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Summer is the right time to get ahead of the college application process

June 8th, 2021

Summer is here for Kentucky students! Although our advisees in some other regions remain in school a little while longer, I think we’ll all welcome a cleansing exhale following the unusual school year. We hope everyone finds time to enjoy the break from structure that the start of summer brings.

Rising seniors: after a little break, I highly recommend getting ahead of your college application work, little by little. It can really ease the pressure when fall semester of senior year begins. While specific college questions may not be available until August 1st, you can begin chipping away at the Common App throughout the summer.

Because essay writing is one of the most important aspects of your college application, we encourage students to begin brainstorming and drafting prose in the summer months. Use this time to set the central spirit of your message, which will become the foundation for the rest of your application prompt responses. Most importantly, the stress-free summer months are an ideal time for self-reflection and creativity as you begin this process.

To get started, take a few minutes to read the article below from “The College Essay Guy,” one of the best resources we have found on this topic. You’ll learn what colleges are looking for in an essay, and how this differs from academic essays, i.e. what you would write in English class. I highly encourage you to take time to explore the entire site, as there is plenty of useful information throughout (and much of it free!) .

Article referenced below from The College Essay Guy

What do colleges look for (in a college essay)?

In the long, long ago, when I first started my college applications, I felt a little lost as to what exactly I was supposed to be doing.

What were colleges looking for from me?

Luckily, I’ve spent many, many years since then figuring those things out. And I’d love to share them with you.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

The differences between a college essay an English class essay
How to show who you are through what you value
Qualities of a strong college essay
Options for structuring a personal statement/college essay
Differences between a personal statement and supplemental essays