An introduction to the application process, including its challenges and secrets. A perfect primer on why the college essay matters and what role it plays in the overall application process.

Every year the Common Application assigns a variety of essay prompts that can seem impossible to answer at first glance. This chapter provides an overview of the 2015 essay prompts, providing helpful clues on what these questions are really asking you.

Okay, so you understand what the college essay is asking for, but how do you find that magic essay topic? These brainstorming tactics will help you unearth your most compelling subjects.

Is anything more daunting than the empty page? Follow our killer freewriting process to get your raw ideas out of your brain and into a working document. Then learn how to identify the “patterns” and “gems” and organize your thoughts.

With your fistful of freewrites in hand, you are ready to begin sculpting your words and ideas into a compelling and cohesive story. This chapter will show you how to craft a gripping narrative and fill it with meaningful details.

How can you make sure that first draft is transformed into a mind-blowingly memorable essay? Refine your work to perfection with these essential techniques for editing, proofreading, and placing the final polish on your essay.

Just when you thought you were done with admissions essays forever… the supplemental gremlins attack! Don’t let them get you! Organize and conquer them systematically with these lethally awesome strategies.

There may be a hearty few who are immune to the stresses inherent in the application process, but those people are rare – and may very well be modern evolutionary miracles. Learn how to manage your mindset during the essay writing process so you can perform at your very best.

Every so often it can be helpful to peek at a few exemplary admissions essays. We share excerpts from some of our favorite college essays from years past.

You did it. You are an essay master. As a memento of our time together, we leave you with a series of tips that will help you distill all you’ve learned so you can stay the course on your path to essay success.

There's a new application platform in town for the 2016-17 application cycle – and it comes with its own set of five prompts! This special edition, bonus episode will cover what this new platform even is, how to address the essay questions, and where they overlap with the Common App prompts.