Hitting the Sweet Spot. This phrase has links to sports, advertising, business, and more, and it is generally defined as achieving the optimal outcome by locating the best possible condition for a situation. In baseball, it’s about hitting the ball Read More >
Posts Tagged ‘essays’
May 29, 2025 |
For First Year students applying to UGA for Fall 2026, we will keep the same longer personal essay (250-650 words) as before, using the essay prompts from the Common App. The shorter UGA specific essay (200-300 words suggested) topic Read More >
May 22, 2024 |
For First Year students applying to UGA for Fall 2025, we will keep the same longer personal essay (250-650 words) as before, using the essay prompts from the Common App. The shorter UGA specific essay (200-300 words suggested) topic will Read More >
May 26, 2023 |
New Information for 2024 First Year Applicants
For the Fall 2024 First-Year applicant group, there are three updates the UGA Admissions Office wants to make known when students are preparing to apply to UGA. We will be exclusively using the Common App for our First-Year applicants. We Read More >
June 3, 2022 |
For the Fall 2023 class, UGA will be keeping the same essay questions as have had for the past few years. UGA will require two essays, a longer personal essay (250-650 words) and a shorter essay (200-300 words). In addition, Read More >
July 1, 2021 |
Fall 2022 Application and Essay Information
For the Fall 2022 class, UGA will be keeping the same essay questions as have had for the past few years. UGA will require two essays, a longer personal essay (250-650 words) and a shorter essay (200-300 words). The Common Read More >
May 7, 2020 |
Information on the UGA 2021 Application
Big News!! For the UGA Freshman 2021 application, the UGA Admissions Office will accept the Common Application as an option for prospective student applicants. Okay, now that you have recovered from your shock (it only took us 10+ years to Read More >
September 25, 2019 |
I am not sure what this says about me, but I think traffic lights are awesome. Maybe I just played Red Light/Green Light a little too much as a kid. But traffic lights bring order to what could be chaos, Read More >
May 30, 2019 |
Every year, our office reviews the freshman application for changes that we would like to see for the next year. During this review, we also look at the short essay questions that are required for First Year applicants. Based on Read More >
August 22, 2018 |
I will tell you right now, I love the podcast for NPR’s “Hidden Brain” by Shankar Vedantam. I hope that one day I might be a part of a story about college admissions on this podcast (I know, keep dreaming). Read More >
July 6, 2018 |
About a month ago, I wrote a blog post about how students should be able to handle the application process on their own, with a limited amount of guidance from parents/counselors friends. This month, the focus is on how parents Read More >
June 5, 2018 |
For the last few weeks, my shower has suddenly started to drip water, even with the handle set at full off. I could live with a tiny leak, but this was becoming a steady leak, leading to other issues. So Read More >
May 12, 2018 |
Every year, our office reviews the freshman application for changes that we would like to see for the next year. During this review, we also look at the short essay questions that are required for First Year applicants. Based on Read More >
July 6, 2017 |
Summer is a time for vacations, part-time jobs, and relaxation. But for rising HS seniors, it is also time to prepare for the college application process. I am not suggesting you have everything ready to submit an application on opening Read More >
May 31, 2017 |
Every year, our office reviews the freshman application for changes that we would like to see for the next year. During this review, we also look at the short essay questions that are required for First Year applicants. Starting this Read More >
May 22, 2017 |
2018 Freshman Application Changes
With each new year of admissions comes changes to the application and/or application process so that we can make better decisions every year, and also make sure that we are able to release decisions in time frame that works for Read More >
June 13, 2016 |
2017 Short Essay Questions (for RD and Deferred EA applicants only)
Every year, our office reviews the freshman application for changes that we would like to see for the next year. During this review, we also look at the short essay questions that are required for First Year applicants who apply Read More >
July 6, 2015 |
2016 Freshman Essay Questions (RD and Deferred EA only)
Every year, our office reviews the freshman application for changes that we would like to see for the next year. During this review, we also look at the short essay questions that are required for First Year applicants who apply Read More >
May 18, 2015 |
Writing Great Short Response Essays
As most college students and HS seniors can attest to, one of the most stressful times of the admission process is writing admissions essays. While UGA’s “essays” are actually short responses, we still see a great deal of angst and Read More >
December 2, 2014 |
File Reading Part I – Activities, Writing and Creativity
From January through mid-March, the admissions staff will hide out in our offices and read files during our holistic file reading process. And when I say read files, I mean lots of files (I am guessing I will read over Read More >
July 12, 2014 |
It’s mid summer, and questions are beginning to flood in about UGA’s First Year admission process. Here are answers to some of our more frequently asked ones. I plan to apply Early Action. What is the last ACT/SAT exam date Read More >
July 2, 2014 |
Every Spring, our office reviews the freshman application for changes that we would like to see for the next year. During this review, we also look at the short essay questions that are required for First Year applicants who apply Read More >
June 13, 2013 |
Essay Questions for the 2014 First Year Application
As promised, here are the essay questions for the 2014 First Year application. 1. Choose an intellectual or creative opportunity (for example, community involvement, a summer program, a unique project, travel abroad, etc.) from your high school years that you Read More >
June 8, 2012 |
As promised, here are the essay questions for the 2013 First Year application. The application will be available in mid-August. 1. Choose an intellectual or creative opportunity (for example, community involvement, a summer program, a unique project, travel abroad, etc.) Read More >
April 27, 2012 |
Question about Essay Questions
At this time of year, we start looking at the freshman application, and what need need to tweak/alter for following years. We often debate back and forth about our four short essay questions (150-200 words), and what we could ask Read More >
March 8, 2012 |
While we are still in full swing reading freshman files, I thought I would share a few essay examples from this year that I think are impressive. Please understand that while some people believe that great essays should have as Read More >
December 6, 2011 |
Essays and Jokes, and How they are Similar
A number of you are now starting to write the four short essays for UGA, either because your decision was deferred or because you are finishing up your Regular Decision application. As such, here is some advice on good essays, Read More >
March 29, 2011 |
Yesterday, a recently admitted student and her parents visited the Admissions Office, and they asked to speak to me. It turned out that she was one of the students that I had mentioned in a previous post concerning the strength Read More >
December 7, 2010 |
I am guessing that for a number of the deferred students, they are looking at part II of the application and wondering what they should write about in their essays. I am also guessing that most of you do not Read More >
May 26, 2010 |
Freshman Application Changes Part III
In reviewing the UGA admissions process and the information that we ask for on the application, we started looking at Part I and Part II of the application more closely. While the separation into two parts has worked well for Read More >
May 3, 2010 |
Essay Examples from 2010, part II
For part II of the essay examples, we have actually included two essays from a particularly strong writer who will be here next fall. All of her essays were great, making it too difficult to choose just one. I hope Read More >
April 29, 2010 |
In continuing with the theme of working with rising juniors and seniors in high school, the question of admissions essays always comes up. In our file reading this year, our counselors read a lot of essays, from the great to Read More >
February 2, 2010 |
Here is the second installment of the UGA holistic file reading overview, with a focus on the area of an applicant’s writing, self-expression and creativity. I know, it is a mouthful, but this is the section where we look at Read More >
December 24, 2009 |
The University will be closed from Dec. 24 through Jan. 4, with limited exceptions on Jan. 4 such as orientation and a skeleton staff in Admissions. As such, I will be limited in my postings on this blog during this Read More >
September 30, 2009 |
UGA Admissions and Personal Issues
Last week, I had the opportunity to talk with 40-50 people at a college night program for Camp Sunshine, a non-profit organization that offers support and opportunities to children with cancer and their families. I believe this is my eighth Read More >
May 29, 2009 |
Important Links for Freshmen Applicants
As promised, here is the link to the 2010 essay questions, along with a few other pages that will provide some help in applying to UGA and writing admissions essays. The freshman application will be available in mid-August. 2010 Application Read More >