ICON+

The freshman 10, freshman 15, or in my friend’s case, freshman 40. Those extra pounds are the bane of new university students’ existence. Why, oh why is it that by the end of their first year in university, students have typically expanded a few dress sizes? Actually, the answer’s pretty obvious.

Don’t drink and drive! Stripes and polka dots don’t belong together in the same outfit. Oh, and most importantly – never drink orange juice after brushing your teeth (it takes really REALLY gross)!

Sometimes, it’s knowing what NOT to do that puts you on the right path. Here are some topics you should avoid on the personal essay you’re about to submit to Stanford, Oberlin, or U Mich – whatever your dream school may be.

Why do you want to go to college, anyways?

No, really. Answer the question!

It’s tougher than you’d think to come up with a reply, right?

Many students, parents, researchers, and even educational institutions have questioned the validity of the SAT as a reliable indicator of college readiness. Is the SAT biased toward a certain cultural population? What about students who simply do not test well on standardized exams or do poorly under time pressure? We at ICON+ even wrote a blog, “Do SAT Scores Predict Success in College?” a couple of months ago.