The College Essay Journalist

08/09/2026

Students are often the best sources of wisdom when talking about how to write their college admissions essays.

This article, written by a NYC high school student Benjamin, offers many revealing nuggets.

https://www.jta.org/2026/08/07/ideas/im-korean-and-jewish-the-college-essay-forced-me-to-confront-how-im-seen-and-how-i-want-to-be-seen

The 2023 Supreme Court ban on affirmative action and Oct. 7 attack on Israel changed things for mixed-race Jewish teens, one reports.

08/09/2026

08/03/2026

The more students I work with—and the more I learn about today's admissions process—the more convinced I am that your college essay introduction should be a ***banger***

Admissions officers read thousands of essays, and in the age of AI, they're seeing polished writing everywhere. They're not looking for perfection, though. If anything, they're becoming numb to it.

So give them something that feels real.

This summer, I've been encouraging students to have a little fun with their introductions. Don't worry about inventing a life-changing moment. Be funny. Nerd out about something. Get a bit dramatic. Just be yourself.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to hook a reader from the very first sentence.

07/30/2026

If you're a parent or counselor, here's an important financial aid update that could affect students applying for aid this fall, via Melissa Mieyr at InfoQuest College & Financial Solutions

FAFSA is rolling out real-time identity fraud screening. Most users won't notice a thing, but some will be flagged as “high risk” and required to verify their identity using a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID.

That could create another hurdle in an already complicated financial aid process—especially for students and families who most need access to aid.

The practical takeaway: Make sure your student has a valid, unexpired government-issued ID now. Don’t wait until it’s time to file the FAFSA.

Read Melissa’s full post below for more about the change and how families can prepare.

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗙𝗔𝗙𝗦𝗔 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗱 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆

If your student is submitting their FAFSA soon, there is a new step in the process you need to know about.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱
On April 26th, the U.S. Department of Education rolled out real-time identity fraud screening for every single FAFSA application. As soon as a student completes their section and submits, the system automatically assesses fraud risk in the background. Most students will not notice a thing.

But a portion of applicants will be flagged as "high risk." If that happens, the student is required to verify their identity, including a camera-based check completed on a smartphone or tablet, before their application can move forward. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗴 https://www.infoquestcfs.com/post/new-fafsa-fraud-screening-what-every-family-needs-to-know-before-they-apply

07/26/2026

"The essays that stay with admissions readers are the ones that reveal not just what happened, but how a student thinks, what they notice, and what genuinely sparks their curiosity."

What Memoirists Know About Writing A Great College Essay

In the AI era, authentic college essays matter more than ever. Memoirists and admissions experts explain what makes personal writing unforgettable.

06/18/2026

When I first started working with Nate, he didn't know what he wanted to write about for his college essay. But once we started really focusing on his actual story of personal growth – and stopped worrying about finding "the perfect essay topic" – things started to click into place.

Fast forward to today: Nate was accepted into UMass Lowell’s honors program, majoring in mechanical engineering!

Now that the college application process is firmly in their rearview mirror, I recently interviewed Nate and his mom, Erica, to talk about what they learned. They shared great insights about navigating admissions as a homeschool family.

Next week, I'll break down some of their top lessons in a FREE live webinar hosted in partnership with ENRICHri Information Page

This event is free and open to the public (both ENRICHri members and non-members).

To register, follow the link in the comments.

05/07/2026

Proud to be a first-time sponsor of the 2026 It Takes A Village 5k and 1k Fun Run, a fundraisers for Edgewood elementary schools. Come out and join the fun - Friday, May 15 starting at 5pm!

04/27/2026

🎓 Upcoming College Planning Workshops in Hopkinton (Free!)

Thanks to the Town of Hopkinton for supporting this series for Chariho families. We are hosting workshops on the following topics so if you have a high school student—or one heading into senior year—check these out!

✔ Financial Aid 101
✔ Use AI tools responsibly in the application process
✔ Get started on the college essay

📍 Hopkinton Regional Community Center
📅 May 26 | June 17 | June 18

👉 Register here: https://forms.gle/c33ewCKEV9i94S6B6

05/30/2025

If you’re helping a high school student write a college essay–or you are that student—here’s something that might surprise you:

The strongest essays often begin in a small way. Some of the students I've worked with started their essay with...

– a cup of tea ☕
– friendship bracelets 👯‍♀️
– petting a horse

I wrote a new blog post about that covers:

– how to write meaningfully about the little things
– how moments of curiosity, awkward conversations, or small daily routines can lead to big insights.
– how to write an introduction engaging enough to make admissions officers want to keep reading.
– how writers can mine their everyday lives for powerful storytelling.

It also includes two creative prompts and some of my favorite student examples.

👉 Read it here: https://collegeessayjournalist.com/resources/how-to-write-about-something-that-happened

Follow this page if you want more tips and insights like this.

Discover how to write a compelling college essay using everyday experiences, with writing prompts, tips, and real student examples.

05/05/2025

A few of my takeaways from this great summary by College MatchPoint of trends from this year's admissions cycle.

1. Testing is back – and it matters:

---> "Admissions outcomes showed that top-quartile scores strengthened applications – even at test-optional schools."

Have a testing plan. Take practice tests to diagnose potential weak spots and deficits. Scores matter more for certain majors, and it's a good idea to do your research for each college you're applying to.

2. Majors were gateways:

---> "Reflect on how your summer plans, courses, and extracurriculars reflect your academic interests." If you think you know what you want to study, tell a story that shows a track record of deep engagement in that field."

3. Meaningful activities told the strongest stories.

---> "Top applicants used their essays to reflect, not just report."

Your essays are an opportunity to establish powerful insights that connect what you've done and what matters to you to what you aspire for in college.

Here are a few examples of how students I worked with last year connected dots in their essays:

🎖️ National Park Patches: How a patch collection reflected a mother-daughter relationship, growth as a risk-taker, and an academic passion for emergency management.

🍄 How foraging for wild mushrooms reflected a search for structure, intellectual exploration, and discovery of community.

💃 How a family member's disability shaped perspectives on accessibility, art, and professional purpose.

Reach out if you're looking for help telling your best stories for the college application.

ESM Prep College MatchPoint helps students stand out in college admissions with personalized guidance, test prep, and academic support tailored to their needs.