All College Applications Articles

college applications

30 Great Fall Break Activities for High School Students

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on September 9, 2024
Many students across the U.S. are lucky enough to have Fall break—a short break for high schoolers around the middle to end of October. This three-day break in the middle of the semester offers high schoolers a chance to rest, rejuvenate, and even get ahead in their college prep. Wondering what you are going to …
A student writing a paper. There are do's and don'ts of writing a paper
college applications

Essay Guides: How to Combine College Essay Prompts

By Hilary CairnsPublished on April 21, 2023
When applying to colleges, many applications will follow the same formats: basic information, school details, high school transcripts, ACT/SAT scores, and, of course, the essay. If you have 8-10 colleges you’re applying to (or possibly more), that’s a lot of essays! It can be a daunting task and even cause you to apply to fewer …
college applications

Essay Guide: What is a Community Essay?

By Hilary CairnsPublished on April 5, 2023
Does your college application have a question for the essay that looks like this: Tell us about a community you’re a part of? This is an open-ended question that stumps quite a few students! Some even think the question is asking about the community they’re in – such as their hometown – and don’t consider …
college applications

300 Word Essay Examples

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on July 7, 2025
Key Takeaway Your college admission essay is your opportunity to showcase who you are and what makes you a good fit for the school. While some schools will have their own prompts, many will ask you to write an essay from one of the seven Common App prompts. Below, you will find three essay examples …
College student typing on a laptop.
college applications

Supplemental College Essay Tips  

By College Raptor StaffPublished on February 16, 2023
When writing your college admissions essay, you may have the option to write a supplemental college essay. It can be confusing, especially if you’ve never seen the college application process before. If you have not heard about a supplemental college essay before and don’t know where to start, we’ve got you covered! What is a …
college applications

AI and College Applications: Navigating the Fine Line Between Authenticity and Automation

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on September 15, 2025
Key Takeaways Colleges may use AI to check for plagiarism and unusual writing patterns. Human review is the main way essays are evaluated. Originality and authenticity are more important than polished AI-generated text. AI can assist with brainstorming, editing, and efficiency, but it shouldn’t replace your own voice. Personal stories and unique experiences make your …
Three students in an AP class
college applications, questions & answers

Top 5 Hardest AP Classes

By College Raptor StaffPublished on February 2, 2023
Advanced Placement (AP) classes are created by College Board and are college-level courses for high schoolers. You can take a variety of AP classes that are offered at your high school and if you receive a certain score for the AP test, you can get college credit for that class! Since these are college-level courses, …
college applications

How to Make an Awesome College Application Video

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on February 2, 2023
Technology has taken the world by storm and college applications are now getting involved. If you’ve been applying to schools, you may have seen that some require or give you the option to do an admissions video application for college. Instead of spending hours curating a well-written essay during your college admissions process, high schoolers …

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