Many of the articles on this website are for parents of students ages 12–26. This article—on how to create a top college application essay—is aimed specifically at high school students. Parents are encouraged to listen in on this advice as well.
Writing a top college application essay can be easy and fast when you follow these steps.
These steps are designed to help you get a top college application essay done confidently, and fast—with as little hassle as possible.
1. Try to complete your college application essay in April or early May of 11th grade if possible.
Or as soon as possible after that.
I’ll explain why below.
2. Do not worry if you have lower grades and test scores.
Please don’t worry about this. Colleges have programs that can bring you up to speed if you start out a little behind. You can do this!
3. I know this is going to sound odd—but start by creating one fantastic scholarship application essay using the 34-minute video instruction I provide here.
I’m serious! Let’s kill two birds with one stone!
Listen to this 34-minute video instruction—and you’ll end up with one multipurpose application essay that can be used over and over again—for many years—for many different purposes.
(One of those purposes can be your college application essay!)
4. End your college application essay by saying that you want to develop your greatest talents further while you’re in college.
You do, don’t you? That’s why you’re going.
This sentence helps you to complete the argument that you’re highly focused and capable in key areas right now—but want college to help you grow even further.
5. Choose a “range” of colleges to apply to.
Apply to one dream school, several midrange schools, a couple of safe schools, and one local community college by filling out just one application at commonapp.org. If you need more help choosing schools, skim through Chapter 14 of the book I wrote and I’ll give you help with choosing. If you can’t afford to buy the book, any local librarian will order it for you.
6. When you’re asked to choose a college application essay topic on the common app, make your multipurpose essay fit by doing this:
Pick the essay prompt, “Share an essay on any topic of your choice.”
Your vivid opening story, clear goal statement, and beautifully structured “reasons why” you’ll learn about in my 34-minute training will make for a compelling college application essay.
7. Show your finished college application essay to a favorite teacher for feedback and revision well before the end of 11th grade.
Do not wait until the last week of school when this teacher is swamped. You won’t get the same quality help you’ll get if you ask earlier.
8. Get help from me getting through college without debt.
I provide free, fast-paced 10-minute video instruction on how to get college paid for without debt. If you can, please identify a caring adult in your life and have him or her watch it too.
You’ll find that 10-minute instruction here.
9. Feel powerful, in control, “ahead of the game,” and ready to complete all college applications during the summer after 11th grade.
Try to complete all college applications during the summer before your senior year of high school. You’ll enjoy many advantages if you do this—as I explain in detail in Chapter 18 of my book.
You’ll also feel great relief at being able to fully enjoy your senior year of high school without the added pressure that comes with scrambling to complete college applications during that very busy time.
(Note: If you happen to be reading this during your senior year of high school—it’s not too late! Please apply to college as soon as you can.)
10. Do this and you won’t need an expensive college consultant to give you an edge.
You can see my article on when college consultants are and are not helpful here. If you want college planning help straight from me, get information on my TRIBE Membership now. (It’s very low cost.)
Help us spread the word about this!
Copy this entire article and paste it right into your school, business, or homeschool newsletter. Put a link to it in your Facebook group! Just include the words “By Jeannie Burlowski.”
And if you’ve found valuable info in this article, please help by tweeting it out to the people who follow you:
Parents, what you need now is clear, step-by-step help getting your kids to one of life’s greatest goals.
Get your copy of my book:
It’s a reference book, so nobody reads the whole thing cover to cover. Pick out what you need to read in it using the fast-paced, 10-minute video instructions here.
You can see hundreds of reviews of this book on Amazon by going to:
You can see why financial advising professionals love LAUNCH, here.
You can see the top 9 questions parents are asking me about LAUNCH, here.
Read just one chapter of LAUNCH every 1–3 months while your child’s in middle school and high school, and you’ll know every viable strategy for debt-free college at exactly the right time to implement it.
And if your child’s already well past middle school? That’s OK; you can run to catch up. But the process of getting your kids through college debt-free goes more smoothly the earlier you start it—especially if you’re not planning to save up any money to pay for college.
Take a step on this right now. Get regular, inspiring help from me—every Monday morning.
Subscribe to my free weekly email newsletter here. (You’ll especially want to do this so I can alert you to important FAFSA changes that will affect you in the future.)
Do you have very specific questions for me about debt-free college and career for your kids?
My TRIBE Members get the most direct access to me—while feeling good that the pennies per day they spend on the TRIBE help me bring debt-free college strategy to families who could never afford to pay for it. Join my TRIBE Membership waiting list here.
Who is Jeannie Burlowski?
Jeannie is a full-time academic strategist, podcast host, and sought-after speaker for students ages 12–26, their parents, and the professionals who serve them. Her writing, speaking, and podcasting help parents set their kids up to graduate college debt-free, ready to jump directly into careers they excel at and love. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Huffington Post, USA Today, Parents Magazine, and US News and World Report, and on CBS News.
Jeannie also helps students apply to law, medical, business, and grad school at her website GetIntoMedSchool.com. You can follow her on Twitter @JBurlowski.
This article was updated on April 6th, 2023.