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Guides

Guides for the parts of applying to college that take real thought

Most of the application is logistics: deadlines, forms, fee waivers, score reports. The parts that take real thought are narrower. Which schools belong on your list, and what you write your essays about. That is what these guides cover. They are written by a college counselor who does this work with students every year. We will not write your essay for you, and we will not hand you the one right answer, because there usually isn't one.

How we handle facts

Requirements, deadlines, and prompt wording come from the source: the Common App, the colleges themselves, and the testing organizations. These change year to year, so every guide shows when it was last updated. Statistics are attributed to a named source or left out. If a guide gets something wrong, tell us at our contact page and we will fix it.

These guides are general. They do not know your grades, your budget, or your list. For advice built around your situation, talk to your school counselor.

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