Chariot Learning
  • About
    • FAQ
    • Our Curriculum
    • Areas Chariot Learning Serves
  • Services
    • SAT & ACT Prep
    • SAT/ACT TestFlip
    • Academic Coaching
    • Subject Tutoring
    • Strategic Reading Club
    • Proctored Practice Tests
    • GRE Prep
    • College Essay Coaching
    • Roots2Words
  • Calendar
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Contact
July 24, 2017 by Mike Bergin

2017-18 Coalition Essay Prompts

College admissions can be very much a numbers game, with quantitative data like grades and test scores carrying a lot of influence. However, more subjective and personal aspects of an application matter too. Am amazing college essay can make an application, while a bland one can break it.

If you find yourself uninspired by the 2017-18 Common App essay prompts, consider the Coalition application. The Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success was developed to improve the college application process for all students as they search for and apply to their perfect college. This free, centralized toolkit is a lot like the Common App and serves a diverse group of mostly Eastern U.S. public and private universities, including many of the most competitive. Be advised, however, that the Coalition essay is a bit shorter than the one on the Common App, which isn’t necessarily a good thing.
 
Instructions. In general, we have found that concise, straightforward writing is often the best for college essays, and that good essays are often 300 to 400 words in length. While there is no perfect length for an essay, most application readers find college essays are rarely improved when they are longer than 500 to 550 words, and we strongly recommend you stay within that limit. For more information on specific application requirements, please consult the website for each institution to which you are applying, as requirements often vary.

  • Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.
  • Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.
  • Has there been a time when you’ve had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs?
  • What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What’s the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?
  • Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.

An amazing college essay sets you apart from other applicants, so choose your prompt wisely and devote enough time to craft your best work; we find the summer between junior and senior year to be the perfect time to tackle this essential task. If you are looking for help conceiving and crafting your best possible admissions essays, we have some outstanding resources to recommend.

admissions application essay

Previous articleDo Not Take the Same Test Over and OverNext article Talk Yourself Through Tough Tasks
Mike Bergin
Tens of thousands of students a year prep for the SAT & ACT through programs Mike Bergin created or organized. After more than 25 years of intensive experience in the education industry, he's done it all as a teacher, tutor, director, curriculum developer, blogger, podcaster, and best-selling author. Mike founded Chariot Learning in 2009 to deliver on the promise of what truly transformative individualized education can and should be.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Helping high schoolers with tests, school, and life is what Chariot Learning is all about. Let us know how we can help you!

Latest Posts

  • What Does ‘Smart’ Mean in the 21st Century
  • How to Read Percentiles
  • Do SAT & ACT Subscores Matter?
  • Evaluating College ROI
  • What to Read This Summer

What is TestFlip?

Learn about the ultimate in self-directed supplemental SAT/ACT prep, powered by Chariot Learning:

  • When someone says you can
    by chariotlearning 3 weeks ago
    When someone says you can't do it, do it twice and take pictures!
  • Get up and try again.
    by chariotlearning 3 days ago
    Get up and try again.
  • Do not waste time thinking about what you could have done differently. Keep your eyes on the road ahead and
    by chariotlearning 5 days ago
    Do not waste time thinking about what you could have done differently. Keep your eyes on the road ahead and
  • Decide. Commit. Succeed.
    by chariotlearning 9 hours ago
    Decide. Commit. Succeed.
  • Be patient when becoming someone you haven
    by chariotlearning 1 week ago
    Be patient when becoming someone you haven't been before.
  • Set goals that are *almost* out of reach.
    by chariotlearning 2 weeks ago
    Set goals that are *almost* out of reach.
  • You have no idea what you can "survive" until you have no choice!
    by chariotlearning 2 weeks ago
    You have no idea what you can "survive" until you have no choice!
  • Being intelligent is not a felony but may get you in trouble anyway ;)
    by chariotlearning 2 weeks ago
    Being intelligent is not a felony but may get you in trouble anyway ;)

Subscribe to Mike’s Podcast

Subscribe to Tests and the Rest

PARENT GROUP AND NEWSLETTER

Are you an Upstate New York parent with questions about college admissions, testing, and scholarships? The Upstate NY College Conversations Facebook group is for you. Join today!

And also sign up for College Road, our free email newsletter delivering expert educational advice, test news, admissions action steps, special offers, and more.

Upcoming Events

  1. SAT/ACT Extended Class – Summer Mornings 2022

    July 6 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
  2. SAT/ACT Online Flipped Class – July 2022

    July 6 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
  3. Practice SAT – Brighton (7/8/22)

    July 8 @ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
  4. Practice ACT – Pittsford Library (7/12/22)

    July 12 @ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
  5. SAT/ACT Extended Class – Summer Evenings 2022

    July 12 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

View All Events

Testimonials

We highly recommend... We considered classroom instruction given by national programs, but having one-on-one instruction, on our schedule, in our home, with the focus on areas and skills critical to our daughter’s success was important to us. Teaming up with Chariot Learning was definitely the right decision for our daughter and my family.

Eileen, Rochester mom

Read more testimonials...
© 2022 Chariot Learning, LLC. All rights reserved.