SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

Hayley Milliman

Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females.

Recent Posts

3 Tips for Writing Stellar UNC Chapel Hill Supplement Essays

If you're applying for admission to UNC Chapel Hill, you'll have to write a total of three essays as part of your application. Your UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays are a great way to tell the admissions committee more about yourself while also showing your interest in UNC and your dedication to your education.

In this article, we'll break down what the UNC essay prompts are, what you should talk about in each, and offer tips for writing great UNC supplemental essays.

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3 Top Tips for Writing Stellar Brown Supplemental Essays

Brown admits around 5% of its total applicant pool every year. If you want to be one of those admitted students, you'll need to write amazing Brown essays as part of your application.

In this article, we'll outline the different types of essays you need to write for your Brown University application and teach you how to write a Brown supplement essay that'll help you stand out from the thousands of other applicants.

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How to Write a Stand-Out "Why Columbia" Essay

 

One of the essays you'll have to write when applying to Columbia University is the "Why Columbia" essay. In this essay, you'll need to convince the admissions committee that Columbia is your dream school and that you'd be a great fit on the campus.

The "Why Columbia" essay question can be intimidating for students. You might be wondering: what should I mention in it? What does the admissions committee want to hear from me?

In this article, we'll break down the "Why Columbia" essay, explaining what the prompt asks and what the committee wants to hear. We'll also show you a real, successful "Why Columbia" essay example and explain why it works. Finally, we'll suggest potential topics for your essay and offer tips on how to write your own college admissions essays.

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4 Tips for Duke Essays That Will Get You Accepted

Do you want to be a Blue Devil? If so, you'll need to submit strong Duke essays as part of your application.

Duke requires its applicants to answer two essays, one as part of the Common or Coalition app, and one "Why Duke" essay. Students will also have the option to answer up to two more personal essay prompts, but they aren't required.

We're going to break down all the prompts for you and walk you though how to write amazing Duke supplement essays. So let's get started!

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3 Expert Tips for Tackling the UVA Essay Prompts

Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the University of Virginia boasts impressive academics, competitive sports team, and a long list of notable alumni. Though about 17,000 students attend UVA, the school has an admissions rate of 19%—meaning you'll have to work hard if you want to be a Cavalier.

One of the best ways to boost your chances of admissions is by writing great UVA essays as part of your application. In this article, we'll break down what the UVA essay prompts are and how you can write responses to each prompt that will make you stand out.

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How to Get Into NYU: 4 Key Tips to Build a Great Application

If you want to go to NYU, you'll need to make sure your application is strong enough to stand out from the crowd of other applicants. NYU's acceptance rate is falling every year, so you'll need all parts of your application to be competitive if you hope to be admitted to NYU.

In this article, we'll teach you everything you need to know to get into NYU. First, we'll talk about how hard it is to get into NYU in the first place, taking a look at the average test scores and grades of admitted applicants. Next, we'll discuss NYU's admissions requirements and essays. Finally, we'll give tips to teach you how to get into NYU.

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How to Get Into West Point: 3 Key Tips

Located in West Point, NY, West Point is also known as the United States Military Academy.

West Point is one of the most prestigious universities in the country and is extremely competitive to get into. It also has an in-depth application process with some unique requirements that you won't see at non-military colleges and universities.

In this article, we'll cover exactly how to get into West Point, from the test scores you should aim for to the logistical requirements of your application.

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4 Tips for a Standout "Why Yale" Essay

For students applying to Yale, the "Why Yale" essay may seem straightforward, but it can also be very intimidating due to its low word-count limit and the specific nature of the prompt.

You might be wondering what you can write to make sure your application stands out from the crowd...and gets you accepted!

In this article, we're going to:

  • Break down the "Why Yale" essay
  • Explain what the university is looking for in your response
  • Suggest topics to write about that'll help you make an impact
  • Give a "Why Yale Essay" sample to get inspiration from another student's answer

So let's dive in!

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3 Tips for Writing a Stellar Why Boston University Essay

If you're applying to Boston University, you'll need to respond to the Why Boston University essay prompt. The Why BU essay is a required element of your application and a great way to show the BU admissions committee why Boston University is the right fit for you, and vice versa.

In this article, we'll break down the Why Boston University essay prompt, give you ideas for what to talk about in your own essay, and offer tips for writing an essay that's sure to wow the admissions committee.

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4 Tips for Writing Stellar Virginia Tech Essays

Are you hoping to be part of Virginia Tech's next matriculating class? If so, you'll need to write strong Virginia Tech essays to supplement your application.

All Virginia Tech applicants are required to answer four short answer questions as part of their application. In this article, we'll break down what the Virginia Tech essays are and what the admissions committee is looking for in your answer.

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4 Tips to Write a Winning "Why Brown" Essay

Students who are applying to Brown have to answer the "Why Brown" essay question. This essay prompt asks students why they want to attend Brown and what they hope to contribute to Brown's unique community.

In this guide, we'll discuss what the "Why Brown" essay prompt is, why it exists, and how to answer it well. We'll also go over a real "Why Brown" essay example.

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3 Tips to Write Your Stanford Roommate Essay

Are you preparing your college application for Stanford University? If so, you've probably heard about the Stanford roommate essay, which you must complete as part of your application. The Stanford roommate essay is a unique essay that asks every applicant to write a letter to their future roommate.

In this article, we'll talk about what the Stanford roommate essay is, show several Stanford roommate essay examples, and offer tips for making your response stand out from the thousands of other Stanford applicants.

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How to Get Into MIT: 5 Expert Admissions Tips

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is one of the best schools in the world. If you want to be one of the few students accepted into MIT every year, you'll need to make sure your application is up to snuff.

In this article, we'll break down exactly how to get into MIT, from the test scores you need to the tips and tricks that'll help your application stand out.

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How to Get Into UCLA: 4 Key Tips

Are you hoping to get into UCLA? If so, this article will help you learn everything you need to know to become one of UCLA's accepted applicants this year.

We'll discuss how hard it is to get into UCLA, what UCLA is looking for in its students, the test scores and GPA you need to stand out from other applicants, and how to ace your UCLA essays.

 

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The Complete History of Hip Hop

Although widely synonymous with rap music today, hip-hop actually got its start as a full-on cultural movement in the 1970s. For the first few decades that the term was around, hip-hop wasn’t just about music: it also referred to art, style, dance, and philosophy.

In this article, we cover the full history of hip hop dance and music and include a helpful hip hop history timeline for reference.

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