Caroline Koppelman
Official Common App Essay Guide 2025-2026

We’ve spent the past few weeks breaking down each Common App essay prompt one by one, and now it’s time for the grand finale: our ultimate guide to writing the Common App essay. Sure, there are seven different prompts, but at the end of the day, every school is looking for the same thing: a story.

Caroline Koppelman
How to Write Common App Essay Prompt 7: Example ...

We’ve been waiting for this one: it’s finally time to dig into Prompt #7, the crown jewel of the Common App essay prompts.

Caroline Koppelman
Ultimate Guide to Letters of Continued Interest ...

Getting waitlisted or deferred from your dream school is hard. We know it’s hard! You feel rejected, but it’s this weird non-rejection rejection that can leave you feeling lost and confused. And while a lot of things in college admissions are totally out of your control, there is something you can do if you’ve been waitlisted or deferred to give yourself another chance. A letter of continued interest, sometimes known as a waitlist letter or deferral letter, is one of the few, actionable things you can control when admissions decisions seem so out of your control. It’s your only chance to make a good second impression, and we help students write them every single year.

Caroline Koppelman
Ultimate Guide to Getting Waitlisted 2025

Getting waitlisted is the ultimate limbo – it’s not not a rejection, but it’s not a full-on denial, either. And depending on your circumstances, you could be feeling everything from mild disappointment to full-on panic. Don’t get yourself into a tizzy just yet, because there are things you can do to give yourself a shot at getting off the waitlist and make sure that you have a plan in place for the next year.

Caroline Koppelman
Best Early Decision II (ED2) Schools 2024-2025

Hey, look, sometimes ED doesn’t work out the way we want it to, and we have to change strategies. If you just got rejected or deferred from your ED/EA option, we’d like to introduce you to our good friend, Early Decision 2. ED2 is just as binding as ED, and it signals to the school that you are serious about attending that school, and guess what? Schools like when you’re serious about them.

Deferred Early Decision by Duke 2025-2026

Let’s be honest: a deferral isn’t what you were hoping for. You shot your shot with Duke, and now you're in the uneasy limbo of “maybe later.” It’s not a no, but it’s definitely not the early and easy “yes” you envisioned. If you’re feeling disappointed, that’s completely fair. Take a moment. Be mad. Be sad. Eat your favorite snack. Then, when you’re ready, let’s talk about where to go from here.

Deferred Early Decision by Dartmouth 2025-2026

Oof. We know this one stings. You spent weeks (maybe months) pouring your energy into your Dartmouth ED application. You hit submit, envisioned yourself bundled up on the Green, and now, you feel stuck or lost. Not rejected, but not accepted either, just hanging in that awkward “maybe” space. It’s frustrating, it’s disorienting, and yeah, it’s a little heartbreaking. So first, take a deep breath. A deferral isn’t the end – it’s a second chance and an opportunity to regroup.