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Health & Fitness

College Application Essays - Avoid the Stress

  I planned on writing an article about procrastination but I really should clean out the garage first. Although, now that reruns of Dragnet are on TV, I do want to catch up on that first….after my nap.  

When should my teen start writing the common application essays?
  The end of 11th grade is in many ways the most stressful time in a student’s high school career. SAT, AP, Regents and the last ditch effort to save the world so his resume will look more impressive to colleges.  

The problem
for most students is that they put off applying to college until they are waist-high is senior year course work, research, clubs, sports, other extra-curricular activities and perhaps even a part-time job. And if your teen is anything like I was….”community service as stipulated by the court.”  KIDDING. I was a mensch in Oceanside. The only trouble I ever got in was not annotating a source on a research paper.. oh those wild and crazy 1970s. But I digress…  

August 1st
is usually the time that the common application essay topics are announced by the powers that be. (This year is an exception but more on that later).  

Ideally,
August 1st is the best time to get the common application essay started. 650 words. Give yourself August. It’s the ONE component of the application process that you can accomplish well before the craziness of the senior year begins.

GET THE COMMON APPLICATION ESSAY OUT OF THE WAY.
  How can you patiently write a great essay while you are also wading through all the senior year activities I mentioned earlier? Plus now…add all the paperwork for the twelve colleges you are applying to.  

GET THE COMMON APPLICATION ESSAY OUT OF THE WAY.
The earlier the better. Before your head is clouded with too many things to accomplish all at once.   The essay will be harder to write than you think. It going to be written, rewritten, ripped up, started again… wash….rinse….repeat. In this case: PROCRASTINATION IS NOT YOUR FRIEND.  

ONCE IN A LIFE TIME:
The common application essay topics have changed…the new and improved ones were announced MONTHS ago. Hey….you could even start now if you so desire.  

These are the NEW topics:

1- Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?
2- Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
3- Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
4- Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.  

In the weeks and months ahead I will help you understand in more detail what is expected and how to set yourself apart from the other candidates.

I will be presenting a FREE workshop on the Top Five Mistakes Students Make on their College Application Essays at each of the following libraries. (Pre-registration is strongly advised. Please call the library if you wish to attend) I am also available to speak at PTA meetings, JCC, etc....   

Sept 26 - Avon Public Library

Oct 6 –  National College Fair (Nassau Coliseum) 
Oct 9 –   My 55th BD….I’ll be under the bed, curled in the fetal position, crying.

Randy Levin is the ONLY college application essay expert asked to speak at the National College Fair- Nassau Coliseum – Oct 6th 2013. The vast majority of Randy’s clients are accepted to the Ivy League or other prestigious colleges. He has a MA in English and a MFA in Creative Writing. He is a published writer and was a high school English teacher in high achieving north shore Long Island school districts for close to ten years.  For FREE information, go to his website: WriteToCollege.com




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