The 2024-25 Common App Essay Prompts are Available!

As we head into summer, now is the time for rising high school seniors to start seriously thinking about their Personal Statement for the Common Application, the cornerstone of their college applications!

This year’s prompts will be the same as last year’s, and the optional community disruption question (formerly known as the COVID-19 Prompt) remains available to those students who would like to additionally provide a brief explanation of extenuating circumstances they may have faced during their high school career.

2024-25 Common App Personal Statement Prompts

  1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

  2. 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?

  3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

  4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

  5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

  6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

  7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

All essay prompts have a 650 word maximum.

See: https://www.commonapp.org/blog/common-app-announces-2024-2025-common-app-essay-prompts

© 2024

Heads Up: the 2021-22 Common App Essay Prompts are Available!

You can begin thinking about your application essay for the 2021-22 application season. The Common Application Essay prompts have been released!

The prompts consist of 7 choices and will remain the same with one exception. The problem solving prompt has been replaced with a gratitude/thankfulness prompt (see # 4 below) which focuses on the positive influence of others in your life. Each essay response remains capped at 650 words.

Additionally, an optional COVID 19 prompt (in the Additional Information Section) has been retained.

2021-2022 Common Application Essay Prompts:

  1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

  2. 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?

  3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

  4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

  5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

  6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

  7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

    See: https://www.commonapp.org/blog/2021-2022-common-app-essay-prompts

    ©2021

COVID-19 question on 2020-21 Common and Coalition Applications

Both the Common and Coalition Applications have included an optional question for applicants to discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their lives, both personally and educationally. As the Common Application Board has stated, “Our goal is to reduce anxiety for applicants affected by these events and provide them with a way to share their experience with colleges and universities.” The Board noted that they want to provide colleges with information they need while giving students the option of answering a COVID-19 question only once so that they can use the rest of their application to share their interests and perspectives beyond COVID-19.

 Here is the question applicants will see on the Common Application:                                                                                  

“Community disruptions such as COVID-19 and natural disasters can have deep and long-lasting impacts. If you need it, this space is yours to describe those impacts. Colleges care about the effects on your health and well-being, safety, family circumstances, future plans, and education, including access to reliable technology and quiet study spaces.

  • Do you wish to share anything on this topic? Y/N

  • Please use this space (up to 250 words) to describe how these events have impacted you.”

The question will appear in the Additional Information section of the application, and be accompanied by a more detailed FAQ to help students consider the kinds of impacts they may wish to report, including illness and loss, housing and employment disruptions, and shifting family obligations.  See: https://www.commonapp.org/blog/COVID-19-question-common-app and https://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/news-announcements/coalition-adds-application-question-to-help-students-and-counselors-address-the-pandemic

©2020

VIRTUAL COLLEGE FAIR April 23, 2020

On April 23, you can attend an online college fair to help you connect with top schools around the country -- without needing to leave your house.

Tune in to two panel discussions:

  • “Tips on Creating Your College List”

  • “Behind the Scenes: How Admissions Decisions Are Made”

And drop into virtual rooms where admissions officers from more than 40 schools will share information about their college and answer your questions, live.

Learn more and register for this free event, recommended for students in grades 9-11.

The event is hosted by the Coalition for College and features schools that meet the organization's affordability and student success criteria, making them smart college choices.

©2020

ALERT: 2020-2021 Application Season will Emphasize the Essay

Many more colleges and universities will be going test optional for the 2020-2021 application season because the pandemic has required suspension of SAT and ACT testing.

See https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/04/10/sat-act-2021-coronavirus/?utm_campaign=wp_to_your_health&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_tyh&wpmk=1

 (For a comprehensive list of schools which are already test optional, see www.fairtest.org.)

 What does this mean for students?  The essay will become critical to admissions.

 Don’t panic, we’re here to help.

In addition to offering remote individual tutoring and group workshops on essay writing, application-to-offer will be offering a free 2-part Zoom Workshop (6/11 and 6/16,/2020) on the how to’s of the application essay: brainstorming, outlining and writing. For more details, check our Wkshp/Lectures tab.

© 2020

Time to Begin Thinking About the Essay

The Common App and Coalition App Essay prompts will remain the same for the 2020-21 application season. See https://appsupport.commonapp.org/applicantsupport/s/article/What-are-the-2020-2021-Common-Application-essay-prompts / http://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/essays.html

We’ve provided them below for your convenience.

If you’re a junior, take some time to read through them and begin thinking about which prompt might be a good fit for you.  Keep in mind that your essay should highlight something of importance about yourself that you wish to share with the admission committee.

 Normally, we advise juniors to postpone their essay drafting until the summer before senior year. But given the pandemic and the fact many high school programs are temporarily suspended, students may benefit from not only beginning the thinking process early but starting their drafting process earlier as well.

 Need some help?  Application-to-offer offers both individual and group remote tutoring. If interested in learning more, please contact us through the “Contact” tab.

 

2020-2021 ESSAY PROMPTS

The 2020-2021 Common Application Essay Prompts:

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

2. 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?

3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

 2020-2021      Coalition Application Essay Prompts (recommended length:  500 words):

1.Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

2.Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.

3.Has there been a time when you’ve had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs?

4.What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What’s the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?

5.Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.

© 2020

It's the Essay, Silly!

Recent college admission scandals highlight a misunderstanding of the admission process. Too often students and parents focus on test scores and GPA while ignoring the importance of the essays. While your stats count, the effect of a low test score or poor academic performance can be minimized with a strong essay. In fact, more and more colleges and universities have abandoned test scores altogether (www.fairtest.org), placing even greater emphasis on the application essay.

Here at application-to-offer, we have seen firsthand the power of the essay. Students who lack the scores and /or GPA to satisfy admission requirements at their top schools, still receive an offer because of the strength of their essay and overall application.

The bottomline: it’s worth investing the time and effort in your essay.

© 2019

Why Safety Schools Matter

As you put together your list of prospective schools, don’t overlook a safety school. In fact, your choice of a safety school should be a high priority.

 Why?

There are several reasons:

1.      A safety school helps insure you have choices about where you attend school.  By definition, safeties are schools where admission is likely or, more technically, where you exceed the admission requirements (your GPA and test scores exceed those of the typical admitted freshman).  By contrast, admission to your mid-range and reach schools will be less certain.

2.     Your safety school may offer you attractive merit and/or financial aid because of your strong academic qualifications. This offer not only makes attendance attractive but it can sometimes be a powerful bargaining chip for increasing your award at other schools that have made you an offer with a less attractive aid package.

3.     Attending a safety school with strong academic qualifications may allow you to more easily rise to the top of your class as compared with a more competitive and selective school. Graduating college with a high GPA can make you more competitive for grad school admission -- which places emphasis on your collegiate performance.

 So, be thoughtful about your safety.  Take the time to select a school that you would like to attend and don’t be too quick to dismiss the acceptance offer.

© 2019

 

Be a Strategic Essay Writer with a New Common App Feature

A new feature on the Common Application allows students to view, in advance, the specific writing prompts for their schools.

 Why the buzz about this new feature?

 Well… accessing the writing prompts early on, allows students to work and write efficiently with their limited time.  Once students have viewed all the writing prompts, it’s worthwhile to separately collect and organize the prompts by school, deadline and importance. This exercise has several benefits:

1.     It provides students with a clear picture of all the writing required during the application season, helping with time management.

2.     It enables students to be strategic writers by drafting essays which can be easily recycled or modified for multiple schools. :)

 To learn more about this Common App feature:

https://appsupport.commonapp.org/applicantsupport/s/writing-requirements

© 2018

 

The 2018-19 Essay Prompts are Available!

If you’re a junior, you can get ahead in the college application game by beginning to think about your essay for the Common Application or Coalition Application. Both sets of essay prompts are available now and remain unchanged from last year’s prompts.

The essay can be especially challenging because, among other obstacles, it is difficult for students to decide on an essay topic.

Remember, the KEY to a powerful essay idea is sharing something of importance about yourself with the admission committee (e.g. your talents, passion, curiosity, inspiration, growth).  As the Common Application Essay Instructions state: "What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores?"

So review the prompts and begin thinking…

2018-2019 Common Application Essay Prompts (650 word limit)

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

2. 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?

3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.   http://www.commonapp.org/whats-appening/application-updates/2018-2019-common-application-essay-prompts

2018-2019 Coalition Essay Prompts (suggested limit: 550 words)

1.  Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

2.  Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.

3.  Has there been a time when you’ve had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs?

4.  What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What’s the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?

5.  Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.  http://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/essays.html

 © 2018

What do Chicken Tenders, Curly Hair and Jazz have in common?

What do Chicken Tenders, Curly Hair and Jazz have in common? These are all topics used successfully in college application essays.

What is the best topic for your essay?

That’s a trick question. As the above illustrates, any topic – no matter how ordinary -- can result in a winning essay.  The key is to use an experience, anecdote, person, place or thing to convey your important qualities (e.g. passion, talent, growth, goals) to the admissions committee.

So stop searching for the “perfect” or “most amazing topic” and instead focus on how best to communicate your qualities through your essay writing.

© 2017

2017-18 Common Application Essay Prompts Released: Let the Thinking Begin

If you're a junior, it's not too early to begin thinking about ideas for your application essay.  For most students, figuring out what to write about is the most challenging part of the application process.

The Common Application has just released the essay prompts for the 2017-18 application season. The essay prompts have changed somewhat to provide students with more flexibility. Several of the existing prompts have been broadened in scope with 2 new prompts added. There are now 7 essay choices flexible enough to accommodate any idea.

Remember, the KEY to a powerful essay idea is sharing something of importance about yourself with the admission committee (e.g. your talents, passion, curiosity, inspiration, growth).  As the Common Application Essay Instructions state: "What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores?"

So take a peek at the prompts below and let the thinking begin ...

2017-2018 Common Application Essay Prompts (650 word limit)

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. [No change]

2. 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? [Revised]

3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? [Revised]

4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution. [No change]

5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. [Revised]

6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more? [New]

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design. [New ]
https://www.commonapp.org/whats-appening/application-updates/common-application-announces-2017-2018-essay-prompts

© 2017

Consider the Alumni Network

Whether you are a soon-to-be high school senior hunting for prospective colleges or a soon-to-be high school graduate weighing different college offers, be sure to consider the alumni factor in your decision-making.

Many college alum like to give back to their institution not only through financial support but also through personal connection with undergraduates. This connection can be a valuable resource for students in several ways:

1.  Mentorship.  Alumni can serve as advisors about career paths during and after the college years.

2.  Summer Internships.  Alumni may offer internships or open doors to internships within their own or related organizations.

3. Employment Post-Graduation. Alumni can play a helpful role in employment at their organizations by flagging your resume and/or facilitating interviews and hiring decisions. They may also be able to provide contacts at other organizations of interest.

How do you evaluate the strength of the alumni network?                                                              

Many research groups have attempted to assess the relative strengths of college and university alumni networks by considering an array of factors including:

  • alumni donations as a proxy of alumni satisfaction and willingness to help.
  • number of high-earning alumni as an indicator of the "power" of the alumni connection. 
  • size of the college or university as a measure of networking opportunities. (The idea is that a larger alumni pool will offer greater networking opportunities and, more specifically, a greater number of contacts in your geographic area.)   

See The 50 Most Powerful Alumni Networks, www.bestcollegevalues.org/top-alumni-networks/; Best Alumni Network, www.princetonreview.com; www.Alumnifactor.com; 25 Colleges with alumni who will jump-start your career, www.businessinsider.com; Payscale.com/college-salary-report/alumni-earnings-bachelors-only-versus-all-grads

How accessible is the alumni network?                                                                                                

This is a question worth asking the college or university.  Some schools provide undergraduates with direct access to the alumni database.  Other institutions restrict student access to the database but provide school sponsored student-alumni networking events as well as providing undergraduates with linked in groups that allow students to connect with alumni online.  Still other institutions may not provide any opportunities for undergraduate-alumni contact.    

© 2016

 

In Search of the Elusive Scholarship

As high school seniors progress in their essay drafting, and see the light at the end of their application tunnel, they can begin to shift their focus to other equally important tasks, namely, scholarships.

Students should consider participating in a new pilot scholarship program launched by the Common Application Board.  This program, the “Scholar Snapp” website (www.ScholarSnapp.org), allows students to receive information about scholarship opportunities that match students’ skills and strengths.  For more information see: http://www.commonapp.org/whats-appening/news/common-application-collaborates-michael-susan-dell-foundation-increase-access   

© 2015

Let the Essay Writing Begin...

If you’re a rising senior, it’s not too early to begin work on your college application essays.  The Common Application (used by over 500 colleges and universities across the country) released the 2015-16 essays prompts back in March, and the application will be online by August 1, 2015.

Pondering the essay prompts now and drafting possible responses can make the application process go more smoothly.  Why? Because essay writing demands considerable time.  It is challenging to decide which prompt to answer and what to discuss. Remember, the key to successful essays and applications is to share some of your important and defining qualities with the admissions committee.

Here are the essay prompts, so start thinking, outlining and drafting…  

i.  Defining Background, Identity, Interest, Talent -- Some students have a background, identity, interest or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it.  If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

ii.  Failure and Lessons Learned –- The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident/time when you experienced failure.  How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?

iii.  Challenging An Idea/Belief -- Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea.  What prompted you to act?  Would you make the same decision again?          

iv.  Problem Solving Something of Personal Importance -- Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you would like to solve.  It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma --  anything that is of personal importance to you no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

v.  Accomplishment/Event Marking Transition to Adulthood -- Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

Students must select one of the five essay prompts. The length of the essay is between 250- 650 words. This year, participating schools can elect not to require the Common Application Essay but students still retain the option to submit the essay.  I always recommend to my students that they write optional essays because the essays “put a face” on applications and are typically students’ only opportunity to directly address the admissions committee.

(See http://blog.commonapp.org/2015/03/31/2015-2016-essay-prompts/ )

© 2015

Summer College Application "To Do's"

Rising seniors who spend time working on college applications this summer, will be glad they did so in the fall.  What should be on the summer "to do" list?

1.  Prepare an Academic and Activities Resume.  The resume consolidates information on activities, honors, awards, leadership and community service experience needed for the fill in portion of the college application.  Also, the resume can be a source of ideas for the application essay.  It is a good idea to provide teachers and guidance counselors, preparing recommendations, with copies of this resume because it provides a more complete "picture" of the student.

2.  Register for and begin the Common Application.  Over 500 schools participate in the Common Application. Students who will be applying to member schools can start their applications now.  Starting early allows applicants to complete the sections in a thoughtful manner.  It is not necessary to complete the entire application in one sitting.   You can save your entries and return to the application at a later time and with a fresh eye.

3.  Draft the Core Essay.  The Common Application essay questions are available now.  School supplemental essays, as well as other application essays, are typically released in August.  Don't procrastinate and leave all the writing to the fall, when there are competing demands of homework and extracurricular activities. Start brainstorming ideas, outlining and drafting.  Completing the core essay is a big accomplishment and greases the wheels for the remaining essays. 

4.  Visit and/or Research Colleges and Universities.  If you haven't finalized your list of prospective schools, continue to research and visit colleges. Make sure the list of schools you will be applying to is "balanced", reflecting a mix of reach, mid range and safety schools.

© 2014

College Application "To Do's" for High School Juniors Before Summer

It's the home stretch of the high school year.  Junior students are preoccupied with final projects and exams.  It is easy to overlook some important to do's regarding the upcoming college application season:

1.  Teacher Recommendations.  Before school concludes students should approach 2 teachers in core academic subjects about writing college recommendations.  Many teachers set limits on the number of student recommendations they will write.  For this reason, obtaining teacher commitments before the fall of senior year can make a difference.  Students do not need to have a list of schools yet -- that information can be provided in the fall or as soon as it is available.  However, it is helpful to provide your recommenders with an activities resume and statement of career goals or areas of future study.  This allows teachers to write in greater depth and specificity about the student. 

Be strategic about which teachers are asked to write the recommendations. Most schools prefer teachers from the core subjects.  It is also helpful to ask teachers who are familiar with the student's writing ability because recommenders are often required to evaluate that skill on the recommendation form.  Finally, it is useful for admission committees to have recommendations from teachers who will speak to different strengths of the applicant.

2.  Testing.  It is also a good time to think about registering for ACT and SAT exams.  Exam dates are available in June, with late registration still available.  Additionally, students contemplating applying to the highly competitive schools should consider registering for SAT Subject Matter Tests.  Several of the highly selective schools require these exams for admission.  It is advisable to check the college website for specific requirements. If a student has to prepare for a high school final in a subject covered by the SAT Subject Matter Test, oftentimes it is not much more work to prep for the hour long Subject Matter Test.

© 2014

Accepting an Offer

This is a challenging time of year for high school seniors.  The high school experience is coming to a close.  Seniors will soon receive college admission decisions, and must begin evaluating and comparing schools from which they have received offers.

While financial considerations will be a factor, here are some additional considerations for students as they undertake the decision process with their parents:

  • Campus Visits.  When possible, a first or even second campus visit can be enlightening.  Many colleges offer prospective students the opportunity to spend a night or weekend at their school and shadow an undergraduate.  These opportunities can provide a more accurate picture of the college experience than a college tour.  In fact, I know of several instances where prospective students have discovered, after a weekend on campus, that their top schools were not a "best fit".
  • Student Satisfaction.  One way to assess student satisfaction at a particular college is by contacting current students or recent graduates and directly asking about their college experience.  There are also student satisfaction survey results available online which can shed light on this topic (e.g. Unigo.com, U-CAN.com).  Additionally, college reference guides such as Insider's Guide to Colleges, offer the student perspective.  Other worthwhile resources include the Student College Report, a product of the National Survey of Student Engagement, produced by Indiana University.  This report compiles survey information from over 600 colleges and universities on the quality of the student educational experience.  Participating schools often make their survey results available through their admissions offices.
  • School Profiles.  Profiles are loaded with information relevant to the college decision.  For example, statistics such as "Graduation Rate"  and "Years to Graduate" can reflect the accessibility of required courses and affect your total tuition costs.  Also "Retention Rate", a school's ability to keep its students enrolled, can be an indicator of student satisfaction.  Low retention rates should raise a red flag.  An excellent source of school profile information can be found at College Navigator, the National Center for Education Statistics website (nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/).  See also College Results Online (www.collegeresults.org).  Though more difficult to evaluate, it is also worthwhile to consider the strength of a school's alumni network. The level of alumni participation can often reflect alumni satisfaction with their college experience.  Additionally, alumni networks can be a useful resource for future employment.  There are websites that, for a fee, attempt to quantify this information for individual colleges.
  • Advising Systems.  It is also important to closely examine the academic support systems offered by a college, especially the academic advising system.  Some schools provide undergraduates with an advising team consisting of an academic advisor, freshman advisor and student mentor.  The availability of a strong system can be critical to student success -- especially at larger institutions where there may be less student-faculty interaction.

Choosing a college is a big decision and one that should be thoughtful.  Once you've made your decision, embrace it and celebrate!  Ultimately, the true test of fit will come once you've set foot on campus as a new student.

© 2014