On a recent visit to the University of Washington, I attended the information session to gain a greater understanding of the school's priorities. It was really unlike any session I've attended (and I've been to many). The admission officer had a laser focus on one aspect of the process: the personal statement. The one place on your college application where you can really shine, really stand out, is the essay or personal statement. As the officer mentioned, too often it is

This past week, The University of California announced changes to their personal statement for the upcoming admission cycle (those applying for admission for the Fall of 2017). Gone are the two questions with a total 1000 word limit. In their place are 8 questions. Applicants must respond to 4 out of the 8. Each response is limited to a maximum of 350 words. The University of California states that all questions are given equal consideration in the application review pro