<p>Hello,</p>
<p>I am a recent contributor here at CC and just finished helping a couple of my cousins come here to the US. As you know, the process to the colleges in America start at least 15 months in advance, when you take your first standardized testing exams and then the subject tests. You get to know that these exams aren't enough and nor the school exams have all the weightage, like in India, so you breath a sigh of relief that all your sports and co curricular activities you did in high school get some importance. But if doing it is important, then showing them to the admission committees is equally important. You need to make a solid case for yourself and to convince the adcoms that you will be a good addition to them. Each college has its needs and demands and it's well justified. The concern becomes bigger when internationals have less than 10% quota and the financial aid is given only to the creme de la creme. So, I come back to where I started from. You need to make a solid and convincing case for yourself.....</p>
<p>There are three thing that you absolutely have to nail - Scores, LORs+Activities and Essays. To the rising seniors, by the time you start the last year of high school, the only thing you have much control over is some part of Scores and the WHOLE of essays. I think that is enough of a hint about the amount of attention you need to put into your essays. Trust me when I say that it can turn the tables for your bad grades in 11th, that CR score on the SAT you could not nail and so on... </p>
<p>The essay prompts for the Common App are out. Start early, think hard enough about the topics, keep writing them.. JUST WRITE! you can care about the grammar later. </p>
<p>-The Common Application will retain the current set of first-year essay prompts for 2014-15, without any edits or additions. The essay length will continue to be capped at 650 words. The feedback received from member colleges and school counselors has been positive. The essay prompts will be reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that they continue to serve students and member colleges well.</p>
<p>The essay prompts are as follows:</p>
<p>1) Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.<br>
2) Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?
3) Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
4) Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
5) Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.</p>
<p>Also, please free to Private Message me for any questions and doubts or hit me up for essay help, too. Good luck!</p>
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