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19 College Application Tips (To Help You Stand Out)

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Bill would make for-profit colleges ineligible for federal student loans

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For-profit colleges have been criticized for depriving their students of a quality education and burying them in debt. Now, some Democrats hope to cut the schools off from federal funding. A bill introduced this month by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., and Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, dubbed the " Students Not Profits Act of 2019," would ban the U.S.

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Bob Shireman, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation and an architect of the rule when he was in the Obama administration, called the repeal "disturbing and shortsighted."

" They are opening the door to operators whose singular focus on gobbling up federal grants and loans for their investors will steer the business toward manipulative recruiting and poor quality training," he said.

The Obama administration began drafting the regulations when the for-profit college sector was booming, with large chains enrolling 500,000 students at a time. But it was seen as a crucial safeguard against predatory colleges after the collapse of ITT Tech and Corinthian Colleges beginning in 2015.

The Obama administration also tried to channel loan relief to graduates who were defrauded by their colleges. Ms. DeVos has moved to overhaul that "borrower-defense" rule as well, hoping to give some students only partial relief. That process has been tied up in court proceedings, leaving more than 150,000 student claims in limbo.

One part of the gainful employment rule that had already been put into place has identified hundreds of failing programs, many of which went on to close after they were measured against the new standards. In the Education Department's first assessment of debt-to-earnings ratios for college graduates, about 98 percent of programs that failed to meet standards for earning power were for-profits. An analysis included in the department's final rule also shows that for-profits continued to have a significantly higher failure rate.

But the department argued in its final rule that the debt-to-earnings formula created by the Obama administration was "fundamentally flawed" and did not account for factors other than the quality of an education that could affect students' earning potential. The department also said that the rule did not properly account for other kinds of programs that have poor career outcomes and high debt, such as some liberal arts degrees.

For-profit leaders have said that although the Obama rule was never fully enforced, its intent already shut down the worst-performing schools in their sector. Since 2010, when the Obama administration began deliberating the rules, more than 2,000 for-profit and career programs - nearly half - have closed, and the industry's student population has dropped by more than 1.6 million.

"The U.S. Department of Education's final decision commits our nation's entire higher education system to full transparency," said Steve Gunderson, the president of Career Education Colleges and Universities, the for-profit trade group. "Instead of picking and choosing winners and losers in higher education, the department will make available, in a student-friendly and transparent manner, key data points at a program level for all programs at all schools."

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DeVos Repeals Obama-Era Rule Cracking Down on For-Profit Colleges

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Bob Shireman, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation and an architect of the rule when he was in the Obama administration, called the repeal "disturbing and shortsighted." " They are opening the door to operators whose singular focus on gobbling up federal grants and loans for their investors will steer the business toward manipulative recruiting and poor quality training," he said.

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Writing an essay can be a daunting task, especially for people who aren't English or communications majors. In the heat of trying to finish an essay the night before it's due, students fall into the trap of writing clichés. To help all you engineers and business majors out, we've come up with a list of essay writing clichés that you should avoid like the plague!

2. Starting your essay with a quote
Ugh. Quote introductions are pretty bad too. Don't start essays with quotes, or even statistics for that matter. Your essay should start with your words, not someone else's.
Example: "Maya Angelou once said, 'If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.'"
Try this: "There are some things in life we simply can't change. In situations like these, the American poet Maya Angelou suggests we change our attitudes instead."

3. Starting your essay with a definition
Kill me now. Even questions and quotes are better than definition intros. Please, don't ever submit an essay that starts with a dictionary definition. You will fail. Trust me.
Example: "Merriam Webster defines 'courage' as..."
Try this: "Courage is a term that is redefined as society evolves."

5. "It is because of this reason that..."
Using more words does not make your essay better. Being able to express your ideas with fewer words is actually more impressive. I know you're trying to reach that word count, but trust me, your professor will notice.
Example: "Plastic bags are killing sea turtles; it is because of this reason that people need to stop littering and start using reusable bags."
Try this: "Plastic bags are killing sea turtles. People need to stop littering and start using reusable bags."

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10 Essay Clichés to Avoid Like the Plague

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Writing an essay can be a daunting task, especially for people who aren't English or communications majors. In the heat of trying to finish an essay the night before it's due, students fall into the trap of writing clichés.

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27 Outstanding College Essay Examples From Top Universities 2024

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Check out these outstanding college essay examples. Learn how to write your personal statement and supplemental essays for college applications.

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7 GREAT College Essay Tips to Help You Stand Out

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9 College Essay Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them!)

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College Interview Questions to Prepare for

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College Interview Questions to Prepare for

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The college interview process can be nerve-racking. This interview gives the college you're applying to another opportunity to evaluate you and help determine whether or not to offer you admission. However, your college interviews won't be nearly as scary if you know what to expect.

In this article, I give you the 14 college interview questions you absolutely must prepare for. I explain why you're being asked these questions and how to provide great answers. Furthermore, I offer advice on how to prepare for your interviews so that when the time comes, you'll be ready to ace them.

A Short Introduction to College Interviews

A college interview provides a college with an opportunity to give you more information about the school and answer any questions. In addition, the interview gives the college a chance to learn more about you, your interests, and how you'll be able to contribute to the school.

Very few colleges require interviews, although a fair number offer optional or recommended ones. These are typically highly selective or small private colleges, such as Columbia, Occidental, and Bates. Most large public universities don't even offer interviews because there are simply too many applicants.

Check a college's website or contact its admissions office to determine whether interviews are offered and how to schedule one. Interviews can be on-campus, usually with an admissions representative, or off-campus near where you live, usually with an alumnus of the college.

If you have the option of getting interviewed, do it. It's to your benefit to take advantage of an opportunity to interview because it shows the school that you're genuinely interested in attending. And demonstrating interest can greatly help your chances of admission. Finally, the interview gives the school another chance to get to know you outside of what's in your application.

Try not to stress about the interview too much, though. As long as you're polite, attentive, and prepared, it should only help your chances of getting accepted. The interview will also give you an opportunity to learn more about the school, and help you decide whether or not it might be a good fit for you.
souvenirsofcanada/Flickr
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We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

The 14 Most Common College Interview Questions

The questions I'm listing and explaining were either referenced in multiple admissions websites and interview advice guides, or are general enough that you'll be able to answer a number of similar questions by preparing for them.

Below, I provide you with each question. I then explain why colleges are asking it, what they're looking for in a response, and how you can prepare for the question ahead of time.

Question 1: Tell Me About Yourself

This isn't even actually a question, but it's something you might be asked to do in an interview. Because it's so general, you might have trouble figuring out where to begin.

Why they're asking this: Colleges are asking you to do this because they really do want to know more about you. That's one of the primary purposes of the interview, after all!

What they're looking for: You need to paint a unique portrait of who you are to separate yourself from other applicants. Avoid clichés or descriptions that would be too common. For example, don't just say you're hardworking-explain what has driven you to become as diligent as you are and why you feel it is important.

How to prepare: Rehearse answering this question. Try talking about your passions, hobbies, and interests. You can discuss what inspires you or what your friends like about you. Be specific. Again, you want to make yourself memorable.

Question 2: Why Are You Interested In This College?

Why they're asking this: This is an important question and one you should definitely prepare for, since colleges want to see that you're taking the application process seriously and have a legitimate interest in attending the school.

What they're looking for: Talk about your interest in a major or academic program, the cultural values of the school, or extracurricular activities that drew you to the college. Again, be thorough and specific. Don't talk about prestige or rankings, and don't say you just want to go there because it's close to home; none of this shows genuine interest in this specific college!

How to prepare: To answer this question well, you'll need to conduct extensive college research before the interview. You should be able to cite specifics when answering this question. Follow the same advice as if you were writing the answer to this question for your application essay.
Bart Everson/Flickr
Question 3: Why Do You Want to Major in _____?

If you've indicated that you want to major in a certain subject, you might be asked why you're interested in that particular field.

Why they're asking this: Colleges are interested in your academic goals and want to see that you're academically inclined.

What they're looking for: Talk about why a certain subject inspires you or why you're passionate about it. Don't say that you're pursuing a certain major to make a lot of money or have job security. That doesn't demonstrate genuine academic interest; it just makes you seem shallow.

How to prepare: Think deeply about why you want to pursue a specific major. Why do you find it fascinating? What experiences provoked your interest in the subject? How will the major enable you to reach your future professional goals?

Question 4: What Are Your Academic Strengths?

Why they're asking this: In an effort to get to know you as a student, colleges are interested in getting your perspective on where you excel academically.

What they're looking for: Don't make this answer too short. Don't just say, "I'm good at science." When discussing your academic strengths, explain how you've capitalized on your strengths. If you're an excellent writer, for example, how have you used your writing skills to excel in school? How do you plan on continuing to use your strengths?

How to prepare: Make sure you know your academic strengths. You should be able to explain how you recognized your strengths, how you're currently using them, and how you plan to use them in the future.

Question 5: What Are Your Academic Weaknesses? How Have You Addressed Them?

Why they're asking this: Colleges want to admit good students, but they're aware everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Colleges want to see that you have the persistence and work ethic to succeed despite your challenges.

What they're looking for: Schools want students who can demonstrate their ability to confront and overcome challenges. Try revealing strategies or specific approaches you've taken to improve your academic weaknesses. You could also tell a specific story about how you managed to do well in a subject that was especially difficult for you.

How to prepare: Be aware of your academic weaknesses and how you've addressed them. It's not good to say that you don't have any weaknesses. That's not very believable, and you'll come off as arrogant.

Question 6: What Do You Plan to Contribute to This School?

Why they're asking this: Colleges want to admit students who will make positive contributions to campus and academic life. Essentially, they're looking for students who will make the school better.

What they're looking for: In short, specifics. Don't limit your answer to vague positive traits. Don't just say you'll contribute a good work ethic and a regard for others. Is there specific research you wish to pursue? Do you want to have a leadership position in an extracurricular activity? Are there specific community service projects you want to do? How will your presence on campus and in the classroom make a difference?

How to prepare: Know the specific contributions you want to make to the school. Identify your college goals as well as the activities you want to pursue while you're in college.

Question 7: What Do You Expect to Be Doing 10 Years From Now?

Why they're asking this: Just to set the record straight, you don't need to have your entire future figured out. Colleges understand that you probably won't have everything decided and your plans are likely to change. What they do want is students with direction.

What they're looking for: Colleges want students who are motivated to achieve their goals. The bad, general answer is to only say you expect to have a fulfilling career and be making a positive impact on the world. What are some specific activities you'd like to do? How do you plan on impacting the world? You don't have to limit your plans to professional goals. Do you want to take your mom on a vacation? Or have weekly gatherings with your best friends from high school?

How to prepare: You can write down some detailed notes answering this question. Paint a picture of the life you want to have in 10 years. That picture should reveal your uniqueness.

Question 8: What Would You Change About Your High School?

Why they're asking this: With this question, colleges are looking for your ability to identify problems and get a better understanding of what you're looking for in a school. By learning what you'd change, they get a chance to learn more about what matters to you.

What they're looking for: Colleges want a thoughtful response. Be specific and respectful. Don't say, "I'd get better teachers." Say that you'd allocate more resources to the music department so that more students can have the opportunity to learn how to play new instruments. Discuss how learning an instrument helped you, and describe the current state of the music department. Try to make it clear that you want to improve your school to benefit the personal and academic growth of all of its students.

How to prepare: Think about the strengths and weaknesses of your high school. What are some specific problems it has? What are the consequences of those problems? What steps would you take to make improvements?
Shouldn't other kids have the opportunity to rock out like this? (Joe Lewis/Flickr)
Want to build the best possible college application?
We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

Question 9: Whom Do You Most Admire?

Why they're asking this: From this question, colleges can get a sense of your values. If the person you most admire is Justin Bieber, for example, colleges might wonder about your priorities.

What they're looking for: Don't limit your answer just to naming the person. Why do you admire that person? For instance, many people say that the person they most admire is a parent. But what specifically has that parent done that you admire so much? In short, don't forget the details.

How to prepare: Think deeply about your response to this question. If the person you admire is somebody you know, practice by giving your answer to that person. You'll know you've answered the question well if you're rewarded with a hug or even a few tears from your audience.

Question 10: What Is Your Favorite Book?

Why they're asking this: This question is designed to help schools learn more about your interests. Colleges also probably want to make sure that you actually read books.

What they're looking for: Don't limit your answer to the name of a book; think about why you like the book so much. How did it inspire you? Did a particular character resonate with you? Did you learn something from this book that influenced your opinions or behavior? Did this book help shape your perspective or values?

How to prepare: Really think about books you've read that you connected with and why. I've also seen similar questions asking about a news article you recently read, so try to stay up to date with the news, too!

Question 11: Why Do You Want to Go to College?

Why they're asking this: For this question, schools are trying to understand why you're motivated to pursue higher education.

What they're looking for: Colleges want to see you have clear goals you're trying to accomplish by attending college. Obviously, they don't want to hear that you want to go to college because your parents are making you or so you can attend wild parties. In your answer, emphasize how college will allow you to pursue your passions, aid in your personal development, and enable you to fulfill your future goals. Be specific. What are your passions and goals? How will college give you an opportunity to pursue these passions? What college activities will increase your awareness and facilitate your intellectual and emotional growth?

How to prepare: For ideas, check out the pros in my article about if you should go to college.
Steven Depolo/Flickr
Question 12: What Do You Like to Do for Fun?

Why they're asking this: This question is designed to get a better sense of your general interests and overall personality.

What they're looking for: Your answer doesn't only have to include activities that are academic. After all, you probably wouldn't be believed if you said all you do for fun is read science textbooks and do math problems. If some of what you do for fun is intellectual, though, explain why you find these activities fun. Finally, try to avoid general answers such as "hang out with friends."

How to prepare: You shouldn't have to prepare much for this question since I assume you already know what you like to do for fun. However, spend some time thinking about why you enjoy these activities.

Question 13: What Is an Obstacle You've Faced and How Did You Get Through It?

Why they're asking this: Colleges want to know if you've faced (and overcome) any significant challenges in your life. They also want to see that you're persistent and willing to work hard in order to overcome these obstacles.

What they're looking for: It's fine if you haven't had some awful, incredibly difficult obstacle in your life. Think of a time when you faced a problem that challenged you, and you put in a lot of effort to solve it. Your obstacle could be related to your home life, school, or an extracurricular activity. In your response, explain how the obstacle challenged you and emphasize what exactly you did to overcome it.

How to prepare: Think of a significant challenge you've had in your life and how you dealt with it. What did you learn from the problem? How did you solve it? Did it change or influence the way you address similar problems?

Question 14: What Makes You Unique?

Why they're asking this: This question is essentially what all the other questions above are meant to determine. It's another general question that's often difficult to answer. We are all unique, but it can be hard to put into words exactly what separates you from other people.

What they're looking for: Schools ask this question because they want to get to know you better. You can discuss a trait or multiple traits you possess. Give examples and stories that demonstrate these qualities. Do you have any uncommon interests or goals? Is your background very unique?

How to prepare: I recommend doing some serious brainstorming to address this question. Write out specific attributes and anecdotes you can share that demonstrate your uniqueness. When do you feel most comfortable? What makes you the proudest?
What makes you special?
How to Prepare for College Interview Questions

For each of these questions, I recommend jotting down some notes so that you can remember key points or details. Don't try to completely write out your answers and memorize them. The way you speak in an interview is supposed to appear conversational and not rehearsed. Also, if you try to memorize your answers and forget your script during the interview, you'll end up looking confused and unsure of yourself.

Practice your responses by having somebody ask you these questions and then answering them as if you were actually in the interview. Remember that you want to be as specific and detailed as possible. Learn to separate yourself from all the other applicants being interviewed.

For some of these questions, it'll be helpful to review your personal statement. Your personal statement likely has some details or stories you can incorporate into some of your answers.

How Do You Answer Questions You Didn't Prepare For?

Undoubtedly, the questions above aren't the only possible interview questions. R egardless of how much you prepare, you'll almost definitely be asked a question you weren't expecting. There's no need to be too nervous, though. Just try to give honest, detailed answers. As long as you're thoughtful and professional, you shouldn't worry too much about surprise questions.

Also, you might be able to incorporate some details from the other questions you prepared for in your responses. For example, for any question related to academics, you could probably include details from your response to the question, "What are your academic strengths?"

If you want to get more comfortable with the interview process, have a friend or parent ask you questions about yourself, and respond as if you were in the interview. This is an excellent way to prepare you for the real deal and will give you more confidence.

What's Next?

Still feeling nervous? Check out our guide to the best tools to help you prepare for your interview, so you can feel confident going in.

College interviews also give you the opportunity to ask questions. Make sure you ask the right questions during your interview.

If your goal is to get into one of the most selective colleges, check out our popular post on how to get into Harvard and the Ivy League.

As you navigate the college selection process, it's important to know how to choose a college.

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

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The 14 College Interview Questions You Must Prepare For

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Planning for admissions interviews? Learn the most common college interview questions and how to prepare perfect answers.

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Admissions officers want your college interview to go well too! Our college interview tips will help you prepare.

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Institutions of higher education in the United States seek accreditation through two types of accreditation agencies, institutional and specialized. Institutional accreditation agencies are classified as regional and national.

National accreditation associations focus on certain types of colleges such as trade and technical institutions, or religious colleges such as seminaries and bible colleges.

Regional accreditation agencies are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit degree granting colleges and universities. There are six regions of the U.S. in which regional agencies operate. The regional accreditation agencies have similar standards for accrediting colleges and universities.

Regional accreditation validates the quality of an institution as a whole and evaluates multiple aspects of an institution ranging from its academic offerings, governance and administration, mission, finances, and resources.

The Higher Learning Commission is a regional accreditation agency that accredits degree granting institutions of higher education that are based in the 19-state North Central region of the United States. Institutions that the Commission accredits are evaluated against the Commission's Criteria for Accreditation, a set of standards that institutions must meet to receive and/or maintain accredited status. The Commission's Criteria for Accreditation reflect a set of guiding values.

The accreditation process is based on a system of peer review. Approximately 1,600 educators from institutions of higher education serve as peer reviewers conducting accreditation evaluations for other institutions. Peer reviewers also serve on committees that make up the elements of the accreditation process.

Candidacy

An institution seeking to become accredited by the Higher Learning Commission must undergo a period of Candidacy status after proving that it meets the Commission's Eligibility Requirements. The candidacy period is at maximum four years. An institution in Candidacy status is not accredited; rather it has met the Commission's Eligibility Requirements and shows evidence that it is making progress toward meeting all the Criteria for Accreditation. Candidacy does not carry membership in the Commission and does not guarantee eventual accreditation.

Evaluation Process

Higher Learning Commission accreditation assures quality by verifying that an institution (1) meets threshold standards and (2) is engaged in continuous improvement. In addition, all institutions are required to complete an annual filing of the Institutional Update, undergo annual monitoring of financial and non-financial indicators, and adhere to Commission policies and practices on institutional change.

Peer reviewers trained in the Commissions standards evaluate institutions' demonstration of whether they meet the Criteria for Accreditation and make recommendations to the Commission's decision-making bodies.

Institutional Actions Council (Decision-Making Body)

The Board of Trustees appoints and authorizes members of the Institutional Actions Council (IAC) to conduct reviews and take actions on the majority of accreditation recommendations. IAC members consist of representatives of academic institutions accredited by HLC, as well as members of the public. Detailed information on IAC processes is found in the Commission's policies on decision-making.

Public Information

In the interest of being transparent, the Commission is committed to providing information to the public regarding accreditation decisions made regarding individual institutions.

Actions that are taken by the Commission regarding an institution's accreditation status are disclosed to the public. Beginning July 2013, in all cases of issuing continued accreditation, placing an institution on or resolving a sanction, or withdrawing accreditation, the Action Letter issued to the institution is made available for viewing and the institution's status in the Commission's online directory is updated. Public Disclosure Notices are also issued in cases of sanction to provide the public more detail of the issues leading to sanction.

Complaints Against Institutions

Each year, the Commission receives a number of complaints about institutions from faculty, students, and other parties through its formal complaint process. The Commission has established a clear distinction between individual grievances and complaints that appear to involve broad institutional practices. Where a complaint does raise issues regarding the institution's ongoing ability to meet the Criteria of Accreditation, the Commission forwards the complaint to the institution and requests a formal response.

Complaints relating to disputes between a student and faculty member, a faculty member and an administrator, or students and administrators, over such issues as billing, grading, financial aid, termination of employment or contract interpretation, are considered by the Commission to be individual disputes between the parties. Such disputes are best resolved by the parties through a campus ombudsman or grievance process or, failing such resolution, through a private mediator or the legal system. To help further resolution of such individual disputes, the Commission will, with the consent of the complainant, forward the complaint to the institution but will not conduct any formal inquiry or follow-up subsequent to forwarding the complaint.

A complainant is best served by bringing allegations of criminal conduct, such as fraud or conspiracy, to the attention of the state attorney general or the local U.S. attorney, who has the legal authority to conduct an appropriate and thorough investigation and bring criminal charges if appropriate.

As a private agency the Commission has no such investigatory or prosecutorial authority. In some cases, the complaint may indicate problems in the aggregate with organizational behavior or policies. If the Commission determines that such problems appear to be related to its expectations of an accredited or affiliated institution as outlined in the Commission's accrediting standards and its policies, the Commission will conduct an inquiry, asking the CEO of the institution to respond to the broad issues, to describe its own internal inquiry into the matter, and to outline any remedial actions it has undertaken. With the complainant's permission, the Commission will forward the complaint and supporting documentation to the institution as a part of its inquiry.

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Institutions of higher education in the United States seek accreditation through two types of accreditation agencies, institutional and specialized. Institutional accreditation agencies are classified as regional and national. National accreditation associations focus on certain types of colleges such as trade and technical institutions, or religious colleges such as seminaries and bible colleges.

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Regional Accreditation vs National Accreditation | GetEducated

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Choosing an online college is overwhelming. Learn which situations require regional accreditation and when to save money with national accreditation

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Accredited Colleges and Universities Database

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Accredited Colleges and Universities Database

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This is a list of for-profit institutions of higher education.

Academy of Art University - San Francisco, California

American Career College - Los Angeles, California

American College of Education - online

American InterContinental University - more than 90% online, a subsidiary of Career Education Corporation

American Military University - online, a division of American Public University System

American Public University - online, a division of American Public University System

American Sentinel University - online

Ancora Education- owner of 11 brands: Ancora Corporate Training, Arizona Automotive Institute, Berks Technical Institute, The Creative Circus, Edge Technical Academy, International Schools, McCann School of Business and Technology, Miller-Motte College, Miller-Motte Technical College, Platt College, and South Texas Vocational Technical Institute.

Antonelli College - multiple locations

Art Institutes - most campuses were closed in 2018

ASA College - campuses in Brooklyn, midtown Manhattan, and Miami

Aspen University - Denver, Colorado

Bay State College - Boston, Massachusetts

Blair College - Colorado Springs, Colorado - Now Everest College

Blue Cliff College - a subsidiary of Quad Partners

Bradford School (Columbus) - Columbus, Ohio

Bradford School (Pittsburgh) - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Branford Hall Career Institute

Broadview University - Utah

Brookline College - a division of Linden Education Group

Bryant & Stratton College - multiple locations

Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine - Las Cruces, New Mexico

California Miramar University - San Diego, California (formerly known as Pacific Western University)

California Northstate University College of Medicine - Elk Grove, California

Capella University - Minneapolis, Minnesota and online

Centura College

Chamberlain College of Nursing - a subsidiary of Adtalem

Charleston School of Law - Charleston, South Carolina

Charter College - campuses in Alaska, California, and Washington

Colorado Technical University - more than 90% online, a subsidiary of Career Education Corporation

Columbia Southern University - not to be confused with Columbia University

Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences - Tempe, Arizona

Cortiva Institute

Daymar College - multiple campuses in Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio, and online

DeVry University - multiple locations, subsidiaries include Keller School of Management (several campuses have closed)

DigiPen Institute of Technology - Redmond, Washington

Eagle Gate College - Utah

ECPI University - formerly ECPI College of Technology; multiple locations; includes Medical Careers Institute multiple locations in Virginia

Engine City Technical Institute - South Plainfield, New Jersey - now Lincoln Technical Institute

Five Towns College - Dix Hills, New York

Florida Career College - multiple locations, owned by International Education Corporation

Florida Coastal School of Law - Jacksonville, FL. Subsidiary of InfiLaw System

Florida Metropolitan University - multiple locations, now Everest University

Florida National University - Hialeah, Florida

Fortis College - multiple locations

Full Sail University - Winter Park, Florida

Grand Canyon University - online and Phoenix, Arizona

Grantham University - Kansas City, Missouri

Harris School of Business - multiple locations

Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine - Meridian, Idaho

International Education Corporation operates US Colleges, Florida Career Colleges, United Education Institute and UEI Colleges

Las Vegas College - locations in Nevada and Texas

Laureate International Universities- parent company of Walden University

Lincoln Tech - multiple locations; not to be confused with Lincoln University

Los Angeles Film School - Los Angeles, California

McCann School of Business and Technology - multiple locations

Miami International University of Art and Design

Mildred Elley - multiple locations

Miller-Motte - multiple locations

Minneapolis Business College - Roseville, Minnesota

Monroe College - multiple locations

Mountain West College - Salt Lake City, Utah

National College - multiple U.S. locations

National Institute of Technology (United States) - now Everest Institute - multiple locations; not to be confused with National Institutes of Technology in India

National Paralegal College - Phoenix, Arizona

National University College - multiple locations, Puerto Rico

Neumont University - multiple locations

NewSchool of Architecture and Design - San Diego, California; not to be confused with The New School

Northwestern College - Chicago, Illinois; not to be confused with Northwestern University

Ohio Business College - multiple locations

Olympia Career Training Institute - multiple locations, now Everest College

Pacific College of Oriental Medicine - a subsidiary of Quad Partners

Parks College - multiple locations

Paier College of Art - Hamden, Connecticut

Pennco Tech - multiple locations

Pima Medical Institute - multiple locations

Pinnacle Career Institute - Kansas, multiple locations

Pioneer Pacific College - multiple locations in Oregon

Platt College - Southern California multiple locations, Anaheim, Riverside, Ontario, Alhambra, San Diego, Colorado

Plaza College - Forest Hills, New York

Porter and Chester Institute - Connecticut, Massachusetts

Post University - Connecticut, not to be confused with LIU Post

Potomac College - Washington,D.C. area, now the University of the Potomac

Provo College - Provo, Utah

Rasmussen College - multiple locations

Recording Radio Film Connection & CASA Schools - mentored externship private postsecondary

Redstone College - Colorado, a division of Alta Colleges

Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, Lakewood, Colorado

Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions - Utah

Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine - Parker, Colorado

SAE Institute - formerly the School of Audio Engineering

Salem International University - Salem, West Virginia

Salter College

San Joaquin Valley College - California, multiple locations

Schiller International University - multiple locations

School of Visual Arts - New York City

Seacoast Career Schools

South College - Knoxville, Tennessee

Southern Careers Institute - Texas, multiple locations

Southern States University - California

Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology Tulsa, Oklahoma

Specs Howard School of Media Arts - Michigan

Spencerian College - Kentucky, multiple locations; to merge into Sullivan University in 2018

Stevens-Henager College - Utah

Stratford University - multiple locations

Strayer University - multiple locations

Sullivan University - Kentucky, multiple locations

Suncoast College of Health - Bradenton Florida, Brandon Florida

UEI College - multiple campuses in California

United States University

Universal Technical Institute - campuses in Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas

University of Advancing Technology - Tempe, Arizona

University of Phoenix - multiple locations (more than 400 campuses and learning site have closed)

University of the Potomac - Washington DC; Vienna, Virginia; online- a division of Linden Education

U.S. Career Institute - Fort Collins, Colorado

Vista College- multiple locations in Texas, and online, owned by Education Futures Group

Walden University - online, a division of Laureate Education

Waldorf College - Forrest City, Iowa

Washington Technology University - Bellevue, Washington

West Coast University - Los Angeles, California

Western Business College - multiple locations, now Everest College

Western International University - multiple locations, a subsidiary of Apollo Group

Western State College of Law- Irvine, California

Wood Tobé-Coburn School - New York City

Wyoming Technical Institute (WyoTech) - As of 2018, the school has only one campus (under new ownership)

Distance education (online)

American College of Technology - online distance education, based in St. Joseph, Missouri

American Sentinel University - distance education, based in Denver, Colorado

Ashworth College - online, based in Norcross, Georgia

Aspen University - online, based in Denver, Colorado

California InterContinental University - online, based in Diamond Bar, California

California Southern University - online; not to be confused with The University of Southern California

Capella University - online

Grantham University - online

London School of Business and Finance - online

New Charter University - formerly Andrew Jackson University; distance education; based in Hoover, Alabama

New England College of Business and Finance; not to be confused with New England College

Setanta College - online

Trident University International - formerly TUI University, formerly Touro University International; online

University of Liverpool - distance education only, a division of Laureate Education

AMA Computer University - Quezon City, Philippines

Anhembi Morumbi University - São Paulo, Brazil

Cyprus College - Nicosia, Cyprus

Dnyaneshwar Vidyapeeth - India

Multimedia University - multiple locations in Malaysia

Nyenrode Business University - Breukelen, Netherlands

Rai University - India

Regenesys Business School - Sandton, South Africa

St. George's University - Grenada; includes medical school, school of veterinary medicine, and other programs

Taylor's University - multiple locations in Malaysia

Trinity School of Medicine - St. Vincent and Grenadines

Universidad Europea de Madrid - Madrid, Spain

University of Medicine and Health Sciences - Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Caribbean

University of the Latin American Educational Center - Rosario, Argentina

In India many educational trusts and institutions which have no accreditation give autonomous degrees for profit.

In Chile many universities are suspected of violating legislation that forbids profitmaking in such institutions.

Closed or merged

Allied American University - Laguna Hills, California, closed 2016

Anthem Institute - formerly the Chubb Institute; multiple locations, closed 2014

Arizona Summit Law School - a subsidiary of InfiLaw System

Ashmead College - multiple locations, closed

ATI Enterprises - campuses in Arizona, Florida, and Texas, closed

Banner College - Arlington, Virginia, closed

Banner Institute - Chicago, closed

Briarcliffe College - Long Island, New York; a subsidiary of Career Education Corporation; closed 2016

Brooks College - California, closed in 2008

Brooks Institute of Photography - multiple locations, closed in 2016

Brown Mackie College - multiple locations, a subsidiary of Education Management Corporation, closed in 2017

Bryman College - multiple locations; not to be confused with The Bryman School in Arizona, closed in 2014

Collins College - Phoenix, Arizona area

Charlotte School of Law - subsidiary of InfiLaw System

Corinthian Colleges

Le Cordon Bleu - multiple locations, subsidiary of Career Education Corporation; closed 2017

Crown College - Tacoma, Washington; lost accreditation in 2007 and closed

Decker College - 2002

Eagle Gate College - Utah; closed 2015

Everest College - multiple locations, a subsidiary of Corinthian Colleges, closed 2015

Everest Institute - multiple locations, a subsidiary of Corinthian Colleges, closed 2015

Gibbs College - multiple locations; closed 2009

Harrington College of Design - a subsidiary of Career Education Corporation; closed 2016

Harrison College - Indiana; multiple locations; closed 2018

Heald College - multiple locations, a subsidiary of Corinthian Colleges; closed 2015

High-Tech Institute - multiple locations, closed

International Academy of Design and Technology - multiple locations - consolidated with Sanford-Brown, then closed

ITT Technical Institute - all locations (closed September 6, 2016)

Kee Business College - multiple locations in Virginia, subsidiary of Corinthian Colleges, Inc.

King's College - Charlotte, North Carolina (closed December 2018)

Missouri College - a subsidiary of Career Education Corporation, closed 2016

Mount Washington College - multiple locations in New Hampshire, closed 2016

McNally Smith College of Music - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Trump University - New York City, New York; closed 2010

Vatterott College - multiple locations - closed 2018

Victory University - Memphis, Tennessee; closed in 2014

Virginia College - multiple locations, not to be confused with the University of Virginia closed in 2018

Westwood College - multiple locations; closed 2016

For-profit colleges that became non-profit colleges (closed)

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List of for-profit universities and colleges

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This is a list of for-profit institutions of higher education.

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It's a chance to add depth to something that is important to you and tell the admissions committee more about your background or goals. Below you'll find selected examples of essays that "worked," as nominated by our admissions committee. In each of these essays, students were able to share stories from their everyday lives to reveal something about their character, values, and life that aligned with the culture and values at Hopkins.

Hear from the Class of 2025

These selections represent just a few examples of essays we found impressive and helpful during the past admissions cycle. We hope these essays inspire you as you prepare to compose your own personal statements. The most important thing to remember is to be original as you share your own story, thoughts, and ideas with us.

Essays That Worked

Read More Essays That Worked

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Essays That Worked | Johns Hopkins University Admissions

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Find essays that "worked," as nominated by our admissions committee, to share stories that aligned with the culture and values at Hopkins.

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Creating S.M.A.R.T. Goals - UMass Dartmouth

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You can attain most any goal you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps. Goals that may have seemed far away and out of reach eventually move closer and become attainable, not because your goals shrink, but because you grow and expand to match them.

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you've been accepted to college now what

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(for-profit colleges)

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The closing of ITT Tech campuses impacts 8,000 works and 40,000 students ◂ The ABC Action News app brings you the latest trusted news and information. ABC Action News is Taking Action For You with leading local news coverage, "Certified Most Accurate" weather forecasts, and award-winning I-Team investigations.

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Requesting a Recommendation Letter (college)

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Requesting a Recommendation Letter (college)

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ask your professor for a letter of recommendation via email

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How to Ask Your Professor for a Letter of Recommendation Via Email

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So, you need a recommendation from a professor for a scholarship? Grad school? A job? If you can, it's best to make your request in person. This will allow you to discuss why you need the letter and help your professor get the best sense...

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Requesting a Recommendation Letter (high school)

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Requesting a Recommendation Letter (high school)

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Letter of recommendation: Ask someone who knows you well

When deciding on whom to ask, don't simply think of those classes in which you have done well: think of instructors or supervisors who are most familiar with your work and achievements. Readers look for evidence of the letter writer's familiarity with your work. Without it, letters of recommendation lack credibility.

While you might be tempted to request a college letter of recommendation from a tenured academic superstar, refrain from doing so unless you know the recommendation will be strong. An impressive signature will not compensate for a lukewarm letter.

Letter of recommendation: Ask early

Don't wait until the last minute. Instructors are flooded with college letter of recommendation requests at the end of the semester (as well as near application deadlines), and you don't want your letter to suffer as a result. If you approach your instructor a few months before the deadline, you will avoid putting him or her under pressure, and you give him or her plenty of time to ponder your performance. As the deadline approaches, you can always send the writer a friendly reminder of the impending deadline.

Letter of recommendation: Ask personally

When seeking letters of recommendation, don't send e-mails or leave voicemails. It's to your advantage to ask the person face-to-face. This conveys just how important this letter is to you.

Many instructors and supervisors deal with dozens of recommendation requests every year. Even if you are a stellar student or employee, they might not remember that smashingly astute comment you made back in March. Along with the letter of recommendation form and materials, include a vivid reminder of your past accomplishments, particularly those with which your instructor or supervisor is already familiar. You might include a resume and/or a relevant writing sample (preferably one written for that particular instructor, and one which earned you a high grade).

If you intend to study agronomy and your instructor is under the impression you are planning on pursuing astronomy, your admission readers might end up with either a hysterical or quizzical letter of recommendation. Write down your plans and goals so that your writer is aware of them.

Letter of recommendation: Provide all necessary materials

Most applications include specific forms for letter of recommendation writers. They often ask for both a written-out statement and a series of short questions. If you are asking your instructor for several versions of the letter - for instance, if you are applying to a number of schools - you might remind him or her that the statement need not be written directly on the sheet itself; it can simply be stapled to the form.

Always provide your writer with stamped envelopes. If you are asking for multiple letters, it's a good idea to organize all the forms in one folder and include a cover sheet with a list of the schools for which you are requesting letters. Remember to include envelopes of the appropriate size, and overestimate the amount of postage (the instructor might attach extra pages to the form). Some applications require the instructor to return the letter to you in a sealed envelope. Ask the writer to sign the flap of the envelope.

Finally, you might consider providing the letter writer with a USB flash drive for saving a copy of the letter. Letters, after all, have been lost in the mail (both the physical and digital versions) before - not to mention in admission offices - and there's always a chance you might have to ask for a second copy to be sent out.

Letter of recommendation: Waive your right to read the letter

Federal law grants you access to your letters of recommendation, but many applications include a form where you can waive your rights to read the letter. We highly recommend that you do so. This reassures the reader that the instructor has written a candid letter. Studies have shown that confidential letters carry far more weight. In addition, writers are far more comfortable writing a complete, candid letter when they know the applicant will not have access to the text. If you fear that the letter writer might not do justice to your achievements or might include negative information - well, that's a good sign you should not be asking that person for a letter of recommendation.

Letter of recommendation: Send a thank-you note

Always send your writer a thank-you note after you know the letter has been sent out, whether or not you have heard from the school. Don't wait too long to do this: a week or two is a good timeline.

Letters of recommendation are important parts of the admissions process, and should be treated as such. For some students, these letters will be a crucial element in acceptance, and for other students they can be perfect supplements for a college interview (sometimes called an admission interview).

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Letter of Recommendation: How to Ask for It - Peterson's Blog

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Letter of recommendation: Ask someone who knows you well When deciding on whom to ask, don't simply think of those classes in which you have done well: think of instructors or supervisors who are most familiar with your work and achievements. Readers look for evidence of the letter writer's familiarity with your work.

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If you were Googling "thank-you note after interview" in the hopes that someone on the World Wide Web would tell you they're outdated and relieve you of your duty, you're in the wrong place. Like it or not, thank-you notes are a must. Whether it's an informational interview or traditional job interview, you need to send a thank-you note. But is an email enough these days? Does a handwritten note really help your chances? What should you say besides, "Thanks for your time!" Fear not-we're breaking it down for you.

So, why is it so important?

Because first and foremost, you should be grateful for this person's time, and it is common courtesy to tell them so. But if you're looking for a more selfish reason, yes, it can actually affect your prospects. "It's not just good manners," says Kate White, who has interviewed many an applicant in her former role as editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan. "The interviewer is judging your passion for the job based on whether you send a note and what you say in it."

The data backs this up. According to a CareerBuilder survey, 22% of employers are less likely to hire a candidate if they don't send a thank-you note after the interview. Fifty-six percent said it shows that the candidate isn't really serious about the position, and a whopping 86% said it shows a lack of follow-through.

[ Related: Beyond The Thank-You Note:Four Things To Do After Your Job Interview]

Some will tell you it doesn't matter, that the hiring decision has been made, and a note means nothing. In fact, even White admitted that she got one of her editor-in-chief jobs without having sent a thank-you note-she had two little kids at the time. "If you are their perfect candidate, they're probably going to overlook it," she says. But most hiring managers I spoke to confirmed that it does reflect poorly on the candidate-one even said a thank-you note is "all but required" for a candidate to move onto the next level.

You can't know whether you're dealing with someone who puts a major or minor emphasis on the thank-you note, so why take the risk?

Is An Email Okay?

Let's just get this out of the way: A thank-you email within 24 hours of the interview is 100% necessary. "Not sending an email-whether you are interested in the position or not-is unprofessional," says Domenick Cilea, president of Springboard Public Relations. You want to contribute to the hiring manager's impression of you while it's still fresh in his or her mind. But is that enough? For most, it seems to be. According to that same CareerBuilder survey, 89% said it is okay to send a thank-you note in the form of an email.

"Up until a few years ago, I was still advising people to cover their bases and send a quick same-day thank-you email (but not stalker-like from the elevator!), saying you have also dropped a note in the mail," White says. "But snail mail can take so long these days, and email thank-you notes are so common, you probably don't have to do both in many situations. Decide based on the age of the interviewer and the vibe of the place."

[ Related: Six Job Interview Questions You Should Have Asked (Much Earlier]

So yes, an email alone is most likely okay. But if the hiring manager seems like the type who might appreciate the extra effort of a handwritten note, why not take the opportunity to stand out from the competition? Several hiring managers I spoke to extolled the virtues of the handwritten note-just make sure the handwriting is neat and legible.

If the hiring manager seems like the type who might appreciate the extra effort of a handwritten note, why not take the opportunity to stand out from the competition?

One more tip for going the extra mile? Millennial career coach Kim Wensel suggests personalized stationary over the standard "thank-you" card. "It displays a level of professionalism not often seen among younger candidates," she says. Hey, it certainly won't hurt, and best-case scenario, it will reaffirm your thoughtfulness, professionalism, and enthusiasm about the position.

For a solution that is both appropriately speedy and shows more effort than a simple email, try sending a Paperless Post. Keep the design simple and reflective of the company and manager to whom you are sending it. (I tend to like this pretty teal card or this sleek white and gold option.) Even my current boss, a self-proclaimed "stationery geek" who loves handwritten notes, appreciated the Paperless Post I sent her after our interview.

What Should I Write?

If you plan to do both, and especially if you are only sending an email, make it count. "When it comes to showing gratitude, the message is more important than the medium," says Shilpa Ahuja, a public relations specialist. All the hiring managers I spoke to agreed that authenticity and personalization is key-address a concern the person brought up in the interview or even (depending on the company) make a small joke about something you talked about. If you're sending notes to multiple people in one company, make sure they do not appear copied and pasted. And of course, take the opportunity to ask for the business.

"If you do send only an email, don't just dash it off," White says. You certainly do need to thank the person for their time, but take it a step further. "Reiterate how much you enjoyed the interview, that you love the sound of the job, and why you'll be a good fit," she adds. In other words, come out and say that you want the job. Explain why you're the perfect fit. A slap-dash "thanks for your time!" may not always make an impact, but that certainly will.

[Related: What Not To Do When Giving Notice]

And finally, get a damn proofreader. "In hiring, I always factored in whether I'd received a thank-you note, but quality was important, not just whether it had been sent," White says. Typos or grammar mistakes will almost certainly diminish their impression of you rather than improve it. Who wants to hire someone who isn't conscientious enough to note the difference between "their" and "they're"?

But What Does That Look Like?

Here's a sample thank-you note based on many I have sent. This is a very basic template, but the more personalization the better!

Dear Amanda,

Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me yesterday. This job honestly feels like a perfect fit-my experience has well prepared me for [the responsibilities of the role], and I have [the skills she is looking for] to [accomplish what she is looking to accomplish]. I know I would be a valuable, creative, and enthusiastic member of your team, and I can already tell that we would work well together.

Thanks again for the awesome opportunity. I look forward to hearing from you soon, and hopefully joining your fantastic team. Until then, good luck with that TBR pile!

Best,
Kelsey

This article originally appeared on Levo and is reprinted with permission.

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Here's What To Write In Your Thank-You Note After A Job Interview

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If you were Googling "thank-you note after interview" in the hopes that someone on the World Wide Web would tell you they're outdated and relieve you of your duty, you're in the wrong place. Like it or not, thank-you notes are a must.

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Writing a thank you letter after a job interview is always a good idea. In fact, some employers think less of those interviewees who fail to follow-up promptly.

It's quick and easy to follow up after an interview with an email, note, or formal letter. Taking the time to do so, will help you leave your interviewer with a great impression.

Why Send a Thank You Letter After an Interview

Why are thank you letters important?

The first reason to send a thank you letter is that it's just plain good manners. But there's also a self-serving purpose: a thank you note is your opportunity to get your name in front of people one last time and leave a positive impression.

If you're interviewing or going through the job application process, thank you letters allow you to sell yourself as a candidate. You can reference specific instances that may have come up in an interview. Use your thank you letter to highlight the ways your skills and experience are a good match for the positio n. Also, if there's something you forgot to mention during the interview, this is an opportunity to bring it up.

Thank you notes in other career-related situations - such as a thank you note to a boss for helping you out or to a former co-worker for making a networking connection - allow you to reinforce that you appreciate the person's helpful behavior.

Job Interview Thank You Letter Examples

Browse this list of thank you letters and email messages for guidance and inspiration in crafting your own letter.

Thank You Email Message Examples

Thank You Letter Format and Template

Thank You Letters - Specific Positions

Thank You for Job Search Help Letters

Types of Thank You Notes

Job Offer Thank You Letters

When to Send a Thank You Letter

Send thank you letters as soon as possible. Did someone do something helpful? Did you have an interview? Write your note that day or the next one. It's easiest to write a thank you letter when the details of an encounter are fresh in your head.

Whether you're writing a thank you note after a phone screen or sending a quick note of appreciation to your boss, it's best to write - and send - your note promptly.

A good guideline is to send the letter within 24 hours. Delaying serves no helpful purpose, and also increases the likelihood that you will forget to write the note. And, delay too long, and the company can make a decision without you having the chance to make one last positive impression.

More Thank You Letter Examples
Thank you letter and thank you note examples to send via email or mail, including thank you letters to follow up after a job interview, to thank a contact, and to accept or reject a job offer. In addition, here are thank you quotes you can use to create your own personal thank you notes and letters.

Interview Thank You Letter Writing Tips

How to Write an Interview Thank You Letter
How to write a thank you letter including who to thank, what to write, and when to write an employment-related thank you letter.

Tips for Writing a Perfect Thank You Letter or Email
More thank you letter tips, including how to handle group interview letters, timing, proofing, and more employment thank you letter writing advice.

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Thank You Email and Letter Samples for Job Interviews

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Writing a thank you letter after a job interview is always a good idea. In fact, some employers think less of those interviewees who fail to follow-up promptly. It's quick and easy to follow up after an interview with an email, note, or formal letter.

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6 Thank You Notes You Should Write after Getting Accepted into College

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6 Thank You Notes You Should Write after Getting Accepted into College

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Getting an acceptance letter from a reputed college is not an easy task. There are many persons who are responsible for this. It's very easy to forget their works, but a short 'thank you' note can make your relations more stronger with them. So, it's the perfect time to express your love for those.
A mode of writing letters What'll be your reaction if someone uses his valuable time for you? Yes, it's a nice feeling. Considering this case, personally written letters has their own importance instead of printing letters. Email is another good mode of letters but it's preferable in case of colleges (that accept, reject or wait-listed you).
Another thing that should be kept in mind is to manage the length of the 'thank you' note. According to experts, the note should be of small length but equipped with required feel and love. It's the content that should be considered not the length.
1. Guidance Counselor Reason:
A guidance counselor in not limited to consult study matters but plays an important role in the entire life. A guidance counselor always stands beside you in every difficult situation. Your guidance counselor truly deserves a thank from you.
2. Admissions Counselor Reason:
A perfect college is the first step towards a bright future, and college admission counselor is the person who helps you to get into it. This person perfectly analyzes your needs and requirement, then search the appropriate college for you. A 'thank you' note is the perfect way to show your love.
3. Recommendation Writers Reason:
Such writers are those people who write the letter suggesting that what are the main reason for your acceptance in the college. He/she is also that person who deserves your thank.
4. The Person Who Read Your Essay Reason:
Your essay is the most important part of your application where you can express that you have such a caliber, intelligence and wisdom to be selected for the college. It's time to thank that person who read your essay and appreciate your work and discover your qualities.
5. Colleges That Waitlisted You Reason:
Are you in the list of wait-listed students of any college? Then, don't worry! You are just waiting-listed not rejected. You can increase the chance of your admission just by showing your appreciation. Just write a thank letter to such colleges and make your position hotter than before.
6. Colleges That Accepted Your Application Reason:
These colleges spent their valuable time to analyze your strengths and weaknesses just by reading your application forms. Even without any previous knowledge they consider you as the perfect fit for their college. These are on the top rank on the list who deserves your appreciation because they provide you a path to make a bright future prospect.

Selecting a perfect mode of delivering those letters is another important thing. You can send those letters to their personal home address. In the case of college, you can send email to the official website of the colleges.
Now, just go for it!

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6 Thank You Notes You should Write After Your Addmission in College

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Getting an acceptance letter from a reputed college is not an easy task. There are many persons who are responsible for this. It's very easy to forget their works, but a short 'thank you' note can make your relations more stronger with them. So, it's the perfect time to express your love for those.

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In January 2023, NCAA Divisions I and II adopted legislation to remove standardized test scores from initial-eligibility requirements for all student-athletes who initially enroll full time on or after August 1, 2023. Check with the NCAA school you plan to attend regarding whether standardized test scores are necessary for admission or scholarship requirements. For more information, .

Creating an account is the first step toward becoming an NCAA student-athlete
DOWN

Register

Not sure which division your school is in? Learn more orsearch NCAA schools.

Want to Compete at an NCAA School?

Create the Eligibility Center account that's right for you!

If you want to compete in NCAA sports, you need to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center. Plan to register before starting your freshman year of high school (or year nine of secondary school). The information below will help guide you through the registration process.

To get started, review the three account options and choose the one that's right for you! You'll only need to create one account with the Eligibility Center. Starting with the free Profile Page is best practice, as you can transition it later to the Certification account needed for your circumstances.

Not sure which division your school is in? Learn more orsearch NCAA schools.

Make registration easy.

Use this checklist to make sure you have all required information ready to enter.

Search our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about becoming an NCAA student-athlete.

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College-bound student-athletes preparing to enroll in a Division I or Division II school need to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center to ensure they have met amateurism standards and are academically prepared for college coursework.

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With instant access to more than 800 colleges and universities around the world, the Common App is the most seamless way to manage the application process.

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Screw U: How For-profit Colleges Rip You Off

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Screw U: How For-profit Colleges Rip You Off

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Resume tips and resources sometimes understate the difficulty of skillfully summarizing an entire career on a single page. So let's be clear: Writing a good resume is more than just slapping together a list of the schools you've attended, positions you've held, skills you possess and companies you've worked for. It is your most valuable marketing document in your job search, your first introduction to a company's hiring manager and the go-to reference for your career.

Employers see a lot of resumes when they search for new hires, and it's important to know what they're looking for when you create yours. Presenting your skills and experience in a way that shows how your career aligns with what they're searching for will better ensure that you'll secure an interview.

Want to impress that hiring manager? Whether you're writing a resume from scratch or updating an old one, follow these do's and don'ts to make yours sparkle.
DO

Customize your resume every time. Tailor the document for each position you apply for by highlighting your qualifications and expertise that match the specific job requirements. Employers often use screening software that scans documents for particular keywords, so follow the job listing's lead on phrasing.

Show off your tech skills. Accurately summarize the software and technologies that you're familiar with, noting proficiency level and how long you have used each one. Again, refer to the job listing to decide which programs are vital to include.

Highlight your achievements. When listing your past positions, give tangible examples of how the projects you worked on affected the company's bottom line. Did they increase sales, broaden the customer base or reach target markets? Did you receive more responsibility in your company after proving yourself in your current job?

Note your accomplishments. Include a brief list of any special recognition and awards you've received. It's also helpful to note participation in relevant professional organizations and any conferences or workshops you've spoken at.

Proofread and proofread again. Typos and mistakes tell the hiring manager you are not detail-oriented. Ask a few friends or trusted colleagues to have a look at your resume. Fresh eyes are always more likely to catch errors.

Give a heads up to your references. If you're going full-steam-ahead on your job search, give your key contacts a heads up that they may be getting calls or emails about you. Send them your most recent resume so they're up-to-date on your current accomplishments and have all the facts in front of them.

Keep it updated. Even if you're not job-hunting, update your resume every time you accept a new job or complete a significant project. Keeping your job application materials updated regularly will make it seem like less of a burden.

DON'T

Misrepresent your education or job experience. Even one fabrication can be grounds for termination. Stay honest in all of your job application materials.

Give reasons for leaving each job. Some employers might ask about your reasons for leaving your current position at the interview - and you should be ready to talk about why you left - but you don't need to include that information in your resume.

Get too personal. Don't put personal information, such as your photo, height, Social Security number, marital status or religious affiliation, in your resume. You don't want to expose yourself to conscious and unconscious bias on the part of the hiring manager.

State "References available upon request." The interviewer will assume that you can provide these contacts when asked. Some companies will ask for names up front - follow the instructions in the job posting.

Worry about using exact dates. Trying to remember the exact day you started a job 15 years ago is difficult, to say the least. Using the month and year you started and left each position are totally sufficient.

Experiment with a crazy format. Stick to a clean, easy-to-read format. Catch a recruiter's eye with your experience, not with wacky fonts, colors or designs.

Use your company phone number or email address. It's always better to use your personal email address and phone number rather than your professional contact details, even if your current boss is aware of your intent to leave.

Include your high school education if you're a college graduate. But if you're still in college, or a high school diploma is the highest academic qualification you hold, you can include your high school under your education.

Include your college GPA. The only exception to this is if you're still in college or have just graduated, or if the job posting asks you to include that information.

List past salary information. If the ad requests that applicants reply with a salary range, state it in the cover letter. Otherwise, wait until later interviews to discuss money.

A polished resume is the foundation of your job search. But to land your dream job, you'll need to develop a sound and winning strategy. Contact a professional recruiter for tips on how to how to write a cover letter, prepare for an interview and salary negotiations, and other career advice.

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resume dos and donts  dos and donts of resumes

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Resume tips and resources sometimes understate the difficulty of skillfully summarizing an entire career on a single page. So let's be clear: Writing a good resume is more than just slapping together a list of the schools you've attended, positions you've held, skills you possess and companies you've worked for.

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"Can you take a look at my résumé and see what you think?" If I had a dollar for every time I've been asked this in the past year, I wouldn't be rich, but I would have some extra dough.

It's true. Since I write about jobs and careers, it's not surprising that I've been fielding calls from friends and colleagues, who want me to take a look at their résumé to see what's missing, give some pointers.

I try to help. They agonize over the details. They're frustrated beyond belief. They shoot their résumés off in a flick of a button when they hear about a job opening, and then silence-no response.

Sound familiar?

I offer my two cents. (For more strategies to land a job when you're over 55, read my post here.)

(EXTRA: WATCH THIS NOW:

But to get some deeper insight, I asked Tony Beshara, author of Unbeatable Résumés (Amacom, 2011), a Dallas-based recruiting and job placement powerhouse and president of Babich & Associates to share his secrets.
KH: Why are people so obsessed with their résumé?
TB: The primary reason people spend so much time, money, and effort in writing a résumé is that this is the one activity within the job search that they can control. Instead of picking up the phone and calling a prospective employer to ask for a face-to-face interview-risking potential rejection-people agonize over their résumés.

Here's the truth-it is rare to get hired by simply submitting a résumé -the purpose of the résumé is to help get you an interview. And at the interview, remember that 40 percent of a hiring decision is based on personality. You've got to get the interview and sell your pitutee off.
KH: What makes an unbeatable résumé?
TB: It has to be simple. No more than two pages. The average résumé gets read in 10 seconds. Be sure the content is on a level any high school senior could understand. In other words, the person looking at your résumé should be able to easily understand exactly who you have worked for and what that company does. Just because you know the company or it's a big name like , Boeing Corp, or Ford Motor Co, doesn't mean everyone is familiar with what your specific division does.

Avoid the fancy-schmancy layout, font, and other special effects. Stick to traditional font of Times New Roman, 9 to 12 point size, and black type against a white paper. You might try a different type size for your name and the companies you have worked for, perhaps your title. But try to be consistent. Go easy on boldface type, italics, and underlining.

Prepare it in a simple Word format that can easily be viewed on most computers. Not a table format or template.

Use a reverse chronological order. List your present, or most recent job, first, and then work backwards. You state the complete name of the company you work for, or have worked for, and what they do, how long you were there-month and year. Then list the position you held and your accomplishments. You don't have to use full sentences. Begin with verbs. "Managed company tax reporting, finance, invoicing, purchasing," for example.

Get rid of objectives and summary and all that silly stuff. It's all fluff. An employer doesn't care about your objective. He cares about his.

Skip personal information such as married with three kids. Sounds stable to you. But to a hiring authority looking for someone to travel, it may keep you from being interviewed.

Stories sell. Numbers, statistics, percentages get attention if you put in bold type. Increased profit by this 28%. Came under budget by 30%. If you were born and raised on chicken farm, note it on your résumé.

Fuzzy key words and phrases should be avoided. These include customer-oriented, excellent communications skills, and creative. These words lack meaning and do absolutely nothing to help you get an interview.

Use words that refer to titles- customer service, controller, manager, accountant,

Get the photos off your résumé. You are looking for a job, not a date.

KH: Does "age" stop people over 50 from landing a job?
TB: Let me be real blunt. People over 50 think they aren't getting hired because they're over 50. People who are short think they aren't being hired because they are short. There is a tendency for people to imagine that what they are works against them.

The question the employer is asking is can you do my job right now and are you a big risk? Most candidates don't think they are a risk. But if you hire somebody who made more money than this, had a bigger job than this, has been out of work for six months, has had three jobs in three years-these are all risks. Some of those risks come with age, but not the age itself.

I don't think there's as much age discrimination as there used to be. The real reason they aren't getting hired-it's a rotten, lousy job market out there. With so many candidates to choose from, hiring authorities are compelled to seek out the perfect candidate. They want to hire someone where the job is a step up to them. Not someone who has surpassed the positions, who will walk in six months later and say he or she found a better job.
KH: Sure a great résumé helps, but what's really at the heart of getting a job?
TB: Networking. You have got to pick up the phone and call everybody that you ever knew, everybody that you ever worked with, every employer that you ever worked with. That's the way to get an interview. It is estimated 60 percent who find jobs have located them through networking. Sending a résumé to a web site is a joke. It ain't going to happen. If you don't establish any personal connection to them it's is a waste of time.

Brainstorm. Sit down with a spouse and friends and ask for help. Write down the names of previous employers and former colleagues, immediate and extended family. Don't be embarrassed to call family members when you're out of work. Get over it.

Call friends of friends, people in your church, athletic club, volunteer organizations, parents of children's friends. Contact trade and professional associations you belong to-many have job boards. Alumni associations, fraternity and sororities are worth reconnecting with. You never know who will know someone who is hiring. College and university placement offices are there to help no matter how long ago you graduated. Canvas local lawyers, accountants, bank officers in town and see if they know if any clients hiring. In short, you really have to "kiss a lot of frogs' to find a prince. Leave no stone unturned.
KH: And the biggest frustration when it comes to getting a résumé noticed?
TB: People overestimate who is reading it. Most of the time the people who are reading the résumé really don't have anything to do with the job and have no direct experience with it. It's an internal recruiter, somebody in Human Resources, the "Hiring Roadblock" department. Just know if you get relegated to the HR departments, your odds of getting an interview, let alone a job are drastically reduced. That's just the way it is.
KH: How useful is social media networking?
TB: LinkedIn actually does seem to help people in their job searches. It's easy to create a profile and begin linking to new contacts. You can update regularly and get recommendations from colleagues, previous bosses, and clients. You can research companies and individuals you want to target, connect with former associates, and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
KH: Any tips for those who think changing careers is the ticket?
TB: Most people who successfully change careers either go into a profession not saturated at the time, like teaching or healthcare, or they open their own business. A lot of new businesses fail because the people who start them have absolutely no idea how to run a business. Be prepared to start at the bottom, no matter what you decide to do. The probability of being hired in a business you know nothing about, by someone who doesn't know you, at a decent salary, isn't very high. So to change careers, you're most likely going to have to make it a good business deal for a perspective employer-worth the risk involved in taking on someone without proven experience.
KH: What's the magic ingredient for jobseekers?
TB: Guts. Don't be bashful. You have to take the risk of picking up the phone and having someone say no, and, maybe hell no. No matter how good your résumé might be, unless it helps you get face-to-face interview with hiring managers, your efforts are wasted.

Getting interviews is hard work. It requires tenacity, persistence, determination, and courage to thrust yourself upon people, even if that doesn't come naturally to you. No one likes being rejected. The sooner you face this reality and prepare for rejection, the sooner you will be able to find a job.
KH: Swagger counts. I'm the author of What's Next? Follow Your Passion and Find Your Dream Job, available here www.kerryhannon.com. To learn about great jobs for retirees, check out my column on AARP. Follow me on Twitter, @KerryHannon

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Want An Unbeatable Resume? Read These Tips From A Top Recruiter

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"Can you take a look at my résumé and see what you think?" If I had a dollar for every time I've been asked this in the past year, I wouldn't be rich, but I would have some extra dough. It's true.

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Starting Your Career Building a Resume Sample Resumes and Templates Resumes come in many shapes and sizes. Select an approach that works best for you and highlights your strengths. For example, if you don't have much work experience, your resume should emphasize your academic achievements first.

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The personal statement might just be the hardest part of your college application. Mostly this is because it has the least guidance and is the most open-ended. One way to understand what colleges are looking for when they ask you to write an essay is to check out the essays of students who already got in-college essays that actually worked. After all, they must be among the most successful of this weird literary genre.

In this article, I'll go through general guidelines for what makes great college essays great. I've also compiled an enormous list of 100+ actual sample college essays from 11 different schools. Finally, I'll break down two of these published college essay examples and explain why and how they work. With links to 140 full essays and essay excerpts , this article will be a great resource for learning how to craft your own personal college admissions essay!

What Excellent College Essays Have in Common

Even though in many ways these sample college essays are very different from one other, they do share some traits you should try to emulate as you write your own essay.

Visible Signs of Planning

Building out from a narrow, concrete focus. You'll see a similar structure in many of the essays. The author starts with a very detailed story of an event or description of a person or place. After this sense-heavy imagery, the essay expands out to make a broader point about the author, and connects this very memorable experience to the author's present situation, state of mind, newfound understanding, or maturity level.

Knowing how to tell a story. Some of the experiences in these essays are one-of-a-kind. But most deal with the stuff of everyday life. What sets them apart is the way the author approaches the topic: analyzing it for drama and humor, for its moving qualities, for what it says about the author's world, and for how it connects to the author's emotional life.

Stellar Execution

A killer first sentence. You've heard it before, and you'll hear it again: you have to suck the reader in, and the best place to do that is the first sentence. Great first sentences are punchy. They are like cliffhangers, setting up an exciting scene or an unusual situation with an unclear conclusion, in order to make the reader want to know more. Don't take my word for it-check out these 22 first sentences from Stanford applicants and tell me you don't want to read the rest of those essays to find out what happens!

A lively, individual voice. Writing is for readers. In this case, your reader is an admissions officer who has read thousands of essays before yours and will read thousands after. Your goal? Don't bore your reader. Use interesting descriptions, stay away from clichés, include your own offbeat observations-anything that makes this essay sounds like you and not like anyone else.

Enchanted Prince Stan decided to stay away from any frog-kissing princesses to retain his unique perspective on ruling as an amphibian.

Technical correctness. No spelling mistakes, no grammar weirdness, no syntax issues, no punctuation snafus-each of these sample college essays has been formatted and proofread perfectly. If this kind of exactness is not your strong suit, you're in luck! All colleges advise applicants to have their essays looked over several times by parents, teachers, mentors, and anyone else who can spot a comma splice. Your essay must be your own work, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting help polishing it.

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Links to Full College Essay Examples

Some colleges publish a selection of their favorite accepted college essays that worked, and I've put together a selection of over 100 of these.

Common App Essay Samples

Please note that some of these college essay examples may be responding to prompts that are no longer in use. The current Common App prompts are as follows:

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma-anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Connecticut College

Hamilton College

Johns Hopkins

These essays are answers to past prompts from either the Common Application or the Universal Application (which Johns Hopkins used to accept).

Tufts University

Essay Examples Published by Other Websites

2 Common Application essays ( 1st essay , 2nd essay ) from applicants admitted to Columbia

Other Sample College Essays

Here is a collection of essays that are college-specific.

Babson College

Emory University

5 essay examples ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) along with analysis from Emory admissions staff on why the essays were exceptional

Harvard

MIT

Smith College
Each year, Smith asks its applicants to answer a different prompt with a 200-word essay. Here are six of these short essays answering the 2014 prompt: "Tell us about the best gift you've ever given or received."
Tufts University
On top of the Common Application essays students submit, Tufts asks applicants to answer two short essay questions which vary depending on which program you're applying to.
Books of College Essays

If you're looking for even more sample college essays, consider purchasing a college essay book. The best of these include dozens of essays that worked and feedback from real admissions officers.

Analyzing Great Common App Essays That Worked

I've picked two essays from the examples collected above to examine in more depth so that you can see exactly what makes a successful college essay work. Full credit for these essays goes to the original authors and the schools that published them.

Example 1: "Breaking Into Cars," by Stephen, Johns Hopkins Class of '19 (Common App Essay, 636 words long)

I had never broken into a car before.

We were in Laredo, having just finished our first day at a Habitat for Humanity work site. The Hotchkiss volunteers had already left, off to enjoy some Texas BBQ, leaving me behind with the college kids to clean up. Not until we were stranded did we realize we were locked out of the van.

Someone picked a coat hanger out of the dumpster, handed it to me, and took a few steps back.

"Can you do that thing with a coat hanger to unlock it?"

"Why me?" I thought.

More out of amusement than optimism, I gave it a try. I slid the hanger into the window's seal like I'd seen on crime shows, and spent a few minutes jiggling the apparatus around the inside of the frame. Suddenly, two things simultaneously clicked. One was the lock on the door. (I actually succeeded in springing it.) The other was the realization that I'd been in this type of situation before. In fact, I'd been born into this type of situation.

My upbringing has numbed me to unpredictability and chaos. With a family of seven, my home was loud, messy, and spottily supervised. My siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing-all meant my house was functioning normally. My Dad, a retired Navy pilot, was away half the time. When he was home, he had a parenting style something like a drill sergeant. At the age of nine, I learned how to clear burning oil from the surface of water. My Dad considered this a critical life skill-you know, in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed. "The water's on fire! Clear a hole!" he shouted, tossing me in the lake without warning. While I'm still unconvinced about that particular lesson's practicality, my Dad's overarching message is unequivocally true: much of life is unexpected, and you have to deal with the twists and turns.

Living in my family, days rarely unfolded as planned. A bit overlooked, a little pushed around, I learned to roll with reality, negotiate a quick deal, and give the improbable a try. I don't sweat the small stuff, and I definitely don't expect perfect fairness. So what if our dining room table only has six chairs for seven people? Someone learns the importance of punctuality every night.

But more than punctuality and a special affinity for musical chairs, my family life has taught me to thrive in situations over which I have no power. Growing up, I never controlled my older siblings, but I learned how to thwart their attempts to control me. I forged alliances, and realigned them as necessary. Sometimes, I was the poor, defenseless little brother; sometimes I was the omniscient elder. Different things to different people, as the situation demanded. I learned to adapt.

Back then, these techniques were merely reactions undertaken to ensure my survival. But one day this fall, Dr. Hicks, our Head of School, asked me a question that he hoped all seniors would reflect on throughout the year: "How can I participate in a thing I do not govern, in the company of people I did not choose?"

The question caught me off guard, much like the question posed to me in Laredo. Then, I realized I knew the answer. I knew why the coat hanger had been handed to me.

Growing up as the middle child in my family, I was a vital participant in a thing I did not govern, in the company of people I did not choose. It's family. It's society. And often, it's chaos. You participate by letting go of the small stuff, not expecting order and perfection, and facing the unexpected with confidence, optimism, and preparedness. My family experience taught me to face a serendipitous world with confidence.

What Makes This Essay Tick?

It's very helpful to take writing apart in order to see just how it accomplishes its objectives. Stephen's essay is very effective. Let's find out why!

An Opening Line That Draws You In

I had never broken into a car before.

In just eight words, we get: scene-setting (he is standing next to a car about to break in), the idea of crossing a boundary (he is maybe about to do an illegal thing for the first time), and a cliffhanger (we are thinking: is he going to get caught? Is he headed for a life of crime? Is he about to be scared straight?).

Great, Detailed Opening Story

We were in Laredo, having just finished our first day at a Habitat for Humanity work site. The Hotchkiss volunteers had already left, off to enjoy some Texas BBQ, leaving me behind with the college kids to clean up. Not until we were stranded did we realize we were locked out of the van.

Someone picked a coat hanger out of the dumpster, handed it to me, and took a few steps back.

"Can you do that thing with a coat hanger to unlock it?"

"Why me?" I thought.

More out of amusement than optimism, I gave it a try. I slid the hanger into the window's seal like I'd seen on crime shows, and spent a few minutes jiggling the apparatus around the inside of the frame.

It's the details that really make this small experience come alive. Notice how whenever he can, Stephen uses a more specific, descriptive word in place of a more generic one. The volunteers aren't going to get food or dinner; they're going for "Texas BBQ." The coat hanger comes from "a dumpster." Stephen doesn't just move the coat hanger-he "jiggles" it.

Details also help us visualize the emotions of the people in the scene. The person who hands Stephen the coat hanger isn't just uncomfortable or nervous; he "takes a few steps back"-a description of movement that conveys feelings. Finally, the detail of actual speech makes the scene pop. Instead of writing that the other guy asked him to unlock the van, Stephen has the guy actually say his own words in a way that sounds like a teenager talking.

Coat hangers: not just for crows' nests anymore! ( Götz /Wikimedia)

Turning a Specific Incident Into a Deeper Insight

Suddenly, two things simultaneously clicked. One was the lock on the door. (I actually succeeded in springing it.) The other was the realization that I'd been in this type of situation before. In fact, I'd been born into this type of situation.

Stephen makes the locked car experience a meaningful illustration of how he has learned to be resourceful and ready for anything, and he also makes this turn from the specific to the broad through an elegant play on the two meanings of the word "click."

Using Concrete Examples When Making Abstract Claims

My upbringing has numbed me to unpredictability and chaos. With a family of seven, my home was loud, messy, and spottily supervised. My siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing-all meant my house was functioning normally.

"Unpredictability and chaos" are very abstract, not easily visualized concepts. They could also mean any number of things-violence, abandonment, poverty, mental instability. By instantly following up with highly finite and unambiguous illustrations like "family of seven" and "siblings arguing, the dog barking, the phone ringing," Stephen grounds the abstraction in something that is easy to picture: a large, noisy family.

Using Small Bits of Humor and Casual Word Choice

My Dad, a retired Navy pilot, was away half the time. When he was home, he had a parenting style something like a drill sergeant. At the age of nine, I learned how to clear burning oil from the surface of water. My Dad considered this a critical life skill-you know, in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed.

Obviously, knowing how to clean burning oil is not high on the list of things every 9-year-old needs to know. To emphasize this, Stephen uses sarcasm by bringing up a situation that is clearly over-the-top: "in case my aircraft carrier should ever get torpedoed."

The humor also feels relaxed. Part of this is because he introduces it with the colloquial phrase "you know," so it sounds like he is talking to us in person. This approach also diffuses the potential discomfort of the reader with his father's strictness-since he is making jokes about it, clearly he is OK. Notice, though, that this doesn't occur very much in the essay. This helps keep the tone meaningful and serious rather than flippant.

"Mr. President? There's been an oil spill!" "Then I want our best elementary school students on it, STAT."

An Ending That Stretches the Insight Into the Future

But one day this fall, Dr. Hicks, our Head of School, asked me a question that he hoped all seniors would reflect on throughout the year: "How can I participate in a thing I do not govern, in the company of people I did not choose?"

The question caught me off guard, much like the question posed to me in Laredo. Then, I realized I knew the answer. I knew why the coat hanger had been handed to me.

Growing up as the middle child in my family, I was a vital participant in a thing I did not govern, in the company of people I did not choose. It's family. It's society. And often, it's chaos. You participate by letting go of the small stuff, not expecting order and perfection, and facing the unexpected with confidence, optimism, and preparedness. My family experience taught me to face a serendipitous world with confidence.

The ending of the essay reveals that Stephen's life has been one long preparation for the future. He has emerged from chaos and his dad's approach to parenting as a person who can thrive in a world that he can't control.

This connection of past experience to current maturity and self-knowledge is a key element in all successful personal essays. Colleges are very much looking for mature, self-aware applicants. These are the qualities of successful college students, who will be able to navigate the independence college classes require and the responsibility and quasi-adulthood of college life.

What Could This Essay Do Even Better?

Even the best essays aren't perfect, and even the world's greatest writers will tell you that writing is never "finished"-just "due." So what would we tweak in this essay if we could?

Replace some of the clichéd language. Stephen uses handy phrases like "twists and turns" and "don't sweat the small stuff" as a kind of shorthand for explaining his relationship to chaos and unpredictability. But using too many of these ready-made expressions runs the risk of clouding out your own voice and replacing it with something expected and boring.

Use another example from recent life. Stephen's first example (breaking into the van in Laredo) is a great illustration of being resourceful in an unexpected situation. But his essay also emphasizes that he "learned to adapt" by being "different things to different people." It would be great to see how this plays out outside his family, either in the situation in Laredo or another context.

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Example 2: By Bridget Collins, Tufts Class of '19 (Common App Essay, 608 words long)

I have always loved riding in cars. After a long day in first grade, I used to fall asleep to the engine purring in my mother's Honda Odyssey, even though it was only a 5-minute drive home. As I grew, and graduated into the shotgun seat, it became natural and enjoyable to look out the window. Seeing my world passing by through that smudged glass, I would daydream what I could do with it.

In elementary school, I already knew my career path: I was going to be Emperor of the World. While I sat in the car and watched the miles pass by, I developed the plan for my empire. I reasoned that, for the world to run smoothly, it would have to look presentable. I would assign people, aptly named Fixer-Uppers, to fix everything that needed fixing. That old man down the street with chipping paint on his house would have a fresh coat in no time. The boy who accidentally tossed his Frisbee onto the roof of the school would get it back. The big pothole on Elm Street that my mother managed to hit every single day on the way to school would be filled-in. It made perfect sense! All the people that didn't have a job could be Fixer-Uppers. I was like a ten-year-old FDR.

Seven years down the road, I still take a second glance at the sidewalk cracks and think of my Fixer-Uppers, but now I'm doing so from the driver's seat. As much as I would enjoy it, I now accept that I won't become Emperor of the World, and that the Fixer-Uppers will have to remain in my car ride imaginings. Or do they? I always pictured a Fixer-Upper as a smiling man in an orange T-Shirt. Maybe instead, a Fixer-Upper could be a tall girl with a deep love for Yankee Candles. Maybe it could be me.

Bridget the Fixer-Upper will be slightly different than the imaginary one who paints houses and fetches Frisbees. I was lucky enough to discover what I am passionate about when I was a freshman in high school. A self-admitted Phys. Ed. addict, I volunteered to help out with the Adapted PE class. On my first day, I learned that it was for developmentally-disabled students. To be honest, I was really nervous. I hadn't had too much interaction with special needs students before, and wasn't sure how to handle myself around them. Long story short, I got hooked. Three years have passed helping out in APE and eventually becoming a teacher in the Applied Behavior Analysis summer program. I love working with the students and watching them progress.

When senior year arrived, college meetings began, and my counselor asked me what I wanted to do for a career, I didn't say Emperor of the World. Instead, I told him I wanted to become a board-certified behavior analyst. A BCBA helps develop learning plans for students with autism and other disabilities. Basically, I would get to do what I love for the rest of my life. He laughed and told me that it was a nice change that a seventeen-year-old knew so specifically what she wanted to do. I smiled, thanked him, and left. But it occurred to me that, while my desired occupation was decided, my true goal in life was still to become a Fixer-Upper. So, maybe I'll be like Sue Storm and her alter-ego, the Invisible Woman. I'll do one thing during the day, then spend my off-hours helping people where I can. Instead of flying like Sue, though, I'll opt for a nice performance automobile. My childhood self would appreciate that.

What Makes This Essay Tick?

Bridget takes a somewhat different approach than Stephen, but her essay is just as detailed and engaging. Let's go through some of the strengths of her essay.

A Structure That's Easy to Follow and Understand

The essay is arranged chronologically. Bridget starts each paragraph with a clear signpost of where we are in time:

Paragraph 1: "after a long day in first grade"

Paragraph 2: "in elementary school"

Paragraph 3: "seven years down the road"

Paragraph 4: "when I was a freshman in high school"

Paragraph 5: "when senior year arrived"

This keeps the reader oriented without being distracting or gimmicky.

One Clear Governing Metaphor

I would assign people, aptly named Fixer-Uppers, to fix everything that needed fixing. That old man down the street with chipping paint on his house would have a fresh coat in no time. The boy who accidentally tossed his Frisbee onto the roof of the school would get it back.

...

Seven years down the road, I still take a second glance at the sidewalk cracks and think of my Fixer-Uppers, but now I'm doing so from the driver's seat. As much as I would enjoy it, I now accept that I won't become Emperor of the World, and that the Fixer-Uppers will have to remain in my car ride imaginings. Or do they? I always pictured a Fixer-Upper as a smiling man in an orange T-Shirt. Maybe instead, a Fixer-Upper could be a tall girl with a deep love for Yankee Candles. Maybe it could be me.

...

I wanted to become a board-certified behavior analyst. A BCBA helps develop learning plans for students with autism and other disabilities. Basically, I would get to do what I love for the rest of my life. ...But it occurred to me that, while my desired occupation was decided, my true goal in life was still to become a Fixer-Upper.

What makes this essay fun to read is that Bridget takes a child's idea of a world made better through quasi-magical helpers and turns it into a metaphor for the author's future aspirations. It helps that the metaphor is a very clear one: people who work with students with disabilities are making the world better one abstract fix at a time, just like imaginary Fixer-Uppers would make the world better one concrete physical fix at a time.

Every childhood Fixer-Upper ever. Ask your parents to explain the back row to you. ( JD Hancock /Flickr)

An Engaging, Individual Voice

This essay uses many techniques that make Bridget sound genuine and make the reader feel like we already know her.

Technique #1: humor. Notice Bridget's gentle and relaxed humor that lightly mocks her younger self's grand ambitions (this is different from the more sarcastic kind of humor used by Stephen in the first essay-you could never mistake one writer for the other).

In elementary school, I already knew my career path: I was going to be Emperor of the World.

I was like a ten-year-old FDR.

Technique #2: invented terminology. The second technique is the way Bridget coins her own terms, carrying them through the whole essay. It would be easy enough to simply describe the people she imagined in childhood as helpers or assistants, and to simply say that as a child she wanted to rule the world. Instead, she invents the capitalized (and thus official-sounding) titles "Fixer-Upper" and "Emperor of the World," making these childish conceits at once charming and iconic. What's also key is that the titles feed into the central metaphor of the essay, which keeps them from sounding like strange quirks that don't go anywhere.

Technique #3: playing with syntax. The third technique is to use sentences of varying length, syntax, and structure. Most of the essay's written in standard English and uses grammatically correct sentences. However, at key moments, Bridget emphasizes that the reader needs to sit up and pay attention by switching to short, colloquial, differently punctuated, and sometimes fragmented sentences.

The big pothole on Elm Street that my mother managed to hit every single day on the way to school would be filled-in. It made perfect sense! All the people that didn't have a job could be Fixer-Uppers.

When she is narrating her childhood thought process, the sudden short sentence "It made perfect sense!" (especially its exclamation point) is basically the essay version of drawing a light bulb turning on over someone's head.

As much as I would enjoy it, I now accept that I won't become Emperor of the World, and that the Fixer-Uppers will have to remain in my car ride imaginings. Or do they?

Similarly, when the essay turns from her childhood imagination to her present-day aspirations, the turn is marked with "Or do they?"-a tiny and arresting half-sentence question.

Maybe instead, a Fixer-Upper could be a tall girl with a deep love for Yankee Candles. Maybe it could be me.

The first time when the comparison between magical fixer-upper's and the future disability specialist is made is when Bridget turns her metaphor onto herself. The essay emphasizes the importance of the moment through repetition (two sentences structured similarly, both starting with the word "maybe") and the use of a very short sentence: "Maybe it could be me."

To be honest, I was really nervous. I hadn't had too much interaction with special needs students before, and wasn't sure how to handle myself around them. Long story short, I got hooked.

The last key moment that gets the small-sentence treatment is the emotional crux of the essay. As we watch Bridget go from nervously trying to help disabled students to falling in love with this specialty field, she undercuts the potential sappiness of the moment by relying on changed-up sentence length and slang: "Long story short, I got hooked."

The best essays convey emotions just as clearly as this image.

What Could This Essay Do Even Better?

Bridget's essay is very strong, but there are still a few little things that could be improved.

Explain the car connection better. The essay begins and ends with Bridget's enjoying a car ride, but this doesn't seem to be related either to the Fixer-Upper idea or to her passion for working with special-needs students. It would be great to either connect this into the essay more, or to take it out altogether and create more space for something else.

Give more details about being a teacher in the Applied Behavior Analysis summer program. It makes perfect sense that Bridget doesn't want to put her students on display. It would take the focus off of her and possibly read as offensive or condescending. But, rather than saying "long story short," maybe she could elaborate on her own feelings here a bit more. What is it about this kind of teaching that she loves? What is she hoping to bring to the lives of her future clients?

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3 Essential Tips for Writing Your Own Essay

How can you use this discussion to better your own college essay? Here are some suggestions for ways to use this resource effectively.

#1: Read Other Essays to Get Ideas for Your Own

As you go through the essays we've compiled for you above, ask yourself the following questions:

Can you explain to yourself (or someone else!) why the opening sentence works well?

Look for the essay's detailed personal anecdote. What senses is the author describing? Can you easily picture the scene in your mind's eye?

Find the place where this anecdote bridges into a larger insight about the author. How does the essay connect the two? How does the anecdote work as an example of the author's characteristic, trait, or skill?

Check out the essay's tone. If it's funny, can you find the places where the humor comes from? If it's sad and moving, can you find the imagery and description of feelings that make you moved? If it's serious, can you see how word choice adds to this tone?

Make a note whenever you find an essay or part of an essay that you think was particularly well-written, and think about what you like about it . Is it funny? Does it help you really get to know the writer? Does it show what makes the writer unique? Once you have your list, keep it next to you while writing your essay to remind yourself to try and use those same techniques in your own essay.

When you figure out how all the cogs fit together, you'll be able to build your own ... um ... whatever this is.

#2: Find Your "A-Ha!" Moment

All of these essays rely on connecting with the reader through a heartfelt, highly descriptive scene from the author's life. It can either be very dramatic (did you survive a plane crash?) or it can be completely mundane (did you finally beat your dad at Scrabble?). Either way, it should be personal and revealing about you, your personality, and the way you are now that you are entering the adult world.

Check out essays by authors like John Jeremiah Sullivan , Leslie Jamison , Hanif Abdurraqib , and Esmé Weijun Wang to get more example of how to craft a compelling personal narrative.

#3: Start Early, Revise Often

Let me level with you: the best writing isn't writing at all. It's rewriting. And in order to have time to rewrite, you have to start way before the application deadline. My advice is to write your first draft at least two months before your applications are due.

Let it sit for a few days untouched. Then come back to it with fresh eyes and think critically about what you've written. What's extra? What's missing? What is in the wrong place? What doesn't make sense? Don't be afraid to take it apart and rearrange sections. Do this several times over, and your essay will be much better for it!

For more editing tips, check out a style guide like Dreyer's English or Eats, Shoots & Leaves .

What's Next?

Interested in learning more about college essays? Check out our detailed breakdown of exactly how personal statements work in an application , some suggestions on what to avoid when writing your essay , and our guide to writing about your extracurricular activities .

Working on the rest of your application? Read what admissions officers wish applicants knew before applying .

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

The recommendations in this post are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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140 College Essay Examples for 11 Schools + Expert Analysis

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The personal statement might just be the hardest part of your college application. Mostly this is because it has the least guidance and is the most open-ended. One way to understand what colleges are looking for when they ask you to write an essay is to check out the essays of students who already got in-college essays that actually worked.

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Johns Hopkins College Essays that Worked

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Johns Hopkins College Essays that Worked

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It's a chance to add depth to something that is important to you and tell the admissions committee more about your background or goals. Below you'll find selected examples of essays that "worked," as nominated by our admissions committee. In each of these essays, students were able to share stories from their everyday lives to reveal something about their character, values, and life that aligned with the culture and values at Hopkins.

Hear from the Class of 2025

These selections represent just a few examples of essays we found impressive and helpful during the past admissions cycle. We hope these essays inspire you as you prepare to compose your own personal statements. The most important thing to remember is to be original as you share your own story, thoughts, and ideas with us.

Essays That Worked

Read More Essays That Worked

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Essays That Worked | Johns Hopkins University Admissions

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Find essays that "worked," as nominated by our admissions committee, to share stories that aligned with the culture and values at Hopkins.