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How to Write a Strong Common App Essay That Stands Out

I’ve read thousands of college essays. Not an exaggeration. When you spend years helping students navigate the Common Application, you start to see patterns. Most of them are forgettable. Some are genuinely moving. A handful make you stop and reread them because something in the voice feels real, urgent, necessary. The difference isn’t always about … Read moreHow to Write a Strong Common App Essay That Stands Out

How to Write a Short Story Title Properly Within an Academic Essay

I’ve spent the better part of a decade wrestling with titles in academic writing, and I can tell you that most students get this wrong. Not catastrophically wrong, but wrong enough that it signals a lack of attention to detail. When you’re embedding a short story title into an essay–whether you’re analyzing Flannery O’Connor’s “A … Read moreHow to Write a Short Story Title Properly Within an Academic Essay

Essay Headings – Small Detail and Huge Impact on Your Grade

I spent three years grading essays before I realized I was doing it wrong. Not the feedback part–that came naturally enough. The wrong part was how I weighted everything. I’d spend forty-five minutes dissecting a student’s argument, circling weak transitions, questioning their evidence, only to hand back a paper with a B+ when the heading … Read moreEssay Headings – Small Detail and Huge Impact on Your Grade

How do I write a strong claim in an opinion essay?

I’ve spent enough time reading mediocre opinion essays to know exactly what kills them before they even get started. It’s not bad grammar or weak evidence. It’s a claim that doesn’t actually claim anything. I’m talking about those wishy-washy statements that sound important but crumble the moment someone pushes back. You know the ones: “Social … Read moreHow do I write a strong claim in an opinion essay?

What Defines a Deep Character Analysis?

I’ve spent the better part of a decade reading literature, writing about it, and arguing with people in coffee shops about what makes a character feel real. The thing nobody tells you is that character analysis isn’t about listing traits or summarizing a plot. It’s about excavation. It’s about finding the contradictions that make someone … Read moreWhat Defines a Deep Character Analysis?

What is the best way to write an academic essay outline?

I’ve spent the better part of a decade reading student essays, grading them, and watching people panic about how to organize their thoughts before they even start writing. The outline is where most students stumble, not because they lack intelligence, but because nobody really teaches them how to think about structure in a way that … Read moreWhat is the best way to write an academic essay outline?

Writing a Conclusion Paragraph for an Argumentative Essay

I’ve spent the better part of a decade reading student essays, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that most people get the conclusion wrong. They treat it as an afterthought, a place to summarize what they’ve already said, or worse, a dumping ground for new ideas they forgot to include earlier. The conclusion … Read moreWriting a Conclusion Paragraph for an Argumentative Essay

Ways to Improve and Strengthen Your Essay Writing Skills

I’ve spent the better part of a decade reading student essays, and I can tell you something that most writing guides won’t admit: most people know what good writing looks like. They just don’t know how to produce it consistently. The gap between recognition and execution is where most writers get stuck, and I was … Read moreWays to Improve and Strengthen Your Essay Writing Skills

What Each Paragraph Should Include in a Media Analysis Essay

I’ve read hundreds of media analysis essays. Some were brilliant. Most were forgettable. The difference wasn’t always intelligence or writing ability. It was structure. Students often knew what they wanted to say but didn’t know how to organize it into paragraphs that actually worked. They’d throw observations together without a clear purpose, and the whole … Read moreWhat Each Paragraph Should Include in a Media Analysis Essay