by Amy Smith | Jun 4, 2026 | College Admissions, College Essays, College Students, Common App
Every year, I wait with great anticipation for the Common App’s “What’s New” webinar for counselors like me. As a journalist since high school, I like to announce breaking news, especially news that sets my juniors in motion. This year, there aren’t any drastic...
by Amy Smith | May 13, 2026 | Artificial Intelligence, College Admissions, College Essays, College Research, Common App
I’ve found that when students uncover unique, interesting facts about a college and THEN connect these findings to THEM in meaningful ways, that they can really WOW a Why Essay and more. Anyone can find something on the home page of a college website. But Power Hour...
by Amy Smith | Mar 3, 2026 | College Admissions, College Essays, College Students, Common App
Just in…the main essay prompts for the Class of 2027 have been announced! And they’re the EXACT same as last year: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete...
by Amy Smith | Nov 8, 2025 | College Admissions, College Essays, College Students
I recently hosted a webinar for HECA (Higher Education Consultants Association), where I interviewed five current/former application readers. With the surge in college applications (4 million predicted this cycle), admissions has become more competitive than ever...
by Amy Smith | Nov 6, 2025 | College Admissions, College Interview, College Students, Common App
Every year, after the November 1 deadline, many students are done applying, and many are still hitting SUBMIT through January 1 & beyond. Wherever you fall in that mix, you want to start thinking about post-application strategies. Happy “November 1st is in the...
by Amy Smith | Oct 13, 2025 | College Admissions, College Essays, College Students, Common App
As we approach college application deadlines, I wanted to share some tips to guide students toward success. Write, edit, revise, PREVIEW – Most know about the first 3 steps and forget the last. Hit PREVIEW in the Common App so you see your application AS...
