “doing x made me learn the value of y,” or “little did I know” have become so common that they lose their impact. Admissions officers are looking for originality and genuine expressions of the applicant's character and aspirations. Avoiding clichés and finding unique and descriptive ways to convey one’s passions and motivations will make the essay more engaging and memorable.

5. Neglecting Proofreading and Editing

Spelling errors, grammatical mistakes, and typos can be distracting and detrimental to an otherwise outstanding personal statement. Students often underestimate the importance of proofreading and editing, but these elements can significantly impact how their application is perceived. Students should reach out to a trusted family member or friend to read through their essay for content and clarity. Taking the time to meticulously review and refine the essay will ensure that the essay is not only polished and well-written, but also that it captures the student’s voice in a compelling way.

Crafting a compelling personal statement requires introspection and self-expression. A well-written personal statement has the potential to captivate admissions officers, providing a window into the applicant's character and potential contributions to the college community. By steering clear of common pitfalls, students can ensure their essays are powerful, unique, and truly representative of their identity.

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How to End a College Admissions Essay | 4 Winning Strategies

Published on October 16, 2021 by Meredith Testa . Revised on May 31, 2023.

The ending of your college essay should leave your reader with a sense of closure and a strong final impression.

Table of contents

Endings to avoid, option 1: return to the beginning, option 2: look forward, option 3: reveal your main point, option 4: end on an action, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about college application essays.

A bad conclusion can bring your whole essay down, so make sure to avoid these common mistakes.

Summarizing

Unlike an academic essay, an admissions essay shouldn’t restate your points. Avoid ending with a summary; there’s no need to repeat what you’ve already written.

Phrases like “in conclusion,” “overall,” or “to sum it up” signal that you have nothing to add to what you’ve already written, so an admissions officer may stop reading.

Stating the obvious

Instead of stating the obvious, let your work speak for itself and allow readers to draw their own conclusions. If your essay details various times that you worked tirelessly to go above and beyond, don’t finish it by stating “I’m hardworking.” Admissions officers are smart enough to figure that out on their own.

You should also avoid talking about how you hope to be accepted. Admissions officers know you want to be accepted—that’s why you applied! It’s okay to connect what you discuss in the essay to your potential future career or college experience, but don’t beg for admission. Stay focused on your essay’s core topic.

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Many successful essays follow a “sandwich,” or full-circle, structure , meaning that they start with some image or idea, veer away from it in the middle, and then return to it at the end.

This structure is clean, self-contained, and satisfying for readers, so it’s a great choice if it works with the topic you’ve chosen.

In the “sandwich” essay outlined below, a student discusses his passion for musical theater. Instead of simply stating that interest, his essay starts with a funny anecdote about a minor fire that erupted on set. At the end, it returns to this anecdote, creating a sense of closure.

• Intro: I may be the world’s worst firefighter.
• Flashback to working on the school musical
• Demonstrate my passion for theatre
• Detail the story of the theater set catching fire
• Show how I made the most of the situation
• Conclusion: I proved my value as a director, an actor, and a writer that week一even if I was a terrible firefighter.

Many successful essays end by looking forward to the future. These endings are generally hopeful and positive—always great qualities in an admissions essay—and often connect the student to the college or their academic goals.

Although these endings can be highly effective, it can be challenging to keep them from sounding cliché. Keep your ending specific to you, and don’t default to generalities, which can make your essay seem bland and unoriginal.

Below are a good and a bad example of how you could write a “looking forward” ending for the musical theater “firefighter” essay.

Sometimes, holding back your main point can be a good strategy. If your essay recounts several experiences, you could save your main message for the conclusion, only explaining what ties all the stories together at the very end.

When done well, this ending leaves the reader thinking about the main point you want them to take from your essay. It’s also a memorable structure that can stand out.

However, if you choose this approach, it can be challenging to keep the essay interesting enough that the reader pays attention throughout.

In the essay outlined below, a student gives us snapshots of her experience of gymnastics at different stages in her life. In the conclusion, she ties the stories together and shares the insight that they taught her about different aspects of her character and values.

• Passionate, excited
• Sister born that day—began to consider people beyond myself
• Realizing that no matter how much I love gymnastics, there are more important things
• I’d been working especially hard to qualify for that level
• It came after many setbacks and failures
• I had to give up time with friends, first homecoming dance of high school, and other activities, and I considered quitting
• Conclusion: I’m still all of those selves: the passionate 7-year-old, the caring 11-year-old, and the determined 15-year-old. Gymnastics has been a constant throughout my life, but beyond the balance beam, it has also shown me how to change and grow.

Ending on an action can be a strong way to wrap up your essay. That might mean including a literal action, dialogue, or continuation of the story.

These endings leave the reader wanting more rather than wishing the essay had ended sooner. They’re interesting and can help you avoid boring your reader.

Here’s an example of how this ending could work for the gymnastics essay.

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

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• Passive voice
• Paraphrasing

 Communication

• How to end an email
• Ms, mrs, miss
• How to start an email
• I hope this email finds you well
• Hope you are doing well

 Parts of speech

• Personal pronouns
• Conjunctions

There are a few strategies you can use for a memorable ending to your college essay :

• Return to the beginning with a “full circle” structure
• Reveal the main point or insight in your story
• Look to the future
• End on an action

The best technique will depend on your topic choice, essay outline, and writing style. You can write several endings using different techniques to see which works best.

Unlike a five-paragraph essay, your admissions essay should not end by summarizing the points you’ve already made. It’s better to be creative and aim for a strong final impression.

You should also avoid stating the obvious (for example, saying that you hope to be accepted).

There are no set rules for how to structure a college application essay , but these are two common structures that work:

• A montage structure, a series of vignettes with a common theme.
• A narrative structure, a single story that shows your personal growth or how you overcame a challenge.

Avoid the five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in high school.

When revising your college essay , first check for big-picture issues regarding message, flow, tone, style , and clarity. Then, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors.

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I help high-school seniors write their college-admission essays. Here are the 4 most common mistakes to avoid.

• For eight years, I've worked with high-school students to perfect their college-admission essays.
• I often see students think their ideas are completely original; the ideas have been done before.
• Students should also avoid writing about their academic achievements in the essays.

For high-school seniors, one of the toughest parts of the college-application process is writing the dreaded personal essay.

For eight years, I've been helping students shape their college-entrance essays. I help them home in on ideas that work, and I edit the essays to make sure their stories make sense. Lastly, I work with students themselves to buff and polish the essays until they shine. 

Through my years working with students, I've noticed several common mistakes. Here are the four pitfalls any prospective college student should avoid when writing a personal essay.

Think your idea or topic is original, but everyone is actually writing the same thing

Your personal experience may be unique to you, but it may not make a unique college essay. 

For example, in my area, there is a huge South Asian immigrant population. These kids are first-generation Americans and were brought here as small children or were born right after their parents arrived. These first-generation Americans want to share their stories because these are important, meaningful stories. Unfortunately, though, the idea isn't original. On average, approximately 70% of my students are trying to write on the same topic. 

Similarly, students often think writing about someone else — a role model, for example — will be original. I assure you, it will not. Yes, you have deep respect for your grandmother who raised five children as a single mom, but that's her story , not yours . 

You're writing about an experience that happened when you were in elementary school

I've seen high-school students write about how they learned to be part of a group when they joined a robotics club in third grade. Unfortunately, the admissions counselors don't really care about third grade. They're interested in your current life — as a high schooler. 

You want to write about things that have happened to you recently. Did you just have a big blowout with your friend group that redefined your meaning of friendship? Did you find out that your best friend cheated on a recent chemistry exam? What did you do about it? 

Tell us who you are today — not who you were in elementary or middle school.

You want to focus on your achievements, your SAT scores, or your grades

Showcasing your academic triumphs is what the rest of the application is for. From transcripts to letters of recommendation to a list of your activities, admissions officers will see your accomplishments throughout your application. 

Related stories

But if you rewrite them in your personal essay, you'll just be repeating yourself, which colleges don't like. Plus, you won't be showing who you really are.

You're not thoroughly proofreading your essay

Reading the essay back to yourself under your breath isn't enough. I want you to first read the essay out loud — one word at a time and slowly. I want you to then read it out loud to yourself again, but this time, read it backward so that you see each word as a separate entity. Finally, I want you to use free spell-check programs, like Grammarly. And then reread it again before hitting the upload button.

With all that said, make sure you're showing who you are in your college essay. Bring yourself to life . Use the power of storytelling; it will get you everywhere.

Do you have a powerful or unique college life story to share with Insider? Please send details to [email protected].

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9 College Essay Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

College essays are hard to write. We hear you! Collegebasics offers several articles to help you get off to a good start—at least a start–, but, here are some things you need to do to avoid common college essay mistakes.

Read the whole application.

You may ask why. The answer is some colleges require you to write multiple essays, beyond the Common Application’s personal essay, and if you miss that, your application will be incomplete. It’s good to know how many you should plan to write and what you are expected to write about. You will want to think about areas you want to write about and spread them over the essays rather than repeat yourself.

Read the essay prompts carefully.

Look at what the prompt(s) is asking you. Especially note the two-part prompt. Some ask you to relate an important experience or talk about your past, but often they also ask you what you learned or how something impacted you. The second part may be the most important part.

Look at word limits.

Be careful to write only as much as they ask for. Be concise. Write enough but not too much.

Research the college.

Most college websites indicate a slogan or a mission that helps define the college. Know what that is and include it in your essay where you might. For example, leaders of education  Cognita  have the slogan “achieve more than you believe possible”. You can implement this slogan into your essay as an indicator that you have done your research and  agree with their values .

Consider your essay’s tone.

Check your ego; humility over brag wins. Be positive. Yes, you may have weaknesses, but it’s best to indicate how you’ve overcome them or learned from them. Humor is fine (if you’re humorous), but comedy is out. Don’t be materialistic. Think how you might contribute to the college, not about what the college can do for you.

Think about the content of your essay.

The essay should not rehash your resume. That information is already in your application; the essay should go beyond. Avoid writing about your volunteer trip; it’s old! Don’t be general. Be specific and give personal details. The everyday often tells more about you than the unusual. Think about your daily routine or the things you watch on TV or what makes you laugh. These things show the real you.

Consider the structure of your essay.

This essay does not have to have a thesis statement, paragraphs of support, and a conclusion; but each paragraph should follow logically from the other. Also you need a very strong, even unusual, start to your essay to catch the reader’s attention. Don’t use academic words. This is a personal essay.

And, proofread.

‘nough said.

Start early.

Essays are hard, and you may have to write several. They take thought and pre-planning. You also want enough time left for input and reviews.

College essays are a challenge, but a challenge you must meet for college admission. Take your time and consider the above carefully.

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5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Essays

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Jordan Sanchez in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

Essay length, cohesive writing, reusing essays.

In this post, we discuss mistakes to avoid when writing your college essay . For more information, check out this post about how to write this year’s Common App essays . 

A common college essay mistake is writing an essay that’s too short. For example, the word limit for the Common App essay is 650 words, and you should try as hard as you can to reach that number. A 400-word essay is definitely too short. Make sure you’re using all the words available to you.

If you’re having difficulty meeting the word limit, your essay topic may be too specific. Also, you may not be including enough details or descriptive language. Conversely, if your essay is too long, you may have sections that could be simplified. Look for any areas where the writing may be repetitive or redundant. Consider whether your essay is too broad. Are you trying to cover multiple topics? It can be helpful to break down your essay paragraph by paragraph and ensure that everything you’ve written aligns with the goals of the essay.

Since supplemental essays tend to have low word limits, you can do more telling than showing when writing these. That said, while you don’t want to waste words, if there’s an opportunity to add a bit of personality to a supplemental essay, you should take it. 

Another common mistake is incohesive writing. Cohesive essays are easy and enjoyable to read. If an essay is jumping around and doesn’t have a clear narrative or connection between ideas, it can be distracting. The reader will be wondering what’s relevant and what they should be caring about, which takes attention away from the content and purpose of your essay.

Incohesive writing happens in two major ways. The first is when a writer doesn’t use effective transitions. These show the reader how different ideas are related, and without them, an essay can be disorganized and difficult to understand. Transitions can be as short as one or two sentences or as long as a whole paragraph.

Incohesive writing can also happen when the writer is inconsistent. Your essay should maintain the same tense, point of view, and writing style from beginning to end. Don’t use extremely complicated vocabulary in one paragraph and incredibly simple language in the next. Write in your natural style and voice, and you’ll never go wrong. 

To check the cohesion of your writing, go over your first or second draft and answer the following questions: “What is the main idea of this paragraph? Does it align with the central theme of the essay? How does this relate to the previous paragraph? Do I illustrate the connection here or later in the essay? What point of view is this written in? What about tense? Is it narrative or creative? Distant or close and engaging? Informative or persuasive?” Your answers should be the same or similar for each paragraph. 

It’s crucial to write your essay in the correct form. The Common App essay is similar to a narrative or memoir in that it’s a short personal story. Many students have little to no experience writing in this form, and if you’re one of them, that’s okay, you’re not alone.

Keep in mind that this is not a five-paragraph essay. You won’t have an introduction or conclusion in the traditional sense. Your introduction will be the hook of your essay, whether it comes in the form of dialogue, descriptive language, or imagery. The conclusion will be a short wrap-up, perhaps a few sentences in length. 

The essay isn’t a thought piece either. You shouldn’t be writing something speculative. You want to include specific personal details from your life. This will ground the essay so it doesn’t feel lofty, and it will help the reader get to know you better. 

Not sounding like yourself is a big issue in college essays. The admissions committee is not expecting the most beautiful prose or intelligent language. They want to read an essay by you and about you, so be sure to write your essay in your own voice.

Don’t include words in your essay that you don’t use regularly. You don’t need big, fancy words to impress admissions officers. Your character and your story will impress them for you. In the same vein, your essay should center around who you are today. It’s okay to write about something that happened in the distant past, but the bulk of your essay should be about events that occurred between 10th and 12th grade. Don’t talk too much about your past without connecting it back to who you are today. 

Throughout the college application process, you’ll write several essays, including personal statements and supplements. A few of these essays can be used in applications for several schools, but be careful not to reuse the wrong ones.

Admissions officers can tell when you’re reusing an essay that you shouldn’t. It shows carelessness and a lack of interest in the school and can lower your chances of admission. To avoid this mistake, before writing any of your supplemental essays, copy and paste all the prompts into a single document, and take inventory of how many you’ll actually have to write and how many you can reuse.

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10 Common Application Mistakes to Avoid

In 2019, Approximately 19.9 Million U.S. Students Were Enrolled In College…

As large as that number is, that’s still only a fraction of the amount of students who submitted college applications. Every year, high school seniors are busy trying to stay on top of classes, extracurricular activities, leadership roles, and most importantly, college applications.

So, with the amount of students who are denied admission to college, what are the common mistakes these students are making?

At WeAdmit, we’ve researched the many common college application mistakes students make every year. Understanding what students focus too much on and what they don’t emphasize enough could give you a fresh perspective on your own college applications.

Keep reading to find out what the top ten common application mistakes are and how to avoid them!

What You’ll Find In This Article:

• The Challenges of the College Application Process
• The Top 10 Mistakes Students Make on College Applications

Crafting Your Best Application

The challenges of the college application process.

College applications seem to come at an inconvenient time for high school students. Busy students manage to juggle multiple priorities at once, but eventually, senior year’s distractions can easily pull your focus away from your college applications. Whether you wait too long to get started or don’t have access to the proper resources, college application mistakes are always possible, and the more you can do to prevent them, the better.

You may be a stellar student, but you’re burnt out from all the pressures of high school. It’s healthy to admit that, sometimes, circumstances seem to work against you during college application season. By understanding common distractions that may interfere with your progress on your college applications, you can look out for these roadblocks and deliver an outstanding product to your dream colleges.

The Top 10 Mistakes Students Make On College Applications

College applications are multi-faceted; they contain objective facts about your high school education like grades and scores, and subjective information like your essays, letters of recommendation, and writing supplements.

With all these components to juggle, it’s no wonder that students tend to spend more time on some sections than others. Luckily, by being aware of the most common college application mistakes, you can craft an application that is creative, professional, and worthy of admission.

NOT SEEKING HELP FROM A PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR

Counselors are a vital resource for high school students applying to college. Not only can counselors answer your questions and give you tailored advice in one-on-one sessions, but they can also complete research for you, remind you of deadlines, request letters of recommendation, and send your official transcripts to colleges.

Counselors and their services have helped countless students gain admission into college because they function as a personal college admissions assistant. How can you go wrong with someone dedicated to your success in getting accepted to college?

SPREADING YOURSELF TOO THIN

Don’t forget that working too hard can sometimes reflect poorly on your college application; it may show admission officers that you’re all work and no play, and a big part of having a healthy campus culture is by inviting students that love to have fun too! Be sure to highlight the extracurricular activities that you genuinely enjoy and that look good on an application.

In fact, working too hard can result in a common condition among high school students known as burnout . By creating balance in your schedule and making room for fun activities and a much-needed dose of rest, you’ll be doing yourself a favor. Breaks are necessary, so schedule healthy-sized breaks as you’re completing your application to ensure that you’re coming back to it focused and strong.

NOT SEEKING ADVICE FROM CURRENT COLLEGE STUDENTS

Next to professional counselors, taking the advice of students who have gone before you can save you tons of time and effort. Do some research and find out what current college students learned when they were applying for college; you may find that you can learn from their mistakes too.

Another way you can do this is by utilizing WeAdmit’s College Essay Reviews . In these reviews, we take college application essays that helped current college students gain admission to their top schools, and break them down to find out what they did to give their essay a little extra spark! Plus, our college essay reviews could give you a broader perspective of what a solid essay looks like; taking advantage of these resources could reveal some essay writing mistakes that many students unknowingly make on their applications, and with our tools, you can learn how to avoid them.

NOT WEIGHING YOUR OPTIONS

Too many students randomly choose a handful of colleges without completing sufficient research . Choosing which colleges to apply to is an enormous task within itself; having a basic idea of what you’re looking for in a college will help you choose schools where you have a good chance of gaining acceptance.

The best way to start weighing your options is by considering some of the many factors involved with choosing a college. Some of these factors include in-state or out-of-state , public or private , and how many colleges you should apply to .

A great way to research different colleges quickly is by utilizing WeAdmit’s College Guides . In our college guides, we cover everything you need to know about a college before you apply, including admission requirements, how to apply, campus culture, and career connections:

• What Does It Take To Get Into Harvard?
• What Does It Take To Get Into Columbia?
• What Does It Take To Get Into MIT?
• What Does It Take To Get Into The University of Washington?

NOT GIVING ANY THOUGHT TO MAJOR

Having at least an idea of what you’d like to study can be immensely helpful as you’re completing your applications. One of the biggest parts of college applications is connecting why you belong there, and how you will contribute to their student body. By already knowing which of their academic programs you’re interested in, you can use that as leverage to explain why you chose them, and how they will help you advance in your career.

Many high school students don’t know what they want to major in when they’re applying for college. Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be hard; simply consider your likes and dislikes, what you’re passionate about , and what kind of career you see yourself pursuing.

NOT TAKING AP CLASSES

AP classes can do many positive things for you as you’re applying to college. AP classes can raise your GPA, open up a new demographic of college choices , and they look great on any college application. When college admission officers see AP classes on your transcripts, they see how you challenged yourself and worked hard to get excellent grades.

When you receive a high score on your AP exams, it will boost your GPA , and give you more study tools to use as you approach your SATs or ACTs, so make sure to take your AP classes and opportunities seriously.

NOT STARTING EARLY

While most high school students don’t start focusing on college applications until their junior year, it’s never too early to start preparing . Four years go by fast; completing college admission research early and asking yourself some specific questions during your freshman year can give you a vision for how you want to spend your next four years in high school.

Getting an idea about what kind of college you think you’d like to attend and what you’d like to study can help you choose student groups and activities, classes, and summer internships as well.

NOT GIVING YOUR ALL ON YOUR SATS

As you approach graduation, your to-do lists and tasks just seem to keep growing. It’s no wonder that so many students struggle with finding the time to study for their SATs.

College admissions officers learn a lot about their applicants through their college application test scores. They see work ethic, persistence, and dedication to your studies. Whether you take the SAT or the ACT , you should make a practical plan to study for your standardized tests. Enroll in an SAT prep class, invest in good study books, and take advantage of free online practice tests!

Also consider taking SAT Subject Tests ; while these are usually not included in application requirements, SAT Subject Tests are a great opportunity to show college admissions officers your strengths and interests.

NOT SPENDING ENOUGH TIME ON YOUR ESSAYS

Sometimes, students will approach their college application essays with a sense of nonchalance; they think “I just have to write my answer to the prompts” or they think “This college admissions office wants honesty and rawness, so why should I spend time editing it?”

While it’s true that most colleges are looking for honesty in their essays, honesty doesn’t excuse poor writing. You’ll want to find a way to combine a professional, well-written essay with honesty and maybe even a little bit of humor. The best way to do this is to get other people to read them, like a trusted counselor, teacher, or friend, and writing them early and coming back to them often to edit them.

When it comes to writing your best college application essays , it’s important to spend time connecting your desires to your college’s goals. Be sure you take the time to do your research, find out what their mission, vision, and values are, and figure out how you fit into their vision. By clearly outlining this, you’ll be submitting an essay that’s intriguing and compelling for admissions officers to read.

NOT READING CLOSELY

One of the most common college application mistakes is rushing. When you don’t take your time, you put yourself at risk of missing important directions and deadlines.

Be sure that you’re starting your college application process slowly; read all the directions, pay attention to exactly what college admissions officers want from you, and, most importantly , make sure you know your deadlines.

One of the most frustrating college application mistakes for students is missing deadlines. Counselors and college admissions websites usually try their hardest to remind you of deadlines through emails and phone calls, but in all the busyness of senior year, it’s easy for certain dates to slip away from student’s memories. Imagine working super hard on your application, only to find that you missed the deadline. Don’t make this mistake and do whatever you have to do to remind yourself of deadlines.

Another way students can overlook important deadlines is by not understanding the difference between early action, early decision, and regular decision . If your application isn’t finished and you wanted to submit it under early action, don’t feel like you have to! Don’t rush the process; you’ll be submitting a sub-par application in a very strict and binding deadline that could bar you from applying again for another year.

While applications submitted early do carry some priority to them, it isn’t worth it if you haven’t spent as much time as you wanted on it.

Note : All of these mistakes and more can be even more confusing if you’re an international student. If you’re an international student applying to U.S. colleges , WeAdmit’s resources are for you as well. We’ve also outlined some common mistakes international students make …

If you’re approaching college application season, you’re joining droves of other students who are experiencing the same anticipation, excitement, and maybe even a little anxiety about the whole process.

While applying for college seems daunting, especially as you hear about people receiving rejection letters more and more, don’t let all that negativity fog your head. There are plenty of ways for you to ensure that you’re presenting a polished application that contains every requirement the college admissions office asked for.

Fortunately, WeAdmit’s professional counselors help students every day think about the little nuances of college applications that will catch admissions officers’ eyes. We believe that you can get into your dream college, and we’ll continue to create the best resources and guides for you to use as you complete your applications.

Plus, you can even reach out to our professional counselors for one-on-one counseling sessions, where you can ask questions you have about the process, work with the counselor to edit your college application essays to perfection, and get the personalized advice that will make your application shine!

You Can Master Your College Applications, So Start Preparing Today!

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Bad College Essays: 10 Mistakes You Must Avoid

College Essays

Just as there are noteworthy examples of excellent college essays that admissions offices like to publish, so are there cringe-worthy examples of terrible college essays that end up being described by anonymous admissions officers on Reddit discussion boards.

While I won't guarantee that your essay will end up in the first category, I will say that you follow my advice in this article, your essay most assuredly won't end up in the second. How do you avoid writing a bad admissions essay? Read on to find out what makes an essay bad and to learn which college essay topics to avoid. I'll also explain how to recognize bad college essays—and what to do to if you end up creating one by accident.

What Makes Bad College Essays Bad

What exactly happens to turn a college essay terrible? Just as great personal statements combine an unexpected topic with superb execution, flawed personal statements compound problematic subject matter with poor execution.

Problems With the Topic

The primary way to screw up a college essay is to flub what the essay is about or how you've decided to discuss a particular experience. Badly chosen essay content can easily create an essay that is off-putting in one of a number of ways I'll discuss in the next section.

The essay is the place to let the admissions office of your target college get to know your personality, character, and the talents and skills that aren't on your transcript. So if you start with a terrible topic, not only will you end up with a bad essay, but you risk ruining the good impression that the rest of your application makes.

Some bad topics show admissions officers that you don't have a good sense of judgment or maturity , which is a problem since they are building a class of college students who have to be able to handle independent life on campus.

Other bad topics suggest that you are a boring person , or someone who doesn't process your experience in a colorful or lively way, which is a problem since colleges want to create a dynamic and engaged cohort of students.

Still other bad topics indicate that you're unaware of or disconnected from the outside world and focused only on yourself , which is a problem since part of the point of college is to engage with new people and new ideas, and admissions officers are looking for people who can do that.

Problems With the Execution

Sometimes, even if the experiences you discuss could be the foundation of a great personal statement, the way you've structured and put together your essay sends up warning flags. This is because the admissions essay is also a place to show the admissions team the maturity and clarity of your writing style.

One way to get this part wrong is to exhibit very faulty writing mechanics , like unclear syntax or incorrectly used punctuation. This is a problem since college-ready writing is one of the things that's expected from a high school graduate.

Another way to mess this up is to ignore prompt instructions either for creative or careless reasons. This can show admissions officers that you're either someone who simply blows off directions and instructions or someone who can't understand how to follow them . Neither is a good thing, since they are looking for people who are open to receiving new information from professors and not just deciding they know everything already.

College Essay Topics To Avoid

Want to know why you're often advised to write about something mundane and everyday for your college essay? That's because the more out-there your topic, the more likely it is to stumble into one of these trouble categories.

Too Personal

The problem with the overly personal essay topic is that revealing something very private can show that you don't really understand boundaries . And knowing where appropriate boundaries are will be key for living on your own with a bunch of people not related to you.

Unfortunately, stumbling into the TMI zone of essay topics is more common than you think. One quick test for checking your privacy-breaking level: if it's not something you'd tell a friendly stranger sitting next to you on the plane, maybe don't tell it to the admissions office.

• Describing losing your virginity, or anything about your sex life really. This doesn't mean you can't write about your sexual orientation—just leave out the actual physical act.
• Writing in too much detail about your illness, disability, any other bodily functions. Detailed meaningful discussion of what this physical condition has meant to you and your life is a great thing to write about. But stay away from body horror and graphic descriptions that are simply there for gratuitous shock value.
• Waxing poetic about your love for your significant other. Your relationship is adorable to the people currently involved in it, but those who don't know you aren't invested in this aspect of your life.
• Confessing to odd and unusual desires of the sexual or illegal variety. Your obsession with cultivating cacti is wonderful topic, while your obsession with researching explosives is a terrible one.

Too Revealing of Bad Judgment

Generally speaking, leave past illegal or immoral actions out of your essay . It's simply a bad idea to give admissions officers ammunition to dislike you.

Some exceptions might be if you did something in a very, very different mindset from the one you're in now (in the midst of escaping from danger, under severe coercion, or when you were very young, for example). Or if your essay is about explaining how you've turned over a new leaf and you have the transcript to back you up.

• Writing about committing crime as something fun or exciting. Unless it's on your permanent record, and you'd like a chance to explain how you've learned your lesson and changed, don't put this in your essay.
• Describing drug use or the experience of being drunk or high. Even if you're in a state where some recreational drugs are legal, you're a high school student. Your only exposure to mind-altering substances should be caffeine.
• Making up fictional stories about yourself as though they are true. You're unlikely to be a good enough fantasist to pull this off, and there's no reason to roll the dice on being discovered to be a liar.
• Detailing your personality flaws. Unless you have a great story of coping with one of these, leave deal-breakers like pathological narcissism out of your personal statement.

Too Overconfident

While it's great to have faith in your abilities, no one likes a relentless show-off. No matter how magnificent your accomplishments, if you decide to focus your essay on them, it's better to describe a setback or a moment of doubt rather that simply praising yourself to the skies.

• Bragging and making yourself the flawless hero of your essay. This goes double if you're writing about not particularly exciting achievements like scoring the winning goal or getting the lead in the play.
• Having no awareness of the actual scope of your accomplishments. It's lovely that you take time to help others, but volunteer-tutoring a couple of hours a week doesn't make you a saintly figure.

Too Clichéd or Boring

Remember your reader. In this case, you're trying to make yourself memorable to an admissions officer who has been reading thousands of other essays . If your essay makes the mistake of being boring or trite, it just won't register in that person's mind as anything worth paying attention to.

• Transcribing your resume into sentence form or writing about the main activity on your transcript. The application already includes your resume, or a detailed list of your various activities. Unless the prompt specifically asks you to write about your main activity, the essay needs to be about a facet of your interests and personality that doesn't come through the other parts of the application.
• Writing about sports. Every athlete tries to write this essay. Unless you have a completely off-the-wall story or unusual achievement, leave this overdone topic be.
• Being moved by your community service trip to a third-world country. Were you were impressed at how happy the people seemed despite being poor? Did you learn a valuable lesson about how privileged you are? Unfortunately, so has every other teenager who traveled on one of these trips. Writing about this tends to simultaneously make you sound unempathetic, clueless about the world, way over-privileged, and condescending. Unless you have a highly specific, totally unusual story to tell, don't do it.
• Reacting with sadness to a sad, but very common experience. Unfortunately, many of the hard, formative events in your life are fairly universal. So, if you're going to write about death or divorce, make sure to focus on how you dealt with this event, so the essay is something only you could possibly have written. Only detailed, idiosyncratic description can save this topic.
• Going meta. Don't write about the fact that you're writing the essay as we speak, and now the reader is reading it, and look, the essay is right here in the reader's hand. It's a technique that seems clever, but has already been done many times in many different ways.
• Offering your ideas on how to fix the world. This is especially true if your solution is an easy fix, if only everyone would just listen to you. Trust me, there's just no way you are being realistically appreciative of the level of complexity inherent in the problem you're describing.
• Starting with a famous quotation. There usually is no need to shore up your own words by bringing in someone else's. Of course, if you are writing about a particular phrase that you've adopted as a life motto, feel free to include it. But even then, having it be the first line in your essay feels like you're handing the keys over to that author and asking them to drive.
• Using an everyday object as a metaphor for your life/personality. "Shoes. They are like this, and like that, and people love them for all of these reasons. And guess what? They are just like me."

Too Off-Topic

Unlike the essays you've been writing in school where the idea is to analyze something outside of yourself, the main subject of your college essay should be you, your background, your makeup, and your future . Writing about someone or something else might well make a great essay, but not for this context.

• Paying tribute to someone very important to you. Everyone would love to meet your grandma, but this isn't the time to focus on her amazing coming of age story. If you do want to talk about a person who is important to your life, dwell on the ways you've been impacted by them, and how you will incorporate this impact into your future.
• Documenting how well other people do things, say things, are active, while you remain passive and inactive in the essay. Being in the orbit of someone else's important lab work, or complex stage production, or meaningful political activism is a fantastic learning moment. But if you decide to write about, your essay should be about your learning and how you've been influenced, not about the other person's achievements.
• Concentrating on a work of art that deeply moved you. Watch out for the pitfall of writing an analytical essay about that work, and not at all about your reaction to it or how you've been affected since. Check out our explanation of how to answer Topic D of the ApplyTexas application to get some advice on writing about someone else's work while making sure your essay still points back at you.

(Image: Pieter Christoffel Wonder [Public domain] , via Wikimedia Commons)

Too Offensive

With this potential mistake, you run the risk of showing a lack of self-awareness or the ability to be open to new ideas . Remember, no reader wants to be lectured at. If that's what your essay does, you are demonstrating an inability to communicate successfully with others.

Also, remember that no college is eager to admit someone who is too close-minded to benefit from being taught by others. A long, one-sided essay about a hot-button issue will suggest that you are exactly that.

• Ranting at length about political, religious, or other contentious topics. You simply don't know where the admissions officer who reads your essay stands on any of these issues. It's better to avoid upsetting or angering that person.
• Writing a one-sided diatribe about guns, abortion, the death penalty, immigration, or anything else in the news. Even if you can marshal facts in your argument, this essay is simply the wrong place to take a narrow, unempathetic side in an ongoing debate.
• Mentioning anything negative about the school you're applying to. Again, your reader is someone who works there and presumably is proud of the place. This is not the time to question the admissions officer's opinions or life choices.

College Essay Execution Problems To Avoid

Bad college essays aren't only caused by bad topics. Sometimes, even if you're writing about an interesting, relevant topic, you can still seem immature or unready for college life because of the way you present that topic—the way you actually write your personal statement. Check to make sure you haven't made any of the common mistakes on this list.

Tone-Deafness

Admissions officers are looking for resourcefulness, the ability to be resilient, and an active and optimistic approach to life —these are all qualities that create a thriving college student. Essays that don't show these qualities are usually suffering from tone-deafness.

• Being whiny or complaining about problems in your life. Is the essay about everyone doing things to/against you? About things happening to you, rather than you doing anything about them? That perspective is a definite turn-off.
• Trying and failing to use humor. You may be very funny in real life, but it's hard to be successfully funny in this context, especially when writing for a reader who doesn't know you. If you do want to use humor, I'd recommend the simplest and most straightforward version: being self-deprecating and low-key.
• Talking down to the reader, or alternately being self-aggrandizing. No one enjoys being condescended to. In this case, much of the function of your essay is to charm and make yourself likable, which is unlikely to happen if you adopt this tone.
• Being pessimistic, cynical, and generally depressive. You are applying to college because you are looking forward to a future of learning, achievement, and self-actualization. This is not the time to bust out your existential ennui and your jaded, been-there-done-that attitude toward life.

(Image: Eduard Munch [Public Domain] , via Wikimedia Commons)

Lack of Personality

One good question to ask yourself is: could anyone else have written this essay ? If the answer is yes, then you aren't doing a good job of representing your unique perspective on the world. It's very important to demonstrate your ability to be a detailed observer of the world, since that will be one of your main jobs as a college student.

• Avoiding any emotions, and appearing robot-like and cold in the essay. Unlike essays that you've been writing for class, this essay is meant to be a showcase of your authorial voice and personality. It may seem strange to shift gears after learning how to take yourself out of your writing, but this is the place where you have to put as much as yourself in as possible.
• Skipping over description and specific details in favor of writing only in vague generalities. Does your narrative feel like a newspaper horoscope, which could apply to every other person who was there that day? Then you're doing it wrong and need to refocus on your reaction, feelings, understanding, and transformation.

Off-Kilter Style

There's some room for creativity here, yes, but a college essay isn't a free-for-all postmodern art class . True, there are prompts that specifically call for your most out-of-left-field submission, or allow you to submit a portfolio or some other work sample instead of a traditional essay. But on a standard application, it's better to stick to traditional prose, split into paragraphs, further split into sentences.

• Submitting anything other than just the materials asked for on your application. Don't send food to the admissions office, don't write your essay on clothing or shoes, don't create a YouTube channel about your undying commitment to the school. I know there are a lot of urban legends about "that one time this crazy thing worked," but they are either not true or about something that will not work a second time.
• Writing your essay in verse, in the form of a play, in bullet points, as an acrostic, or any other non-prose form. Unless you really have a way with poetry or playwriting, and you are very confident that you can meet the demands of the prompt and explain yourself well in this form, don't discard prose simply for the sake of being different.
• Using as many "fancy" words as possible and getting very far away from sounding like yourself. Admissions officers are unanimous in wanting to hear your not fully formed teenage voice in your essay. This means that you should write at the top of your vocabulary range and syntax complexity, but don't trade every word up for a thesaurus synonym. Your essay will suffer for it.

Failure to Proofread

Most people have a hard time checking over their own work. This is why you have to make sure that someone else proofreads your writing . This is the one place where you can, should—and really must—get someone who knows all about grammar, punctuation and has a good eye for detail to take a red pencil to your final draft.

Otherwise, you look like you either don't know the basic rules or writing (in which case, are you really ready for college work?) or don't care enough to present yourself well (in which case, why would the admissions people care about admitting you?).

• Typos, grammatical mistakes, punctuation flubs, weird font/paragraph spacing issues. It's true that these are often unintentional mistakes. But caring about getting it right is a way to demonstrate your work ethic and dedication to the task at hand.
• Going over the word limit. Part of showing your brilliance is being able to work within arbitrary rules and limitations. Going over the word count points to a lack of self-control, which is not a very attractive feature in a college applicant.
• Repeating the same word(s) or sentence structure over and over again. This makes your prose monotonous and hard to read.

Bad College Essay Examples—And How to Fix Them

The beauty of writing is that you get to rewrite. So if you think of your essay as a draft waiting to be revised into a better version rather than as a precious jewel that can't bear being touched, you'll be in far better shape to correct the issues that always crop up!

Now let's take a look at some actual college essay drafts to see where the writer is going wrong and how the issue could be fixed.

Essay #1: The "I Am Writing This Essay as We Speak" Meta-Narrative

Was your childhood home destroyed by a landspout tornado? Yeah, neither was mine. I know that intro might have given the impression that this college essay will be about withstanding disasters, but the truth is that it isn't about that at all.

In my junior year, I always had in mind an image of myself finishing the college essay months before the deadline. But as the weeks dragged on and the deadline drew near, it soon became clear that at the rate things are going I would probably have to make new plans for my October, November and December.

Falling into my personal wormhole, I sat down with my mom to talk about colleges. "Maybe you should write about Star Trek ," she suggested, "you know how you've always been obsessed with Captain Picard, calling him your dream mentor. Unique hobbies make good topics, right? You'll sound creative!" I played with the thought in my mind, tapping my imaginary communicator pin and whispering "Computer. Tea. Earl Grey. Hot. And then an Essay." Nothing happened. Instead, I sat quietly in my room wrote the old-fashioned way. Days later I emerged from my room disheveled, but to my dismay, this college essay made me sound like just a guy who can't get over the fact that he'll never take the Starfleet Academy entrance exam. So, I tossed my essay away without even getting to disintegrate it with a phaser set on stun.

I fell into a state of panic. My college essay. My image of myself in senior year. Almost out of nowhere, Robert Jameson Smith offered his words of advice. Perfect! He suggested students begin their college essay by listing their achievements and letting their essay materialize from there. My heart lifted, I took his advice and listed three of my greatest achievements - mastering my backgammon strategy, being a part of TREE in my sophomore year, and performing "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General" from The Pirates of Penzance in public. And sure enough, I felt inspiration hit me and began to type away furiously into the keyboard about my experience in TREE, or Trees Require Engaged Environmentalists. I reflected on the current state of deforestation, and described the dichotomy of it being both understandable why farmers cut down forests for farmland, and how dangerous this is to our planet. Finally, I added my personal epiphany to the end of my college essay as the cherry on the vanilla sundae, as the overused saying goes.

After 3 weeks of figuring myself out, I have converted myself into a piece of writing. As far as achievements go, this was definitely an amazing one. The ability to transform a human being into 603 words surely deserves a gold medal. Yet in this essay, I was still being nagged by a voice that couldn't be ignored. Eventually, I submitted to that yelling inner voice and decided that this was not the right essay either.

In the middle of a hike through Philadelphia's Fairmount Park, I realized that the college essay was nothing more than an embodiment of my character. The two essays I have written were not right because they have failed to become more than just words on recycled paper. The subject failed to come alive. Certainly my keen interest in Star Trek and my enthusiasm for TREE are a great part of who I am, but there were other qualities essential in my character that did not come across in the essays.

With this realization, I turned around as quickly as I could without crashing into a tree.

What Essay #1 Does Well

Here are all things that are working on all cylinders for this personal statement as is.

Killer First Sentence

Was your childhood home destroyed by a landspout tornado? Yeah, neither was mine.

• A strange fact. There are different kinds of tornadoes? What is a "landspout tornado" anyway?
• A late-night-deep-thoughts hypothetical. What would it be like to be a kid whose house was destroyed in this unusual way?
• Direct engagement with the reader. Instead of asking "what would it be like to have a tornado destroy a house" it asks "was your house ever destroyed."

Gentle, Self-Deprecating Humor That Lands Well

I played with the thought in my mind, tapping my imaginary communicator pin and whispering "Computer. Tea. Earl Grey. Hot. And then an Essay." Nothing happened. Instead, I sat quietly in my room wrote the old-fashioned way. Days later I emerged from my room disheveled, but to my dismay, this college essay made me sound like just a guy who can't get over the fact that he'll never take the Starfleet Academy entrance exam. So, I tossed my essay away without even getting to disintegrate it with a phaser set on stun.

The author has his cake and eats it too here: both making fun of himself for being super into the Star Trek mythos, but also showing himself being committed enough to try whispering a command to the Enterprise computer alone in his room. You know, just in case.

A Solid Point That Is Made Paragraph by Paragraph

The meat of the essay is that the two versions of himself that the author thought about portraying each fails in some way to describe the real him. Neither an essay focusing on his off-beat interests, nor an essay devoted to his serious activism could capture everything about a well-rounded person in 600 words.

(Image: fir0002 via Wikimedia Commons .)

Where Essay #1 Needs Revision

Rewriting these flawed parts will make the essay shine.

Spending Way Too Long on the Metanarrative

I know that intro might have given the impression that this college essay will be about withstanding disasters, but the truth is that it isn't about that at all.

After 3 weeks of figuring myself out, I have converted myself into a piece of writing. As far as achievements go, this was definitely an amazing one. The ability to transform a human being into 603 words surely deserves a gold medal.

Look at how long and draggy these paragraphs are, especially after that zippy opening. Is it at all interesting to read about how someone else found the process of writing hard? Not really, because this is a very common experience.

In the rewrite, I'd advise condensing all of this to maybe a sentence to get to the meat of the actual essay .

Letting Other People Do All the Doing

I sat down with my mom to talk about colleges. "Maybe you should write about Star Trek ," she suggested, "you know how you've always been obsessed with Captain Picard, calling him your dream mentor. Unique hobbies make good topics, right? You'll sound creative!"

Almost out of nowhere, Robert Jameson Smith offered his words of advice. Perfect! He suggested students begin their college essay by listing their achievements and letting their essay materialize from there.

Twice in the essay, the author lets someone else tell him what to do. Not only that, but it sounds like both of the "incomplete" essays were dictated by the thoughts of other people and had little to do with his own ideas, experiences, or initiative.

In the rewrite, it would be better to recast both the Star Trek and the TREE versions of the essay as the author's own thoughts rather than someone else's suggestions . This way, the point of the essay—taking apart the idea that a college essay could summarize life experience—is earned by the author's two failed attempts to write that other kind of essay.

Leaving the Insight and Meaning Out of His Experiences

Both the Star Trek fandom and the TREE activism were obviously important life experiences for this author—important enough to be potential college essay topic candidates. But there is no description of what the author did with either one, nor any explanation of why these were so meaningful to his life.

It's fine to say that none of your achievements individually define you, but in order for that to work, you have to really sell the achievements themselves.

In the rewrite, it would be good to explore what he learned about himself and the world by pursuing these interests . How did they change him or seen him into the person he is today?

Not Adding New Shades and Facets of Himself Into the Mix

So, I tossed my essay away without even getting to disintegrate it with a phaser set on stun.

Yet in this essay, I was still being nagged by a voice that couldn't be ignored. Eventually, I submitted to that yelling inner voice and decided that this was not the right essay either.

In both of these passages, there is the perfect opportunity to point out what exactly these failed versions of the essay didn't capture about the author . In the next essay draft, I would suggest subtly making a point about his other qualities.

For example, after the Star Trek paragraph, he could talk about other culture he likes to consume, especially if he can discuss art forms he is interested in that would not be expected from someone who loves Star Trek .

Or, after the TREE paragraph, the author could explain why this second essay was no better at capturing him than the first. What was missing? Why is the self in the essay shouting—is it because this version paints him as an overly aggressive activist?

Essay #2: The "I Once Saw Poor People" Service Trip Essay

Unlike other teenagers, I'm not concerned about money, or partying, or what others think of me. Unlike other eighteen year-olds, I think about my future, and haven't become totally materialistic and acquisitive. My whole outlook on life changed after I realized that my life was just being handed to me on a silver spoon, and yet there were those in the world who didn't have enough food to eat or place to live. I realized that the one thing that this world needed more than anything was compassion; compassion for those less fortunate than us.

During the summer of 2006, I went on a community service trip to rural Peru to help build an elementary school for kids there. I expected harsh conditions, but what I encountered was far worse. It was one thing to watch commercials asking for donations to help the unfortunate people in less developed countries, yet it was a whole different story to actually live it. Even after all this time, I can still hear babies crying from hunger; I can still see the filthy rags that they wore; I can still smell the stench of misery and hopelessness. But my most vivid memory was the moment I first got to the farming town. The conditions of it hit me by surprise; it looked much worse in real life than compared to the what our group leader had told us. Poverty to me and everyone else I knew was a foreign concept that people hear about on the news or see in documentaries. But this abject poverty was their life, their reality. And for the brief ten days I was there, it would be mine too. As all of this realization came at once, I felt overwhelmed by the weight of what was to come. Would I be able to live in the same conditions as these people? Would I catch a disease that no longer existed in the first world, or maybe die from drinking contaminated water? As these questions rolled around my already dazed mind, I heard a soft voice asking me in Spanish, "Are you okay? Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?" I looked down to see a small boy, around nine years of age, who looked starved, and cold, wearing tattered clothing, comforting me. These people who have so little were able to forget their own needs, and put those much more fortunate ahead of themselves. It was at that moment that I saw how selfish I had been. How many people suffered like this in the world, while I went about life concerned about nothing at all?

Thinking back on the trip, maybe I made a difference, maybe not. But I gained something much more important. I gained the desire to make the world a better place for others. It was in a small, poverty-stricken village in Peru that I finally realized that there was more to life than just being alive.

What Essay #2 Does Well

Let's first point out what this draft has going for it.

Clear Chronology

This is an essay that tries to explain a shift in perspective. There are different ways to structure this overarching idea, but a chronological approach that starts with an earlier opinion, describes a mind changing event, and ends with the transformed point of view is an easy and clear way to lay this potentially complex subject out.

(Image: User:Lite via Wikimedia Commons)

Where Essay #2 Needs Revision

Now let's see what needs to be changed in order for this essay to pass muster.

Condescending, Obnoxious Tone

Unlike other teenagers, I'm not concerned about money, or partying, or what others think of me. Unlike other eighteen year-olds, I think about my future, and haven't become totally materialistic and acquisitive.

This is a very broad generalization, which doesn't tend to be the best way to formulate an argument—or to start an essay. It just makes this author sound dismissive of a huge swath of the population.

In the rewrite, this author would be way better off just concentrate on what she want to say about herself, not pass judgment on "other teenagers," most of whom she doesn't know and will never meet.

I realized that the one thing that this world needed more than anything was compassion; compassion for those less fortunate than us.

Coming from someone who hasn't earned her place in the world through anything but the luck of being born, the word "compassion" sounds really condescending. Calling others "less fortunate" when you're a senior in high school has a dehumanizing quality to it.

These people who have so little were able to forget their own needs, and put those much more fortunate in front of themselves.

Again, this comes across as very patronizing. Not only that, but to this little boy the author was clearly not looking all that "fortunate"—instead, she looked pathetic enough to need comforting.

In the next draft, a better hook could be making the essay about the many different kinds of shifting perspectives the author encountered on that trip . A more meaningful essay would compare and contrast the points of view of the TV commercials, to what the group leader said, to the author's own expectations, and finally to this child's point of view.

Vague, Unobservant Description

During the summer of 2006, I went on a community service trip to rural Peru to help build an elementary school for kids there. I expected harsh conditions, but what I encountered was far worse. It was one thing to watch commercials asking for donations to help the unfortunate people in less developed countries, yet it was a whole different story to actually live it. Even after all this time, I can still hear babies crying from hunger; I can still see the filthy rags that they wore; I can still smell the stench of misery and hopelessness.

Phrases like "cries of the small children from not having enough to eat" and "dirt stained rags" seem like descriptions, but they're really closer to incurious and completely hackneyed generalizations. Why were the kids were crying? How many kids? All the kids? One specific really loud kid?

The same goes for "filthy rags," which is both an incredibly insensitive way to talk about the clothing of these villagers, and again shows a total lack of interest in their life. Why were their clothes dirty? Were they workers or farmers so their clothes showing marks of labor? Did they have Sunday clothes? Traditional clothes they would put on for special occasions? Did they make their own clothes? That would be a good reason to keep wearing clothing even if it had "stains" on it.

The rewrite should either make this section more specific and less reliant on cliches, or should discard it altogether .

The conditions of it hit me by surprise; it looked much worse in real life than compared to the what our group leader had told us. Poverty to me and everyone else I knew was a foreign concept that people hear about on the news or see in documentaries. But this abject poverty was their life, their reality.

If this is the "most vivid memory," then I would expect to read all the details that have been seared into the author's brain. What did their leader tell them? What was different in real life? What was the light like? What did the houses/roads/grass/fields/trees/animals/cars look like? What time of day was it? Did they get there by bus, train, or plane? Was there an airport/train station/bus terminal? A city center? Shops? A marketplace?

There are any number of details to include here when doing another drafting pass.

Lack of Insight or Maturity

But this abject poverty was their life, their reality. And for the brief ten days I was there, it would be mine too. As all of this realization came at once, I felt overwhelmed by the weight of what was to come. Would I be able to live in the same conditions as these people? Would I catch a disease that no longer existed in the first world, or maybe die from drinking contaminated water?

Without a framing device explaining that this initial panic was an overreaction, this section just makes the author sound whiny, entitled, melodramatic, and immature . After all, this isn't a a solo wilderness trek—the author is there with a paid guided program. Just how much mortality is typically associated with these very standard college-application-boosting service trips?

In a rewrite, I would suggest including more perspective on the author's outsized and overprivileged response here. This would fit well with a new focus on the different points of view on this village the author encountered.

Unearned, Clichéd "Deep Thoughts"

But I gained something much more important. I gained the desire to make the world a better place for others. It was in a small, poverty-stricken village in Peru that I finally realized that there was more to life than just being alive.

Is it really believable that this is what the author learned? There is maybe some evidence to suggest that the author was shaken somewhat out of a comfortable, materialistic existence. But what does "there is more to life than just being alive" even really mean? This conclusion is rather vague, and seems mostly a non sequitur.

In a rewrite, the essay should be completely reoriented to discuss how differently others see us than we see ourselves, pivoting on the experience of being pitied by someone who you thought was pitiable. Then, the new version can end by on a note of being better able to understand different points of view and other people's perspectives .

The Bottom Line

• Bad college essays have problems either with their topics or their execution.
• The essay is how admissions officers learn about your personality, point of view, and maturity level, so getting the topic right is a key factor in letting them see you as an aware, self-directed, open-minded applicant who is going to thrive in an environment of independence.
• The essay is also how admissions officers learn that you are writing at a ready-for-college level, so screwing up the execution shows that you either don't know how to write, or don't care enough to do it well.
• The main ways college essay topics go wrong is bad taste, bad judgment, and lack of self-awareness.
• The main ways college essays fail in their execution have to do with ignoring format, syntax, and genre expectations.

What's Next?

Want to read some excellent college essays now that you've seen some examples of flawed one? Take a look through our roundup of college essay examples published by colleges and then get help with brainstorming your perfect college essay topic .

Need some guidance on other parts of the application process? Check out our detailed, step-by-step guide to college applications for advice.

Are you considering taking the SAT or ACT again before you submit your application? Read about our famous test prep guides for hints and strategies for a better score.

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Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

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College Application Mistakes: 20 Common Errors to Avoid

By Emily Gunter

September 18, 2020

It’s college application season, and high school seniors have a lot on their plates. In addition to juggling school work, extracurriculars, and a part-time job, the college-bound 12th grader now has to find time to apply for college on top of it all.

This is a busy time in your life, and one small misstep could result in a rejection letter. While your college admission will depend on a variety of factors, there are a few common mistakes you can avoid to maximize your odds of acceptance.

Based on 28 years of experience helping students through the college admission process and advice from our college counselors, we’ve put together a list of 20 college application mistakes to avoid.

20 Common College Application Mistakes to Avoid

1. forgetting to research the college early on.

The college research process should begin as early as freshman year of high school. While you may not know exactly where you plan to attend at that point, you should still look up the admission requirements for some of your top picks.

We say this because your high school courses and grades have a heavy impact on how college admissions officers view your application. If your grades do not meet the standard, you likely will be rejected on the first round of review.

2. Blending in instead of standing out

While attending college is common these days, getting admitted to a highly competitive college is not. The top schools only accept the best and most interesting applicants, so a common high school experience often isn’t enough.

Throughout your high school years, sign up for activities that will expand your experience and help you stand out on your applications. Activities like college camps, internships, starting your own non-profit, sports, and volunteering can help enrich your experience and add depth to your college applications and essays.

3. Aiming too low on test scores

As a baseline, your test scores should at a minimum match the average test scores for students who attend the schools to which you apply. For example, the average SAT® test scores for Columbia University are in the 1450-1580 range for its current student body. So at the minimum, you’d want to aim for a 1450 score in order to maximize your chances of acceptance.

However, test scores are not the only factor that colleges will consider. Many elite colleges report that they reject a number of perfect test scores every year. You’ll want more than just a great test score if you want to attend a highly competitive college.

Some schools have also moved to “test optional” in 2020. At these schools, test scores are often still needed to determine eligibility for areas such as scholarships, competitive degree programs, and honors college placement. However, it is possible to get accepted to a test optional college without submitting a test score.

4. Not putting enough effort into grades

Test scores are important, but so are your grades. An excellent test score but a mediocre GPA can sometimes result in a rejection letter from an elite college.

Keep in mind that colleges will look deeper than just your high school GPA. If you had a high GPA but took mostly easy classes, the admissions officer will notice. If you received a B or a C in an AP calculus class, please note that the difficulty of the course will be taken in consideration when reviewing your application.

5. Selecting the wrong high school courses

Did you know that Ivy League colleges often require that a student take the most difficult high school courses available?

Colleges understand that each high school has different offerings, and they will take that into account. But if you plan to go to an elite college, you should fill your schedule with challenging coursework like AP and honors classes.

Keep in mind that the course requirements differ from major to major. If you plan to major in engineering, your coursework should reflect that you took a good number of STEM courses to prepare for college. If you plan on majoring in journalism, your transcript should show you received good grades in English classes. Colleges will want to see demonstrated expertise in coursework related to your chosen major.

6. Lack of involvement in extracurriculars

One common mistake that some students make is they spend so much time focusing on academics that they never get involved in extracurricular activities.

Colleges look for well-rounded students who have a wide range of experiences. Participating in extracurricular activities like sports and student organizations will help challenge you, expand your horizons, and teach you how to socialize with others.

Extracurriculars will come in handy when creating your college resume or applying for scholarships. Remember, colleges like to see that you stuck with your commitments rather than that you joined every club possible. Select a few extracurriculars to join and try to stay involved in them through all four years of high school if your schedule allows.

7. Picking an unoriginal essay topic

Essays are an important component of your college applications because they allow the college to get to know you in a way that is not shown in the other aspects of your application.

Choose your essay topic wisely. Try to tell your story in a unique and impactful way. Remember that some stories that may have felt life-changing to you probably happened to several other students as well.

Avoid writing about common essay topics like:

• Death of a Family Member
• Your Parent’s Divorce
• The Big Game

If you are still keen on writing about one of these topics, think deeply about how you might tell the story in an interesting way. Sometimes students start with a generic topic and discover a way to put a new spin on it, resulting in a unique essay overall.

Sometimes it helps to receive input from a college counselor when brainstorming potential essay topics. Find out how we can help with college application essays.

8. Risky content in essays

Your essay should not read like a teenage soap opera. You don’t want colleges to think that you’ll just be there for the party.

Illegal activities and intimate details about romantic relationships shouldn’t have a role in your college application essay.

For more advice on what to write about and what to avoid, read “ How to Write a College Application Essay .”

9. Coming off as arrogant in essays

Sometimes students make the mistake of thinking they need to sell themselves in order to get into that dream school. As a result, they make statements like “I was the best” or forget to give credit to others who helped them along the way.

While your application should showcase how awesome you are, you shouldn’t come right out and say it in your essay. Instead, leave it up to the admissions officer to recognize your potential.

10. Relying too much on the thesaurus

Your essays should show your personality, and you should write them using your own voice. You still want to be eloquent, but try to choose your vocabulary naturally. If you go in and replace several words using a thesaurus, you may lose clarity and your voice along the way.

11. Receiving generic letters of recommendation

Many students make the mistake of waiting until senior year of high school to start thinking about letters of recommendation .

It can take years to cultivate a meaningful relationship with a teacher that will result in an outstanding letter of recommendation. We recommend that students start trying to identify 2-3 teachers as soon as sophomore year of high school. Pay attention to the teachers that compliment you or comment on how much you’ve improved.

Before asking for a letter of recommendation, ask yourself the following questions:

• Will he or she remember me?
• Did I establish a meaningful relationship with this person?
• Do I think he or she is capable of writing a compelling letter of recommendation?
• What are some memorable moments I had with this person?

You should ask for a letter of recommendation in your spring semester of junior year at the latest. Remember, you’re not the only student applying to college in your class, so remember to ask early. Some teachers will limit the number of letters of recommendation they are willing to write in a given year.

It also helps to include some context when requesting a letter of recommendation. Remind the teacher which class you had with them or bring up a memorable moment to help jog his or her memory of you.

12. Forgetting to show why you belong

College admissions officers are looking for students who will fit in at their schools. Demonstrate interest in the school by visiting campus or sharing why you belong in your essays or during college interviews.

13. Taking the cookie-cutter approach

When answering the “Why this college” essay prompt, don’t write a generic essay where you switch out the university names for each application. This is lazy and leaves room for error. If you can swap out university names and the essay still reads the same, it’s probably not a memorable essay.

Remember to do your research and be able to distinguish one school from another. It’d be pretty embarrassing to accidentally tell the University of Texas at Austin that you can’t wait to become an Aggie.

14. Only applying to reach schools

Sometimes, a student will choose to only apply to reach schools and end up with nothing but a pile of rejection letters and a heart full of doubt.

Keep in mind that Harvard University only accepted 4.5% of the 43,330 applicants that applied in 2019. Valedictorians and students with perfect SAT® and ACT® test scores were among the vast majority of applicants that this elite college rejected.

Even with a seemingly perfect college application, there is a chance that some of the schools to which you apply will reject you. It’s pretty rare that a student gets into every college on the list.

For this reason, we recommend that students create a balanced college list to ensure the best results. You may not get into your top choice school, but you may get into multiple schools you could picture yourself attending.

15. Forgetting to submit test scores or transcript

With COVID-19 affecting whether or not students took the SAT or ACT tests this year, there have been several changes to the college admissions process. Some schools have moved to test optional, meaning students do not have to submit scores as part of their application.

However, many families are discovering that “test optional” colleges will still consider test scores when reviewing applications. This means a test score can still help a student get accepted, especially for the more selective aspects of the process such as scholarships, acceptance to competitive degree programs, honors college placement, etc.

It’s a confusing time for the college-bound senior, so we recommend reading the college admissions guidelines carefully. Make sure you follow directions and submit every piece of the application possible. This means that if a test score is optional and you have a good SAT score that could help your odds of acceptance, you should submit your score.

Don’t forget to ask your high school to send your transcript to the colleges to which you apply. Your high school counselor will have specific instructions on how to do this at your school.

16. Forgetting to apply for scholarships or fill out the FAFSA®

For many students, getting in is only half the battle. After receiving that acceptance letter, you then have to figure out how you will afford the cost of college .

Scholarships and financial aid can bring down the cost of college drastically, and some KD students obtain merit-based scholarships that cover their tuition entirely. This requires additional steps to apply and qualify for scholarships.

We also recommend that every student fill out the FAFSA, regardless of your family’s financial situation. Several factors are considered when evaluating financial need, and you may be surprised to find that you qualify for a grant or work study program.

17. Inappropriate content on social media

Did you know that college admissions officers may look at your social media profiles during the admissions process? Remember this when choosing what to post on your social profiles.

Not all college admissions officers include this in their process, and those that do usually do this to find a tie-breaker between you and another highly qualified candidate. You don’t want to lose that battle because you posted an illegal activity, hate speech, or something else inappropriate from their point of view.

Also keep in mind that colleges require students to adhere to a code of conduct. Even after your admittance, a college may penalize you if something on your social media profiles shows you breaking the rules. Bottom line: keep your social media profiles squeaky clean!

18. Too much parent involvement

You love your parents, and they just want the best for you. But if your mom or dad rewrites your college essays for you, then it’s probably time to set some boundaries.

The truth is college admissions has changed since your parents were teens . What worked for them may not work for you.

Also be mindful that admissions officers are pros at reading college essays. They will be able to tell if mom or dad wrote it.

19. Lying or exaggerating about your experience

This one’s probably a no brainer, but some students will go to great lengths to attend their dream college. Do not submit false information on your college application. Nine times out of 10, the admissions officer will see through your bluff, and it will result in an immediate rejection.

There are also legal repercussions for lying or cheating your way through the college admissions process. Recently, some celebrities have been sentenced to jail time for taking an unethical approach to getting their teens accepted to competitive colleges.

Admissions officers read college applications for a living, so it’s also easy for them to see through the fluff. Exaggerating your involvement in an extracurricular or volunteer opportunity, while less serious of a mistake than lying, can also result in a move to the rejection pile.

When it comes to college applications, honesty really is the best policy.

20. Waiting until the last minute

A well-rounded applicant is an organized person who plans ahead. So if you’re trying to communicate that you are a well-rounded, responsible applicant, do not submit your application at 11:59 p.m. on the night that it is due.

If you wait until the last minute, you’ll be rushing to get everything done on time. This results in sloppy essays and room for error when filling out the application.

Plan ahead on your college applications. We offer APPLY NOW! Boot Camps to give students a head start on their college applications. During these small group sessions, students work with our college counseling team to develop two edited essays, the Common App® and ApplyTexas® application, an edited resume, and activity list.

Need more advice for applying to college?

Our experienced college counselors will guide you through every step of the college admissions process, from deciding your college list to making your final college decision. For more information, contact a campus near you.

Emily Gunter is a marketing and communications specialist at KD College Prep.

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Meenakshi S. – Class of 2024

“My wife and I wanted to thank you profusely for working with (our daughter). She picked Texas A&M, and we are all delighted with the decision. We have visited the college a couple of times and feel it was the right choice for us... We appreciate your patience with her. She could not have gotten here without your help.”

“My wife and I wanted to thank you profusely for working with (our daughter). She picked Texas A&M, and we are all delighted with the decision. We have visited the college a couple of times and feel it was the right... Read more...

Arun K. – Daughter, Class of 2023

“KD College Prep has offered me multiple resources, makes the effort to craft comprehensive courses, and personalizes instruction that is adjustable to my schedule.”

Quynh T. – Class of 2023

“Ethan is a National Merit Finalist, so he received scholarship opportunities from a number of universities based on his National Merit status, including the University of Houston, where he will be attending tuition-free. He also scored an almost perfect SAT® score (1560), thanks in part to his preparation with KD College Prep.”

“Ethan is a National Merit Finalist, so he received scholarship opportunities from a number of universities based on his National Merit status, including the University of Houston, where he will be attending tuition-free. He also scored an almost perfect SAT® score... Read more...

C.J. S. – Son, Class of 2023

“This was perfect for our son! He needed the structure to get organized to study and did better than expected!”

Hillary B. – Son, Class of 2023

“KD has been very useful for me and has helped me become a better test taker. I don’t think I could’ve gotten the score I got without the countless hours I put in attending workshops, taking tests, and attending reviews.”

Samarth S. – Class of 2023

“Taking KD College Prep has been one of my best choices in high school! All of the instructors definitely know their stuff and teach an extremely useful curriculum in an engaging and efficient manner. I recommend KD to anyone looking to learn more or maximize their scores!”

“Taking KD College Prep has been one of my best choices in high school! All of the instructors definitely know their stuff and teach an extremely useful curriculum in an engaging and efficient manner. I recommend KD to anyone looking to... Read more...

Preston King – Class of 2023

“Overall, it was a good experience. It instilled the discipline to focus on test preparation through workshops and assignments. The review of each test was also very helpful.”

Sajitha N. – Daughter, Class of 2023

“Honestly, was really, really solid. Doing the program the summer before junior year — and I only did the one — actually got me a lot of experience and review of technical skills needed for the SAT® test. I only had to do it once because I got to relearn those pesky algebra skills that I forgot through the program.”

“Honestly, was really, really solid. Doing the program the summer before junior year — and I only did the one — actually got me a lot of experience and review of technical skills needed for the SAT®... Read more...

Katya G. – Class of 2023

“Working with KD was incredible! I truly enjoyed how experienced the counselors were and how deeply they cared about their students. I would recommend KD and especially their college prep plan to everyone who is looking to get professional college admissions advice!”

“Working with KD was incredible! I truly enjoyed how experienced the counselors were and how deeply they cared about their students. I would recommend KD and especially their college prep plan to everyone who is looking to get professional college admissions... Read more...

Ananya A. – Class of 2023

“Our son, Joseph, is our fifth child to go through the KD College Prep program and our fourth National Merit Finalist. He had another test prep program available to him through his private high school but chose KD because he felt like it made the biggest difference in his scores in the least amount of time. He found the program easy to follow and adapt to his strengths and weaknesses. As parents, we cannot say enough good things about the KD program and would recommend it to anyone looking to improve their scores and earn scholarship dollars!”

“Our son, Joseph, is our fifth child to go through the KD College Prep program and our fourth National Merit Finalist. He had another test prep program available to him through his private high school but chose KD because he felt... Read more...

Ellyn A. – Parent of 5 KD Students

“My daughter completed your program in the Plano location. In the fall, she is headed to Colorado School of Mines to study engineering. I asked her if KD had helped her with the SAT® and ACT® tests. She said they helped her know how to manage her time while taking the test as that is a huge aspect to the test.”

“My daughter completed your program in the Plano location. In the fall, she is headed to Colorado School of Mines to study engineering. I asked her if KD had helped her with the SAT® and ACT® tests. She said they helped... Read more...

Julie M. – Daughter, Class of 2022

“(I wanted) help with writing essays and getting into my dream colleges. (I was most concerned with) keeping up with everything I have to do and meeting all the deadlines. The constant and honest feedback about my essays regardless is what I really appreciated. There was a time that writing essays just clicked, and it was much easier after that.”

“(I wanted) help with writing essays and getting into my dream colleges. (I was most concerned with) keeping up with everything I have to do and meeting all the deadlines. The constant and honest feedback about my essays regardless is what... Read more...

Neha C. – Class of 2022

“It’s hard to believe we are finally done at KD Prep with our three children. We are incredibly grateful to you for all of your support over the years, which undoubtedly helped each of our children realize their college dreams. All three were accepted to colleges with single digit admission rates. Our eldest was selected as a National Merit® Finalist and was able to apply to colleges with a perfect SAT® score. Our other two were both named National African American Recognition Scholars and National Merit Commended Scholar. One of them applied to college in 2020 with an SAT score of 1520 (780 math and 740 verbal) and the youngest scored 1500 on the October 2021 SAT test (720 verbal and 780 math). Our... Read more...

“It’s hard to believe we are finally done at KD Prep with our three children. We are incredibly grateful to you for all of your support over the years, which undoubtedly helped each of our children realize their college dreams. All... Read more...

Nike A. – Parent of 3 KD Students

“Obviously SAT® test prep was NOT fun. The experience was difficult and exhausting, but learning through KD definitely made the experience much less stressful and definitely easier. It's a great system with tons of resources all aimed to give you what you need and more to reach whatever score range you set as your goal (I was able to get a 1540). My favorite part though, specifically with the Coppell campus, was the people! Everyone was so incredibly nice and always in impossibly good moods. It was a great environment to learn and improve in!”

“Obviously SAT® test prep was NOT fun. The experience was difficult and exhausting, but learning through KD definitely made the experience much less stressful and definitely easier. It's a great system with tons of resources all aimed to give you what... Read more...

Alex N. – Class of 2023

“I want to thank KD College Prep for helping me get the score I needed to receive over $464,000 in scholarships, including two full rides. I started the program the summer going into my junior year. I had an excellent GPA but struggled on standardized tests. Taking the test prep classes throughout junior year and taking practice tests got me more prepared each time I took the test. I achieved my best score the summer going into my senior year. That score allowed me to apply to my top schools as soon as early decision opened. I am so grateful to Karen Dillard and the extra practice and proctored exams! My parents are grateful too—for the small investment they got a great return.”

“I want to thank KD College Prep for helping me get the score I needed to receive over $464,000 in scholarships, including two full rides. I started the program the summer going into my junior year. I had an excellent GPA... Read more...

Saadia P. – Class of 2022

“I really enjoyed KD because the teachers helped me look at the SAT® test in a whole new angle. I really began analyzing the test and learned how to work math and reading problems in a smarter way, which was really helpful. I also really appreciated all the varied practice and detailed breakdowns from instructors, helping me see not just what answer was correct but why those answers were correct.”

“I really enjoyed KD because the teachers helped me look at the SAT® test in a whole new angle. I really began analyzing the test and learned how to work math and reading problems in a smarter way, which was really... Read more...

Pranathi P. – Class of 2022

“KD had a very streamlined process of learning the ins and outs of the reading and grammar part of the SAT® test as well as a very well-structured mathematics process that went through the subjects of algebra, geometry, and pre-calculus in depth. Another great part of the KD experience was the wonderful staff giving me so many useful tips and strategies for the areas that I was specifically struggling with. The staff understands students have different strengths and weaknesses, and the fact that they tailor the info they give to each student is very useful. Overall, KD has helped me not only with SAT preparation but also with my normal school work.”

“KD had a very streamlined process of learning the ins and outs of the reading and grammar part of the SAT® test as well as a very well-structured mathematics process that went through the subjects of algebra, geometry, and pre-calculus in... Read more...

Armaan C. – Class of 2023

“I am very grateful that KD was able to offer so many resources and guides for the SAT® and PSAT tests. They really helped me get a good grasp on the types of questions that the SAT exam tested on, and I was able to get a really good score the first time I took it! Once again, thank you KD, and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to earn a high SAT score.”

“I am very grateful that KD was able to offer so many resources and guides for the SAT® and PSAT tests. They really helped me get a good grasp on the types of questions that the SAT exam tested on, and... Read more...

Sri Vamsi Krishna Putti – Class of 2023, Frisco ISD

“My husband and I are so impressed with your course and the quality of guidance that you provide. It feels like you really want our son to succeed. Thank you!”

Debra H. – Son, Class of 2023

“KD taught me so many useful strategies for the SAT® & PSAT/NMSQT® tests. They helped me improve my SAT score by over 400 points, and I got done with the SAT test at the beginning of 11th grade! I would recommend KD to anyone who wants a highly competitive SAT score. ”

“KD taught me so many useful strategies for the SAT® & PSAT/NMSQT® tests. They helped me improve my SAT score by over 400 points, and I got done with the SAT test... Read more...

Praneel S. – Class of 2023

“My time and experiences at KD College Prep have efficiently guided and prepared me for my future educational career as a college student. Not only did KD help me with college entrance exams but also provided numerous informational seminars that helped me with the various steps required for college admissions. At KD I enjoyed learning from amazing teachers, who cared for each of their students individually and were ready to help wherever it was needed. Being a student at KD has also helped me figure out which learning techniques work best for me. The opportunity to engage in different learning methods such as small group interactive learning, larger group discussions, or individual practice are all ways that helped me come up with a learning... Read more...

“My time and experiences at KD College Prep have efficiently guided and prepared me for my future educational career as a college student. Not only did KD help me with college entrance exams but also provided numerous informational seminars that helped... Read more...

Tanisha P. – Class of 2020

“ My feedback can only be positive, given how much you helped me get ahead with my application process. I really appreciated how much work both of you put into helping me write the best essay possible, especially reviewing my essays twice to polish them completely. In addition, I have noticed that writing my resume has released a lot of stress off my shoulder when it comes to making sure I have all the things necessary to apply to schools. ”

“ My feedback can only be positive, given how much you helped me get ahead with my application process. I really appreciated how much work both of you put into... Read more...

Claudia A. – Class of 2020

“My favorite things about KD were the mirroring it had to actual test questions, the availability, and the relationships you built with all the teachers and advisors who made the process of learning easier. I think that after you started going to a good amount of classes and the workshops, you knew every teacher, and they were always available to answer any questions that you had...Everyone was just so welcoming and made learning more engaging for the students, especially with the workshops. All of had their own unique style of teaching which never made a class boring.”

“My favorite things about KD were the mirroring it had to actual test questions, the availability, and the relationships you built with all the teachers and advisors who made the process of... Read more...

Rishab P. – Class of 2021

“I want to thank both of you so very much for making this dream come true. When I first came to KD, I wanted to get a score of 1520 or above... So many people told me it would be impossible to reach my desired score. After months of using KD's methods my scores definitely improved but hovered around 1350—still not near the score I needed but closer. After finally working with both of you during one on ones, my scores started to see heavy improvement and while I didn't get a score of 1520 or above as a single score, I got it as a  superscore ... Read more...

“I want to thank both of you so very much for making this dream come true. When I first came to KD, I wanted to get a score of 1520 or... Read more...

David P. – Class of 2022

“It takes a village to raise a child—this is so true. KD College Prep staff have been nothing but uplifting to my child and to us parents through their eager attitudes to assist, in-depth guidance and unparalleled wisdom. I am in awe at the consistent level of professionalism yet genuine concern for each and every person that walks through their doors. Thank you KD staff for being great mentors for our children!”

“It takes a village to raise a child—this is so true. KD College Prep staff have been nothing but uplifting to my child and to us parents through their eager attitudes to assist, in-depth guidance and unparalleled wisdom. I am in... Read more...

Gloria D. – Daughter, Class of 2021

“I attended KD for the last 3 years, and I was blessed with the opportunity to take the SAT ® test one last time last month. I got a 1430 on the test. I wanted to take the time to say I have finished college applications, and I would love to thank all the teachers and aides at KD for giving me the score that I got on the test. Without the extra practice, I wouldn't have been able to get through to the score I got. These past 3 years went by so fast, and it is so fun to look back at where I started and how much I have come out with flying colors. Thank you so much!”

“I attended KD for the last 3 years, and I was blessed with the opportunity to take the SAT ® test one last time last month. I got a 1430 on the test. I wanted to take the time to say I... Read more...

Kareena A. – Class of 2021

“I just wanted to say thank you to KD for all the help and support you’ve given over the past couple years! I was able to get the scores I wanted for the PSAT, SAT ® , and ACT ® tests. The resources were very helpful, and the individualized assistance I received from teachers were what really supported my learning. Special thanks to Ms. Barwick and Mr. Hoffman!”

“I just wanted to say thank you to KD for all the help and support you’ve given over the past couple years! I was able to get the scores I wanted for the PSAT, SAT ® , and ACT ® tests. The resources were... Read more...

Advika R. – Class of 2022

“I shifted toward taking practice tests and going to workshops because I felt those were the best ways to apply the concepts (I was) learning in class. I started applying the tips and tricks that the teachers were showing me in class. In conjunction, those two things helped me raise my score a lot because I was not a math kid before KD or high school. The repetition and being able to practice in a non-stressful environment and simulating that testing experience is something that was very beneficial for me... “The college counseling team was super patient and honest about the work I was submitting. I know for a lot of kids, it’s hard to articulate who you are through 250-300 words. It was definitely... Read more...

“I shifted toward taking practice tests and going to workshops because I felt those were the best ways to apply the concepts (I was) learning in class. I started applying the tips and tricks that the teachers were showing me in... Read more...

Blaine W. – Class of 2021

“Both of my sons have been guided by KD College Prep counselor Steve Peifer on their journey to finding the right college for them, and we could not have had a better experience and outcome. My oldest son is now a rising junior at the University of Miami, and my youngest son is an incoming freshman at Vanderbilt University. Steve’s help in navigating the complicated college landscape and finding the BEST FIT for my two sons is what has made this resource invaluable. “What made the biggest difference for my two sons was the depth and breadth of knowledge Steve has of the many universities and colleges in the U.S. First, by getting to know my kids on a one-on-one basis, he was able to... Read more...

“Both of my sons have been guided by KD College Prep counselor Steve Peifer on their journey to finding the right college for them, and we could not have had a better experience and outcome. My oldest son is now a... Read more...

Julio M. – Parent

“My daughter loved the program—the program materials and the teachers both online and in person. She participated in a year of online and a year of in person. It was incredible enrichment and helped her keep her skills sharp over the summer. She liked being challenged academically, and she loved taking classes with high school students who were focused on their college goals. These students were also excellent role models! The lessons were especially important during the pandemic when it wasn’t a typical middle school experience.”

“My daughter loved the program—the program materials and the teachers both online and in person. She participated in a year of online and a year of in person. It was incredible enrichment and helped her keep her skills sharp over the... Read more...

Beth L. – Advanced Start™ Parent

“I wanted to say thank you to all of the teachers and directors at KD for helping me get a great score on the SAT ® test. I started with a 1250 on the first KD test I took, and I got a 1530 on the December 5th SAT test. KD played a huge role in this, and I just wanted to say thanks to everyone there for helping me achieve this.”

“I wanted to say thank you to all of the teachers and directors at KD for helping me get a great score on the SAT ® test. I started with a 1250 on the first KD test I took, and I got... Read more...

Vyom S. – Class of 2022

"Our twin 16-year-old boys used KD College Prep to study/practice for the PSAT test, and we believe the classes and coaching were invaluable. Very professional and concise. Worth every penny!"

Jerry – Sons, Class of 2022

“I'm writing to thank the KD team for all the help and guidance over the last couple of years! All the resources provided were very useful to me and helped me achieve the scores I was aiming for on the PSAT, SAT ® , and ACT ® tests (1520, 1580, and 34). I really appreciate everyone's willingness to be flexible and accommodate my requests!”

“I'm writing to thank the KD team for all the help and guidance over the last couple of years! All the resources provided were very useful to me and helped me achieve the scores I was aiming for on the PSAT,... Read more...

Mithra A. – Class of 2022

"The resources that KD offers have greatly prepared me for the college admissions process. Without KD, I would not have been this prepared and confident... I am a rising senior, and I ended up receiving a 1570 on my SAT ® test (third time) and a 35 on my ACT® test (first time). I remember the first ever practice test I took for the SAT test was a 1230 (about 1.5 yrs ago) and the first ever practice test I took for the ACT test was a 31 or 32 (about 6 months ago)."

"The resources that KD offers have greatly prepared me for the college admissions process. Without KD, I would not have been this prepared and confident... I am a rising senior, and I ended up receiving a 1570 on my SAT ® test... Read more...

Elise P. – Class of 2022

“I want to thank KD College Prep for helping both of my kids over the last years reach successful outcomes on their SAT ® and ACT ® scores, which helped them get into great colleges. I found the college prep class for parents very informative and helpful during the process as well.  My son (Jacob) graduated in 2018 and got a 32 on the ACT test. got accepted into Texas A&M but chose Baylor for Health Sciences.  My daughter (Morgan) graduated in 2020 and got a 1450 on the SAT test and a 32 on the ACT test. got into an Ivy League school (Cornell) for Engineering.  Both my kids say that they apply the test taking skills they learned at KD Prep to... Read more...

“I want to thank KD College Prep for helping both of my kids over the last years reach successful outcomes on their SAT ® and ACT ® scores, which helped them get into great colleges. I found the college prep class for parents... Read more...

Jon D. – Parent

“Coming into this whole process, I had absolutely no idea what anything was, and your help was invaluable—your encouraging words, strategic advice, and wholesome stories and jokes really got me through a stressful time! I'm still on the waitlist at Harvard and other schools, but I've really started to immerse into the Emory culture, especially their debate team. Not having to pay for college and still attend a private institution is really a dream come true, and it wouldn't be possible if it were not for you.”

“Coming into this whole process, I had absolutely no idea what anything was, and your help was invaluable—your encouraging words, strategic advice, and wholesome stories and jokes really got me through a stressful time! I'm still on the waitlist at Harvard... Read more...

Shreyas R. – Class of 2020

“The most beneficial guidance I received during my College Counseling experience was being taught that it's completely ok to not know what I want to do with the rest of my life at 17/18 years old. Steve told me that a good school will help me find my path. Also, Steve's knowledge about what colleges were wanting to see in potential admissions candidates was a huge help... “There was not one specific beneficial moment or turning point in my time working with Steve, there were many. He encouraged me during the entire application process and brought to my attention many colleges I wouldn't have considered or heard about without his help.”

“The most beneficial guidance I received during my College Counseling experience was being taught that it's completely ok to not know what I want to do with the rest of my life at 17/18 years old. Steve told me that a... Read more...

Jake W. – Class of 2020

"I'm very happy my daughter chose KD as her learning partner to achieve her goals. All the experiences with KD and the Directors there are fabulous. My daughter has improved significantly."

Zarni, Daughter – Class of 2021

"I took KD classes the summer before my junior year, and I was finished with my SAT ® test by December...The test prep classes also helped me earn the award of National Merit ® Finalist."

Claire I. – Class of 2020

"It's been super helpful, and I've noticed my scores go up both on my SAT ® /ACT ® scores as well as test scores in school... Overall, I believe this to be the best college prep that money can buy."

Gopi C. – Class of 2021

"KD helped me come up with a game plan for the colleges I wanted to attend, as well as any backups, and how to manage my time during this stressful period. They helped to ease the stress and made sure that I would be successful in whichever college I picked, and I am eternally grateful for all their help and hard work!"

"KD helped me come up with a game plan for the colleges I wanted to attend, as well as any backups, and how to manage my time during this stressful period. They helped to ease the stress and made... Read more...

Omar S. – Class of 2020

"My initial goals when I first started working with the KD Counseling crew was to compile a list of colleges that I would be somewhat interested in attending and fit my career goals. I think that this step I was by far the most concerned about. I didn’t know how exactly I should go about choosing which places to apply to and if I were to be accepted, if they would fit me. The team did a wonderful job considering my likes and dislikes and helped me compile a list of colleges that suited my tastes and would further my academic career. "After this integral first step, my focus turned towards time management and writing quality essays that would stand out to colleges. I got... Read more...

"My initial goals when I first started working with the KD Counseling crew was to compile a list of colleges that I would be somewhat interested in attending and fit my career goals. I think that this step I was by... Read more...

Nina H. – Class of 2020

"I was thankful for all the help I received from KD in preparing for my SAT ® and ACT ® exams. The workshops they offered, as well as the practice exams, gave me the tools I needed to do my very best."

Morgan D. – Class of 2020

"KDCP is a must for students wanting to stay a step ahead of the game for getting into college. My son has gained huge insight from the ACT ® /SAT ® practice workshops, practice tests, and essay class."

Tiffany – Son, Class of 2021

"KD helped to increase the efficiencies of how I took the national exams. I was also able to implement these efficiencies in my daily school studies within the IB program at PESH. I would (and have) recommend KD to those students wanting an edge on their national test scores!"

"KD helped to increase the efficiencies of how I took the national exams. I was also able to implement these efficiencies in my daily school studies within the IB program at PESH. I would (and have) recommend KD to those students... Read more...

Daniel J. – Class of 2020

"Not only have I been able to significantly improve my test scores, I have learned a tremendous amount of information about the college application process due to complimentary events that KD offers."

Sam H. – Class of 2020

"I came to KD the summer before my senior year with only my determination and big goals! KD provided me with the resources necessary to improve my test score to increase my chances at my dream school, Notre Dame, with the help from amazing teachers and staff. I am so grateful for KD!"

"I came to KD the summer before my senior year with only my determination and big goals! KD provided me with the resources necessary to improve my test score to increase my chances at my dream school, Notre Dame, with the... Read more...

Matt K. – Class of 2020

"I started classes at KD the summer before 9th grade. I...made a perfect score on the PSAT (earning the National Merit ® scholarship) and, after taking the SAT ® test only once (a relief!), scored a 1590/1600."

Thomas D. – Class of 2019

"In just one year, I was able to raise my score by 300 points and get into my dream school."

Piper F. – Class of 2020

"Having our recent GHS graduate attend KD was life changing. It provided our son with choices and opportunities that he might not have had otherwise."

Kathy – Son attends Mizzou

“I came to KD College Prep after already using another tutoring service which we were not seeing results with. Due to time constraints, the traditional classes were not going to be feasible for my daughter. They took the time to figure out a personal plan that would work for her and were always available for our questions and helping her reach her goals. Every employee from the managers to the students working at their locations are top notch.”

“I came to KD College Prep after already using another tutoring service which we were not seeing results with. Due to time constraints, the traditional classes were not going to be feasible for my daughter. They took the time to figure... Read more...

Tracy – Daughter, Class of 2020

"The KD College Prep course not only provided test practice but also motivated her to work hard for her college applications. It gave her the confidence to dream big!"

Prema – Daughter attends Rice

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, what are some common college application mistakes to avoid.

Hey everyone! I'm a junior in high school, and I'm starting to think about the college application process. I want to make sure I don't make any easily avoidable mistakes. Can anyone share some common errors or pitfalls to watch out for? Thanks so much!

Hey there! It's great that you're starting to think about the college application process early. Here are a few common mistakes to avoid: 1. Procrastination: Start working on your applications as soon as possible, especially the essays. Give yourself plenty of time to revise and perfect them. 2. Ignoring deadlines: Stay organized and keep track of all the important dates, such as application deadlines and financial aid deadlines. Missing a deadline could mean you miss out on an opportunity. 3. Not proofreading: Double-check your application for any grammatical errors or typos. Ask a trusted adult, teacher, or counselor to review your application materials before submitting. 4. Choosing the wrong recommenders: Make sure to ask the teachers or mentors who know you well and can speak to your strengths. Give them ample time to write a thoughtful letter. 5. Focusing solely on prestige: Don't just apply to schools because of their ranking. Research each school's programs, campus culture, and location to ensure they're a good fit for you. Best of luck with your applications!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

The Ivy Coach Daily

• College Admissions
• College Essays
• Early Decision / Early Action
• Extracurricular Activities
• Standardized Testing
• The Rankings

September 6, 2024

Common App Word Count Limit: How Long Should My Essay Be?

You should always use all the real estate they give you when writing your application essays. This means going to the maximum word limit , or as close as possible to it, on  every  written prompt. Just like the employee who shows up to the office late and leaves early appears lazy and uninterested in their job, the applicant who doesn’t take advantage of every last word seems to have better things to do than write their college application essays. And if you’re an academically ambitious high schooler intent on attending a highly selective college, you quite literally don’t have anything better to do than give your application your all. Your future is counting on it!

You might think those 100-character prompts often found in college supplements don’t apply to this rule, but think again. You want to max the word or character count wherever you see a blank space waiting for you to fill with words — with one notable exception. 

What Is the Common App Essay Word Count Limit?

The Common Application’s Personal Statement has a word limit of 650; you should go up to that limit or risk coming across as noncommittal. But is that all there is to this story? Not quite. 

How to Use the Common App Additional Information Section

There is an age-old expression in elite college admissions that many students in 2024 are blissfully unaware of: “The thicker the file, the thicker the student.” Are we at Ivy Coach contradicting ourselves? No. We’re referring to the Additional Information section of The Common App. We often get prospective clients who come to us for a  PostMortem  after rejection from their top school. They have no idea what they could have possibly done wrong, and yet when one of our former elite college admissions officers takes a look at their application, the Additional Information section is filled with redundancies and superfluous information!

The Additional Information section should only include courses taken outside of school (along with corresponding grades) or list genuinely impressive activities that didn’t make it onto the activities list but complement your  singular admissions hook . It’s also okay to include a published abstract in this section (unless the school has a section for abstracts, like Columbia University . Don’t make admissions officers read the same thing twice — their time is valuable!). Each time you apply, The Common App. will save the current incarnation of your application. So, be sure to check for redundancies before each submission (e.g., delete the abstract in Additional Information for Columbia if you’re including it under the Abstract section).

In most cases, the Additional Information section should be left blank. Fill out those essays (including the optional ones!). Go up to the maximum word count wherever possible. But don’t include a link to a video of your violin performance if your singular hook is computer science. Don’t include a poem if your hook is environmental advocacy. Your singular hook should be the focus of your application, and the Additional Information section should only include information that supports or enhances this hook. 

Respect the Time of Admissions Officers

Don’t waste admissions officers’ time — applicant pools to elite schools have swelled to the tens of thousands in recent years. They’ll probably only give your application a total of 8 minutes of consideration. This, of course, is more than enough time. The  8-minute rule  is a guideline that suggests admissions officers spend about 8 minutes on each application, given the large number of applications they have to review. You don’t want to thrust them into a situation where they spend most of those precious 8 minutes deciphering some extraneous information that makes you a less competitive applicant. 

If navigating these confusing and seemingly contradictory rules about applying to highly selective schools makes your head spin, take out the guesswork by relying on Ivy Coach ’s team of former elite college admissions officers to help your child earn admission to the school of their dreams. We will ensure their application communicates their singular hook as efficiently and effectively as possible. 

If you’re interested in optimizing your child’s case for admission to a highly selective college, fill out our  complimentary consultation form , and we’ll be in touch.

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10 College Application Mistakes to Avoid

By Mari , IvyWise Master Admissions Counselor

Just as there is no one path to getting admitted to a particular school, there is no one reason that applicants get rejected. Usually, it is a combination of factors, not all of which are within the applicant’s control.

There are, however, many common mistakes that can be easily avoided by planning ahead, taking your time, and being mindful of the information that you’re giving to the admissions committee. These mistakes or “red flags” could send your application to the “no” pile if you’re not careful.

That may sound nerve-wracking, but the good news is with a little proofreading, you can give your application a much better chance in the competitive game of selective college admissions. As a former admissions officer at MIT, here are some common mistakes I saw frequently that can be easily avoided:

Leaving Out Vital Personal Details

Context is everything in the admissions process. Applicants from low socio-economic backgrounds or whose parents did not attend college are measured with a different yardstick than affluent applicants who have had numerous opportunities for personal and academic growth and exploration. The applicant who spends several hours every weekday babysitting younger siblings or who has to work 25 hours a week to help with the family finances may not have the same academic or extracurricular profile of their peers. That said, when put in context, babysitting or other part-time jobs can be considered an extracurricular activity!

But context is much more nuanced than socio-economic circumstances alone. Reflect on your circumstances and try to see it from an objective point of view: what is your community like? What kind of home life do you have? What family responsibilities do you shoulder? Then, let colleges know. Help the admissions committee to imagine you in your context, in as full and rich a way as possible. Applicants who leave out this vital personal backstory often lose out in the admissions game.

Your Essays Are One-Sided

Have you thought about what you bring to the college and its campus life? Make sure your essays don’t just address what the college can do for you, but also how you can contribute to their community. When applicable, do you give credit to teachers, mentors, bosses, and others who have shepherded you along the way? It’s okay to point out weaknesses in your high school, but remember to be respectful and never blame your school for your own shortcomings.

Lacking Ambition and Vision

One thing that would send an MIT application to the “no” pile pretty quickly for me was an applicant who would say they want to study at MIT so that they can get a good job after graduation. Of course, schools read applications contextually: for first-generation college students, going to a premier college and getting a well-paying job IS ambitious. Readers know this and adjust their thinking accordingly. However, it’s easier to offer admission to someone who has a compelling vision for their future and who convinces the reader that they will do something great with their education.

Lack of Familiarity with the School: Demonstrated Interest is Crucial

Most colleges use some sort of admissions rubric to evaluate their applicant pool. Some schools factor the amount of interest an applicant seems to have for the school (i.e., demonstrated interest ) in the rating systems. Colleges want to admit students who genuinely know and like the school and might actually attend if admitted. This also helps improve their yield rates , which is a priority for every college because it impacts  their place on rankings lists and it can also influence their bond ratings.

An important piece of demonstrated interest is your answer to the school’s version of the “Why this college?” essay . Your essay should be full of specific details about the academic programs and student activities that attract you to the school and how you would contribute to the school community. If you haven’t investigated the school thoroughly, your essay will be bland and may even come across as insincere.

Avoid “TMI”

Your application is not a confessional, but rather a place to celebrate your best self. Be very careful about revealing your neuroses, fears, failures, regrets, etc. unless those revelations are convincingly balanced by highlighting the positives that came out of difficult experiences. If discussing a personal struggle or traumatic life experience, be sure to demonstrate you have come through to the other side of the tunnel. Otherwise, leave it out.

Also avoid the other type of TMI: too much extra information that doesn’t enhance the application. Don’t send in nine letters of recommendation , copies of every academically-related certificate ever earned, and a bunch of press clippings from the local paper. Admissions officers have a plethora of application materials to read in a very short window of time. Be thoughtful and strategic about what extra materials you submit, especially if the school mentions a limit on certain materials in their application.

Incomplete Activities List

For anyone who still thinks perfect grades and SAT scores alone will get you into highly selective colleges in the US, think again! What you do outside of the classroom — your extracurricular activities , for example — is one of the most important things that separates merely qualified applicants from desirable ones. With record high applicant rates and record low admission rates , soft factors, like activities, are often the dealmakers today. Make sure you spend ample time on your activities list in your application.

Don’t forget to indicate the years of participation, calculate the number of hours per week, and tell the school your role in each activity, especially if you were a leader. Also, provide an explanation of any obscure activities. Don’t leave out something that is important to you because you think the admissions committee doesn’t care about your sewing hobby, for example. And, finally, absolutely do not submit a resume in lieu of completing the activities list! Resumes should be used to supplement your activities section — not as a replacement.

The Repurposed Essay: Answer Each Essay Prompt Individually

Applying to 10 schools while you’re juggling a busy schedule  can be tough, to say the least. It’s tempting to try to answer the essay prompts for all 10 supplements with that one great essay you slaved over, but be careful here. You can score low marks on the demonstrated interest test if it is obvious to the reader that you have repurposed an essay for another school to kinda, sorta fit their prompt. Admissions officers tend to be familiar with the prompts from peer institutions, so they will most likely notice and be unimpressed with your efforts.

Thesauras-itis

Don’t fill your essays with ten-dollar words when ten-cent ones will do just fine. If you have a large vocabulary, by all means don’t dumb yourself down. However, large words used improperly won’t impress anyone, and could be enough to turn the reader off from you altogether. The words that flow naturally will give your essays an authentic voice. It goes without saying that authenticity in the application process is crucial. Admissions officers want to get to know YOU, not who you think they want you to be. They can spot inflated essay answers and an unnatural vocabulary from a mile away.

Spelling, Grammar, and/or Punctuation Errors

If you were born and bred in an English-speaking environment, readers will expect you to have a strong command of proper grammar and punctuation. A spelling or grammar error alone won’t send an application to the “no” pile, but an essay riddled with mistakes can come off as sloppy and leave admissions officers wondering how much attention you actually paid to your application.

If English is your second language, try to have a native speaker review your application for any errors in word choice, in addition to errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. No one will expect your prose to be perfect, but go the extra mile and have someone review your essays nonetheless.

Inadequate Proofreading

Finally, don’t rely on spell-check alone. Read your essay out loud, have another pair of eyes take a look, proofread and then proofread again! Double and triple check your application and admissions essays to catch any spelling, grammar, or informational mistakes . Admissions officers are only human, after all. They can’t help but be turned off from your MIT application when you neglect to replace “Harvard” with “MIT” in your essay. It might not put you in the reject pile immediately, but don’t risk it!

There’s a lot to consider when applying to college. It’s not just about where you apply, but also the content and substance of your application. By avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll be in the best position to gain admission to your top-choice college! Be sure to stay mindful of common application mistakes and ensure that you’re avoiding them. If you need additional application support,  contact us today  for more information on  services for high school seniors .

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Home » IvyWise KnowledgeBase » IvyWise Resources » All Articles » 10 College Application Mistakes to Avoid

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Eight Common College Essay Mistakes

How to avoid the common mistakes.

Staring at a blank screen wondering what the heck to say in your college essay? We feel you. Personal essays can be among the most challenging communications to craft. Sometimes it’s almost easier to start with what not to write, so we’ve put together some of the most common mistakes we see students make when drafting college essays. Use this list as a starting point (and head in the opposite direction!).

College Essay Don’ts:

• Don’t: Use overly formal language and structure.  College essays are more informal in tone and style than what you’d write for school, and voice is a critical component of the essay: this essay should sound like you! Not your mom, your English teacher, or your family friend who is a professional writer. (Trust us, admissions officers can tell.)
• Don’t: List everything you’ve ever done. There’s no need to cram your life into one 650-word essay. Save all those extracurriculars for the application’s Activities section.
• Don’t: Be vague. Specific details help your essay pop and take it from good to great.
• Don’t: Tell instead of show. If you find yourself listing your positive attributes instead of sharing a story that illustrates those qualities, it’s time to reevaluate.
• Don’t: Write about overcoming an obstacle if you haven’t overcome one. Some students think they have to write about failures, challenges, or difficulties they’ve faced.  Not everyone has experienced life-altering obstacles yet – and that’s okay! You have other stories to tell.
• Don’t: Focus on someone else. There may be a really influential person in your life, and you may be able to write a great essay about that relationship, but don’t spend 650 words talking about how awesome that person is. You’re the one applying to college!
• Don’t: Share your essay with too many people. If you ask for feedback from 47 people, you will get 47 different responses, which can get confusing. Pick just a couple people you really trust to read your essay when you’re ready for feedback.
• Don’t: Wait until the last minute. The essay process can be exciting, empowering, and, dare we say it, fun – but not if you’re rushed. Get started early and you’ll stress less while giving that essay room to grow and breathe! After all, writing is a process, and it requires time and attention.

For more college essay guidance, check out these recordings of our recent college essay webinars. If you need more tips or support on structuring your college essay, contact us today.

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Essential Mistakes to Avoid in Bearding

In recent years, beards have made a significant comeback, reclaiming their status as a symbol of style, confidence, and individuality for men across the globe. This resurgence can be attributed not only to a cultural shift but also to the influence of social media, where bearded icons and influencers showcase their unique looks, encouraging others to embrace facial hair.

Whether you're inspired by the rugged charm of Hollywood icons, such as Hugh Jackman and Jason Momoa, or the sleek sophistication of urban trendsetters like David Beckham and Chris Hemsworth, growing and maintaining a beard is an art that requires careful attention and dedication.

However, as with any grooming endeavor, there are common pitfalls that can hinder your efforts and affect the health and appearance of your beard. Neglecting proper care can lead to issues like dryness, beard itch, and uneven growth, which can be frustrating for any beard enthusiast. In this blog post, we'll explore the most frequent mistakes made in beard grooming and offer practical advice on how to avoid them.

From understanding the importance of choosing the right grooming products to establishing a consistent routine, these insights will empower you to take control of your beard care journey. Whether you're new to beard care or a seasoned grooming enthusiast, these tips will help you achieve a healthy, well-groomed beard that enhances your overall look and boosts your confidence. After all, a well-maintained beard not only complements your style but also reflects your personality and attention to detail.

Over washing and Improper Drying Techniques

The Perils of Over washing

One of the most common mistakes in beard care is over washing. While it’s essential to keep your beard clean and free from dirt, oil, and food particles, washing it too frequently can strip away the natural oils that are crucial for maintaining moisture and preventing dryness. Many men mistakenly treat their beards like the hair on their heads, leading to brittle, lackluster facial hair that lacks the healthy sheen associated with well-cared-for beards. Over washing can also lead to skin irritation beneath the beard, which can result in itchiness and discomfort. Striking the right balance in your washing routine is key to achieving a healthy beard.

Proper Cleaning Frequency

To avoid the pitfalls of over washing, it’s advisable to limit your beard cleansing routine to two or three times a week, depending on your lifestyle and activity level. For those who work out frequently or are exposed to environmental pollutants, three times might be necessary, while others may find that twice a week suffices. When you do wash your beard, always opt for a gentle beard shampoo specifically formulated for beard hair. These products are designed to cleanse without stripping essential oils.

Additionally, consider using a beard conditioner afterward to further nourish your hair and keep it soft and manageable. This thoughtful approach will ensure that your beard remains clean without compromising its natural luster and softness.

Drying Your Beard Correctly

After washing, the drying process is equally important to maintain the health of your beard. Aggressive towel drying can cause breakage and frizziness, leaving your beard looking unkempt. Instead of rubbing your beard vigorously with a towel, gently pat it with a soft, absorbent towel to remove excess water without causing damage.

For a more thorough dry, consider using a hairdryer set to a low-heat setting. Keep the dryer at a safe distance from your beard to avoid heat damage, which can lead to dryness and split ends. If you want to maximize hydration, you can also apply a light beard oil or balm after drying, which can help lock in moisture and leave your beard looking well-groomed and healthy. By taking these steps, you can ensure that your beard remains vibrant, soft, and full of life.

Neglecting the Use of Beard Oils and Balms

The importance of moisturization.

Neglecting to use beard oils and balms is another frequent mistake made by many beard enthusiasts. These products are not just for fragrance, although it would help to find some that smells great and that your wife loves; they play a vital role in moisturizing and nourishing both your beard and the skin underneath. The skin beneath your beard can often become dry and irritated without proper care. This moisture barrier is crucial, as it helps to prevent issues like dryness, itchiness, and even beard dandruff. Without adequate hydration, your beard can become coarse, brittle, and uncomfortable, detracting from your overall grooming experience.

Benefits of Beard Oils

Beard oils are specially formulated with natural ingredients, such as argan oil, jojoba oil, and essential oils, which penetrate deep into the hair follicles. These oils provide hydration and essential nutrients that promote healthy beard growth. Regular application can make your beard softer, shinier, and more manageable, enhancing its overall appearance.

Additionally, the soothing properties of these oils help reduce itchiness and prevent the dreaded beardruff, ensuring a comfortable grooming experience that lasts all day long. Incorporating beard oil into your daily routine can transform your beard from a scruffy look to a well-groomed style.

Beard Balm or Beard Butter?

Beard balm and beard butter, while both effective for beard care, serve slightly different purposes and have distinct consistencies. Beard balm is thicker and typically contains beeswax, which provides a light hold for styling and shaping. This makes it ideal for taming stray hairs and maintaining the desired shape of your beard throughout the day. In contrast, beard butter has a creamier, lighter texture and is primarily focused on providing deep hydration and nourishment without the styling properties of balm.

Usage Recommendations

• Beard Balm : Use beard balm when you want to style your beard or need extra control over unruly hairs. Apply a small amount to your palms and rub them together to warm the balm before evenly distributing it through your beard, shaping as desired. This is particularly beneficial for longer beards that require maintenance throughout the day.
• Beard Butter : Opt for beard butter when your goal is intense moisture and conditioning, especially during dry seasons or if you have a coarse beard. Apply it after your beard oil for maximum hydration, focusing on the length of your beard and the skin underneath. It can also be used as an overnight treatment for an added boost of moisture while you sleep.

By understanding the differences and specific uses for beard balm and butter, you can tailor your grooming routine to achieve the best results for your facial hair.

Choosing the Right Balm

Beard balms, on the other hand, are thicker than oils and provide additional benefits such as styling and shaping. Formulated with ingredients like beeswax, shea butter, and other oils, they offer a light hold, making them ideal for taming unruly hairs and maintaining your desired beard shape throughout the day.

When choosing a balm, look for one that matches your specific beard type and desired level of hold. Apply a small amount of balm after oiling your beard to lock in moisture, control frizz, and keep your beard looking polished and well-groomed. This combination of oils and balms not only provides hydration but also elevates your grooming routine, allowing you to present your best self confidently.

Choosing a High-Quality Beard Butter

When selecting a high-quality beard butter , it's essential to pay attention to the ingredient list. Look for products that are made with natural and organic ingredients, such as shea butter, cocoa butter, and various nourishing oils like grape seed, jojoba, and apricot kernel oil. These components not only provide deep moisturization but also help to repair and rejuvenate the hair follicles, promoting healthier beard growth.

Additionally, check for the presence of essential oils that can offer natural fragrances and added benefits, such as soothing properties for the facial skin underneath your beard.

Furthermore, consider the texture and consistency of the butter; it should be creamy enough to spread easily without being overly greasy. A premium beard butter will easily absorb into the beard hairs and skin, providing hydration without leaving a heavy residue.

Finally, reading reviews and seeking recommendations from other beard enthusiasts can guide you to reputable brands and products that deliver quality results, ensuring your beard care routine remains effective and enjoyable. Investing in a high-quality beard butter will significantly elevate your grooming standards and contribute to a softer, more manageable beard.

Inconsistent Trimming and Shaping

The art of consistency.

Inconsistent trimming and shaping can lead to an uneven and untidy appearance that may not reflect the effort you put into grooming. Many men find themselves either avoiding trimming altogether out of fear of making mistakes or trimming too frequently without a clear plan or end goal. This lack of consistency can result in a beard that looks unkempt and can detract from your overall style. Consistency is key to achieving a well-groomed beard that not only enhances your look but also complements your facial features, allowing you to express your personal style more confidently.

Setting a Trimming Schedule

To maintain a consistently sharp and polished look, it's essential to establish a regular trimming schedule that suits your lifestyle and hair growth patterns. Depending on your individual beard growth rate, trimming every two to three weeks is generally sufficient for most.

However, some may find they need to trim more frequently, especially if they have a faster growth rate. Invest in a high-quality beard trimmer with adjustable settings, as this will allow you to make precise cuts that help maintain symmetry and balance throughout your beard. Additionally, consider incorporating other grooming products, such as beard oil or balm, into your routine to keep your beard soft and well-maintained between trims.

Mastering the Shape & Trimming Mistakes

Shaping your beard is an art that involves understanding your unique face shape and creating a style that enhances your natural features. Whether you prefer a full beard that exudes rugged masculinity, a goatee for a more refined look, or just a subtle stubble to keep things casual, take the time to outline your desired shape before you begin trimming.

This preparation will help you avoid mistakes and achieve the look you want. Use a comb to lift the hair, and scissors for detailed work around the edges and neckline, ensuring a clean and defined finish.

Don't hesitate to seek inspiration from various beard styles, but remember that the best shape is one that highlights your individuality and personal style. Regular maintenance and attention to detail will keep your beard looking its best.

Over-shaving the Cheeks

One common beard faux pas that we often observe is over-shaving the cheeks. A beard sculpted far too thin around the jawline can rob it of its charm, and one might even question if it qualifies as a beard. It's best to avoid the skinny chin strap beard trend, unless you're channeling your inner 90s rock star persona.

Mastering the shape of your beard begins by understanding its boundaries. Allow your beard to flourish and define its edges instead.

Determining the ideal boundary for your cheek beard differs for every man. Find the perfect base line by positioning a comb from the top of your ear towards the corner of your mouth. Let everything below grow and clear anything above this line. As for the neck, that leads us to the second mistake, and one of our largest beard-grooming fuck ups.

Over-shaving the Neck

An all too familiar sight is the man sporting an impressive beard, only to reveal he's over-shaved the neck area, laying bare the skin beneath the chin. There are few things that sabotage a well-shaped beard more than exposing all that skin and flesh beneath your jawline. It can also take away from the fullness of your beard.

As someone who has learned from this mistake, we advise against shaving under the chin and inside the jaw bone. Not only does this detract from the aesthetics of your beard, but it also gives the impression of a less defined and chubbier face. Remember, a key to mastering your beard's shape is leveraging its power to lend structure to your face and make it appear leaner.

Ignoring Sideburn Transition or Fading

The third blunder to avoid is neglecting the transition between your beard and sideburns. Few things can pull down your beard's appearance more than a stark, unblended line dividing the two.

Unless you have a hair and beard grooming professional at your disposal, it's important to learn to properly use your facial hair grooming tool. Mastering the shape of your beard extends to ensuring a smooth transition through your sideburns.

Gradually fade and taper your beard up towards your temples. Begin with a six millimeter guard and adjust as necessary. Once you've achieved this, you're ready to clean up and show off your perfectly shaped beard.

Beard Lines?

These lines are super important not only when you start growing, but also will dictate how full your beard grows in as it gets longer, so make sure to get them right! It is the key to a fuller beard and longer beard.

Once you set your lines, you can let it grow for a couple of months, while just touching those lines up with your clippers every week or so (more often if you want it super clean all the time!).

As you get closer to 3 months, you'll want to start looking into fading your sideburns to give your face a slimmer appearance, and trim flyaways to keep your beard nice and shaped.

Ignoring Nutrition and Hydration for Healthy Beard Growth

The Inside-Out Approach

Healthy beard growth isn't just about external care; what you put into your body matters too. Ignoring nutrition and hydration can significantly impede your beard's growth and overall health. A balanced diet and adequate water intake are essential for providing the nutrients your beard needs to thrive. When your body receives the right fuel, it can better support not only your beard but also your skin and hair health, contributing to a well-groomed appearance.

Key Nutrients for Beard Health

Certain vitamins and minerals are particularly beneficial for beard growth, playing important roles in hair follicle stimulation and overall skin condition. Vitamins A, C, D, and E are crucial for supporting healthy hair follicles, enhancing circulation, and promoting cell regeneration. Additionally, biotin, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids are known to strengthen hair strands and prevent breakage.

To incorporate these nutrients into your diet, focus on foods rich in these essential components, such as leafy greens, nuts, fish, eggs, and avocados. For instance, spinach and kale are excellent sources of vitamins, while salmon and walnuts provide omega-3s, which can enhance hair shine and texture. By consuming a variety of these nutrient-rich foods, you can support robust beard growth and overall health.

Staying Hydrated

Hydration is equally crucial, as it greatly affects the moisture levels in your skin and hair. Dehydration can lead to dry skin, which in turn can result in an unhealthy beard that may be prone to itchiness and flakiness. Aim to drink at least eight glasses of water a day to keep your body and beard hydrated.

However, individual water needs may vary, so listen to your body and adjust your intake accordingly. Proper hydration can help prevent dryness, reduce the risk of split ends, and promote a fuller, healthier beard. In addition to drinking water, consider incorporating hydrating foods like cucumbers, oranges, and watermelon into your diet. These foods not only provide hydration but also offer additional nutrients that support your beard's growth journey.

Practical Tips for Maintaining a Healthy, Well-Groomed Beard

Establishing a routine.

Consistency is the backbone of effective beard care. To achieve and maintain a healthy, well-groomed beard, it's essential to develop a daily routine that encompasses several key steps: cleansing, moisturizing, and styling. Start by using a gentle beard wash to cleanse your facial hair and the skin beneath, removing dirt and excess oils that can accumulate throughout the day. Next, incorporate a quality beard conditioner to soften your hair and nourish your skin, preventing dryness and irritation.

Moisturizing is crucial for keeping both your beard and the underlying skin hydrated. Look for beard oils or balms that contain natural ingredients like jojoba oil, argan oil, or shea butter to deeply moisturize and promote a healthy sheen. Be sure to apply these products after cleansing and conditioning, as they help seal in moisture and can also enhance your beard’s overall appearance.

Finally, styling your beard is the finishing touch that helps you achieve the desired look. Whether you prefer a neatly trimmed appearance or a more rugged style, using specialized beard styling products can help maintain shape and direction. Choose a high-quality beard wax or pomade that fits your styling preference, ensuring your beard looks its best throughout the day. By following this comprehensive routine and using products specifically designed for beard care, you can ensure optimal health and appearance for your facial hair.

Regular Grooming Practices

In addition to trimming and shaping, it's important to incorporate regular grooming practices such as combing and brushing to keep your beard looking its best. Using a beard comb and beard brush can help detangle knots and evenly distribute natural oils, which are crucial for maintaining healthy hair and skin. Combing not only smooths out any tangles but also can help style your beard to your desired look.

Meanwhile, a boar bristle brush is a fantastic tool that not only stimulates blood flow to the hair follicles, promoting growth, but also exfoliates the skin and removes dead skin cells, preventing flakiness and irritation. By regularly using these grooming tools , you ensure that your beard remains neat, tidy, and well-maintained, contributing to an overall polished appearance.

To create an effective beard grooming kit, start by choosing essential tools tailored to your needs. A quality beard trimmer is key for maintaining length and shape, while sharp grooming scissors help with detailed edge work. A good beard comb detangles and distributes products, and a boar bristle brush stimulates the skin and spreads natural oils. Don't forget beard oils and balms for nourishment and softness. Invest in high-quality tools to enhance your grooming routine and results.

Seeking Professional Help

If you're unsure about the best practices for your specific beard type, it might be wise to seek professional help. Experienced barbers who specialize in beard grooming are equipped to provide personalized advice and services tailored to your individual needs and preferences. They can assess your beard's texture, growth pattern, and style goals to recommend the most effective grooming techniques and products.

Regular visits to a skilled barber can not only keep your beard looking its absolute best, but they can also help you avoid common grooming mistakes that might hinder your beard's health and appearance. Additionally, these professionals can offer tips on maintenance routines you can do at home, ensuring your beard remains well-groomed and stylish between appointments.

Proper beard maintenance is an essential aspect of personal grooming that can significantly enhance your overall appearance and boost your self-confidence. A well-groomed beard not only frames your face but can also make a strong style statement. To achieve this, it’s crucial to avoid common mistakes that can hinder your beard's health and attractiveness. Over washing your beard can strip it of its natural oils, leading to dryness and irritation. It’s equally important to prioritize moisturization; using a quality beard oil or balm can help keep your facial hair soft and your skin hydrated.

Additionally, maintaining a consistent trimming schedule is vital to prevent split ends and keep your beard looking neat. Regular trims can help shape your beard to complement your face shape and style. Don’t overlook the role of nutrition—what you eat can affect the health of your beard. A balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals can promote better growth and quality.

Remember, growing your best beard is a personal journey, and everyone’s experience is unique. Finding what works best for you may take time and experimentation, so be patient and attentive to your beard’s needs. We encourage you to share your experiences and tips in the comments below, as your insights can help others in their grooming journeys. For more expert advice and premium beard care products, be sure to explore our related content and join our community of grooming enthusiasts. Together, we can celebrate the art of bearding! Happy bearding!

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