Writing the college application essay is a tough gig. You've got to be charming, personal, memorable, and insightful--all in under two pages! But I'm going to tell you a secret: half of a great personal essay is a great topic idea. If you're passionate about what you're writing, and if you're truly documenting something meaningful and serious about yourself and your life, then that passion and meaning will come alive on the page and in the mind of your reader.

So how do you come up with an essay idea? The best way is to brainstorm your way to an event from your life that reveals a core truth about you. In this article, I will help you do just that. Keep reading to find 35 jumping off points that touch on every possible memory you could harness, as well as advice on how to use your brainstorming session to fully realize your idea for an essay topic.

The College of William and Mary in Virginia is the second oldest university in the country, and it's consistently ranked in the top colleges in the nation. Their acceptance rate reflects that: every year, only 36% of students who apply are admitted.

That means that if you're interested in applying to William and Mary, you'll want your application to shine. Simply having good grades and test scores isn't enough on its own—in fact, 75% of accepted William and Mary students were in the top 10% of their high school class.

This is where the optional William and Mary essay comes in. This is your chance to make your application stand out! So what is this optional essay, and how optional is it? This article will tell you everything you need to know about the William and Mary supplement essay, including:

• Explaining the William and Mary supplemental essay prompt
• Walking you through how to answer the prompt
• Going over what admissions counselors are looking for in an excellent supplemental essay

We have a lot to cover, so let's get started!

Many high schoolers have heard of the Princeton Review ACT prep books, including Cracking the ACT. But is Cracking the ACT the right ACT prep book for you? To help you figure that out, we’ve put together a comprehensive review of Cracking the ACT. 

To help you get a sense of what’s covered in Cracking the ACT and how it can improve your ACT score, we will: 

• Explain what Cracking the ACT covers, and where to find copies of the book
• Summarize each section of the book, focusing on the ACT topics and test taking strategies they discuss 
• Assess the book’s strengths and weaknesses 
• Explain how to decide if Cracking the ACT is right for you.

Now, let’s take a closer look!

Barron’s is a well-known provider of test preparation resources, and their ACT prep book, Barron’s ACT 36 4th Edition, is a go-to resource for students taking the ACT.

But just because a study guide is popular doesn’t mean it’s the best one for you! If you want to get the most out of your ACT study time, then you need to make sure you’re selecting the right ACT guidebook for the job. 

That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive review of Barron’s ACT 36. This article will provide a full rundown of the book, including explaining:

• What Barron’s ACT 36 is
• What content is covered in the book, chapter by chapter 
• The Seven pros and cons of the book
• How to decide if you would benefit from using Barron’s ACT 36 for test prep

Let’s get started!

Are you taking the AP Calculus AB exam this spring and want to be well prepared on test day? The AP Calculus AB exam in 2025 will be held on Monday, May 12, at 8 am.

Before you sit down to take the exam, though, it's critical that you know how the Calculus AB test is formatted, what topics it covers, and how you'll be scored on it. This guide will go over all of that information while also showing you official sample problems and giving you tips on the best way to prepare for AP Calculus AB.

The AP Calculus AB exam can sometimes seem overwhelming, but we're here to break it down into clear and manageable information for you. You can also check out the College Board's new AP Classroom tool for AP Calculus AB, which has additional resources and information. Let's get started!

Kaplan is a well-known name in the test prep industry, but does that mean its ACT materials are good? The ACT prep book you choose can mean the difference between reaching your goal score or not, so you want to use a book that's right for you. Kaplan's materials are known for helping students (particularly lower-scoring students) learn the content they need to do well on the ACT, as well as preparing them for the exam's format and question types. However, there are other areas where they're not as strong.

This Kaplan ACT book review explains what Kaplan's ACT book, ACT Prep Plus 2021, includes, what its strengths and weaknesses are, and who the book is right for (and who will be wasting their time reading it).

The ACT Black Book is a popular ACT prep guide, but because it lacks the name recognition of large test prep companies like Princeton Review and Barron's, many people aren't sure if it's worth purchasing. The ACT Black Book is great for clever strategies to answer questions, but it's not as strong in other areas. So is it right for you, and what should you use the ACT Black Book for? In this in-depth ACT Black Book review, we explain what the book includes, its pros and cons, and who should buy it. Let's dive in!

Have you been told you need to take a computer-based ACT or heard that some people take the ACT on a computer and want to know if it's an option for you? Who is allowed to take ACT computer-based testing, and who is stuck still making sure they have a #2 pencil on test day? We answer all your questions about computer-based ACTs in this guide, including if taking a computer-based ACT will give you a higher or lower score than a paper test, why computer-based ACT is being offered, and how you can prepare for this new version of the test. 

As a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, the ACT has cancelled numerous test dates in 2020, including the March, April, and May (and some June) ACT exams. They've also closed some testing centers for the July 18th test date, so not all students will be able to take their scheduled exams at that time, either.

If you're impacted by this ACT test date cancellation, you're probably wondering what's next. Our experts are answering all of your frequently asked questions below.

ACT and SAT dates in March, April, May, and June 2020 have been canceled due to COVID-19. Some (but not all!) testing sites have also been closed in July, which means some students may be unable to take their July ACT exam, either.

If you've been caught in these cancellations, you're probably feeling pretty stressed out. When will you get to retake your test? And is there a special process for registering for the SAT after cancellation?

If these unknowns have left you feeling confused about how to handle ACT/SAT score requirements for your college applications, let us help you out. In this article, we'll walk you through what to do after your SAT or ACT test has canceled. We'll explain:

• How to transfer your registration for a canceled exam
• How to cancel your registration if you don't want to move your exam date
• If there are special accommodations for certain groups of students
• How to choose the right option for you

We'll also go over the available next steps for students who haven't taken the ACT/SAT yet but want to enroll in college in Fall 2020.

We know there can be a lot of anxiety surrounding test scores, but rest assured — you have options!

Public school districts across the U.S. made the difficult decision to end the Spring 2020 semester early due to the challenges of distance learning imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. For safety reasons, some schools are considering the option of pushing back the start date of the Fall 2020 semester and/or moving fall classes online. 

Both of these choices mean that many students will have a much longer summer break than usual, which has caused parents, students, and educators to ask: How will a longer break from formal education affect students’ learning? 

This article tackles this question by explaining how an extended break from education can negatively affect students’ learning over time. To help students and parents combat the negative effects of extra summer vacation, this article also provides: 

• Five resources for bridging the gap in learning this summer
• Four tips for students who want to continue their education independently, and
• Three tips to help parents support summer learning till school’s back in session

There’s a lot to talk about, so let’s get started. 

College students are eagerly awaiting an answer to the question, “What’s going to happen on college campuses this fall because of coronavirus?” Although colleges and universities are working hard to plan for the fall semester, the truth is that most universities haven’t finalized their COVID-19 policies for the fall. 

While what happens with college this fall is out of your hands, we’re starting to get a sense for the possible changes to college life students can expect. 

In this article, we’ll go over six ways college may be different in Fall 2020. We’ll also help you assess how these changes could impact your life and help you figure out how to tackle these challenges! 

So let’s dive in. 

With so many aspects of the college application and admissions process being postponed, reformatted, or cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many students who plan to apply to college in Fall 2021 are wondering if getting into college will be easier or more difficult during the next year. 

To help you understand the possible advantages of the 2021/2022 college admissions situation, we’ll cover the following in this article:

• Explaining the most important changes to college admissions 
• Analyzing the aspects of the 2021/2022 college admissions process that may make it easier to get into college 
• Five tips for applying to college during the 2021/2022 admissions cycle

Let’s jump in! 

High school students have been dealt a lot of curveballs with the coronavirus pandemic and transition to e-learning. If the spring (and potentially fall) 2020 semester haven't gone quite the way you wanted, the Common Application is giving you the opportunity to address that in an optional essay. This guide will cover everything you need to know about the Common App COVID essay, including why it was added, what the actual prompt is, if it's a good idea for you to answer it, and what you should and shouldn't include in your response.

The Coalition Application can make applying to colleges much fast and easier, but only if you know how to use it. In this in-depth guide to the Coalition Application, we explain every part of the website you should know, what the best strategies are for using it, and how to decide if you should make use of the Coalition Application during your college application process.