Calling all college applicants, and their families: What are colleges really looking for from your Common Application personal essay? Dr. Suzanne Sink will share knowledge gained from her previous work as an admissions consultant for both colleges and students - both sides of the admissions process.

This presentation will include a discussion of what college admissions' readers are looking for in an applicant's essay, how to select a prompt and highlight traits that align with common admissions' selection strategies, and how to avoid common pitfalls.

Following the presentation and questions, students can stay for a prewriting workshop to generate and organize ideas for the essay with individualized discussions and an essay outline template. Students will leave with a prompt selected, a specific topic for the essay, and an outline to organize the details for the introduction, body, and conclusion.

The Common App deadline is on January 15.

This event will be held twice: on Wednesday, December 3, 2025 and on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. The content of both sessions will be the same; please only attend one session.

Registration is required and spots are limited.