Posts by Bentham Team
Tricks for writing a great college essay: story, style, and tone
When you write your personal statement you want to accomplish three things. You want to relate memorable anecdotes (or a single story) in order to forge a bond with your reader. A good anecdote creates an indelible impression and puts the reader in your corner. You also want to demonstrate maturity, focus, and resilience, using…
Read MoreHow to write the supplemental essays
Many applicants make the mistake of devoting most of their time and energy to the personal statement, only to discover late in the game that each school to which they apply requires a variety of supplemental essays. The term “supplement” can mislead students into assuming these essays are of secondary importance. But supplements are just…
Read MoreHow to Prepare for a College Interview
Many colleges give you the opportunity to interview, either with an admissions representative (unusual) or an alumnus near you. Sometimes these interviews are virtual, sometimes in person. Whatever the case, if you are given the opportunity to interview, accept it! Any opportunity to distinguish yourself as a distinctive and promising applicant is a chance you…
Read MoreWhat To Do When You Are Waitlisted At An Ivy League School
Getting waitlisted at an Ivy League school may feel disheartening, especially when you’ve been hoping for admission for many months. Though nobody who is waitlisted should ever assume that they’ll get into their university of choice, there are ways through which students can increase their odds of admission from the waitlist. You can find information…
Read MoreGet Into An Ivy League School As An International Student
Ivy League schools are among the most elite and popular colleges globally, conferring prestige and name recognition upon their graduates around the world. For international students, attending an Ivy offers a clear path to career success no matter where they end up working. The Ivies pride themselves on enrolling a significant portion of overseas students,…
Read MoreWhat Is The Earliest I Can Apply For College?
No two paths to higher education look exactly alike. Most students choose to apply to college during their senior year, though in rare instances, some hypermotivated juniors proactively apply as a junior. While the latter scenario comes with a unique set of challenges, it is not impossible or unprecedented. The accelerated route can certainly be…
Read MoreWhat Should Be in a College Recommendation Letter?
As college admissions consultants, we are often asked what makes for an effective letter of recommendation. Compelling recommendations can be the difference between a successful and unsuccessful college application, so how can you make sure you get good ones? This is probably one of the most mysterious and intimidating aspects of the college application process.…
Read MoreIs It Worth Applying Early Action?
Many students want to know if early action is a good college application strategy. But before we even get to that—what is early action, anyway? Often confused with early decision, early action is a different process with its own rules, advantages, and disadvantages. Though as both of their names imply, they each involve applying to…
Read MoreWhat Stands Out to College Admissions Officers?
Before you officially hit submit on your college applications, it helps to have foresight and clarity around the range of factors admissions officers will weigh in their final decision-making process: from the specific extracurricular activities toward which students devote significant time and energy to the depth and originality of theirs chosen essay topic. Let’s dig…
Read MoreWill Early Decision Increase my Chances of Acceptance?
In today’s higher education landscape, most colleges offer a path for students to submit their application materials before an early deadline—generally fall of senior year. This process has been on the rise in recent years. As the National Association for College Admission Counseling shared in their 2019 “State of College Admission” report, “Between Fall 2017…
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