​Although I strive to make the essay-writing process as organized, fun and stress-free as possible, there is no getting around the fact that it is usually a time-consuming process for the student. Even schools that use the Common Application often have supplemental school-specific essays, so it is rare that a student can apply to multiple schools without writing multiple essays.  The student should have time to write several thoughtful drafts of each essay, time to introspect during the process, and ideally, time to step away from the essays for a short while to gain valuable perspective. 

THE BEST TIME TO GET STARTED? SUMMERTIME!

​Start Early! The summer before senior year is generally the best time to focus on the essays because of fewer demands on the student's time – no homework or extracurricular activities.  

​The Common Application and Coalition Application have already announced their 2024-25 personal statement essay prompts, so there is NO EXCUSE to delay! 

​Some schools post their online applications over the summer, but even if the application is not published, many schools announce their essay prompts in advance. Most schools do not completely change their prompts from year to year, especially the standard question: Why Our School?  Getting started in June or July reduces the time crunch, so the entire process is less stressful.  How nice would it be to have all of the essays done before senior year begins?

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BACK TO THE GRIND FOR SENIOR YEAR?

Is it already September or October, after school has started?  Not to worry.  Most application deadlines are not until December or January, so there is still plenty of time. However, the student will have to motor to meet any Early Action/Early Decision/Priority deadlines, which are usually in November, often as early as November 1.  

​The applications and their required essays will take a substantial amount of time, so the student needs to figure out how to find all those extra hours in an already busy schedule.  This is probably when the student needs to set the DVR to record all those favorite TV shows and minimize the time spent on social media. The good news is that now there is an added incentive to work quickly!

SEEING HOLIDAY DECORATIONS? 

Is it already the short, dark days of (yikes!) November or December? If so, the process will be more stressful than it needs to be, but don’t despair. With the right level of focus and commitment, the student can still rock the essays. The essays need to go through the same multi-draft process because there is no skimping on greatness, and they need to be top priority with a tight turn-around schedule.