It’s very difficult to stand out in a college application. Of course, it’s extremely important to have good grades, a high SAT/ACT score, and an impressive list of extracurriculars - but lots of students submit impressive applications that meet all of these criteria. The college essay is the only part of the application that gives you the chance to distinguish yourself from everyone else.

It’s one of the most popular college essay prompts students respond to, and it may even be the classic college essay topic. If you do it well, you can really distinguish yourself from other applicants, but if you do it poorly, you will probably be placed at the bottom of the pile. In today’s post, we will reveal three big mistakes students make in writing the “Overcoming Challenges” college essay, and in each case, we’ll explain what you should do instead.

Let’s begin with the prompt itself, which you should read multiple times: “The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?”

We’re a small company that works one-on-one with students on their college essays, and every single one of our tutors not only holds a PhD from a top institution but has also published a book with a prestigious university press. And even though each one of us has a decade of experience working with students on their college essays (not to mention many years teaching in top colleges), it’s always challenging to help new applicants come up with a college essay that will really stand out.

After reviewing college essays for many years, we strongly believe that Common App prompt #7 is the single worst college essay prompt for most applicants. You may be tempted to think that because the prompt gives you a lot of freedom, it will allow you to express yourself and stand out more - but it usually ends up doing the opposite. Here are three big reasons we urge you to select one of the other prompts when you write your college essay.

So you’ve followed our advice and written a stellar college essay, and now you’ve gotten to the supplementals. The most popular prompt you’ll have to answer is: “Why do you want to attend our college?” 

A college essay tutor is the last qualified person to read your essay before it goes to admissions officers, and they won’t be doing you a service if they act like you’re ready to submit when you’re not. If you know what to expect, working with a college essay tutor can be extremely helpful and, we hope, enjoyable! Here are three reasons why you should seek out a college essay tutor who’s direct with you:

If you’re applying to college this year, you may be worried that you’ll avoid working on your college essays until the last moment, when it’s too late to write something impactful. This is an affliction known as “college essay procrastination,” and it’s extremely common among high school seniors. We understand why! Writing is challenging in the best of circumstances, but now you have to come up with a compelling essay that will play a large part in determining where you go to college. It’s no wonder students get freaked out and have trouble getting started.

That’s why we’ve assembled three of the most effective tips we recommend for our students. Each one covers a different part of the college essay process.

When you apply to college, you submit your test scores, your GPA, and your extracurriculars list - and the whole aim is to excel. Did you nail the SAT? Did you get good grades at school? Did you participate in enough extracurriculars?

But the college essay is different. The aim here isn’t to excel or boast about your achievements; it’s to tell a unique story. That’s why the single most important piece of advice anyone can give you when it comes to college essay writing is to avoid clichés. You may have a great GPA and SAT, but if your college essay sounds just like everyone else’s, the college admissions officer reading your file will immediately lose interest. If you’re wondering, “how can I make my college essay stand out?” check out our three top tips.