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What private counselors know, written down
Straight advice on essays, college lists, testing and aid from the people building Claros. Free to read, no account.
Essays6 min read
How to Find a College Essay Topic That Doesn’t Sound Like Everyone Else’s
The advice every senior gets produces the same essay every year. Here is what private counselors tell the families who pay them, and a test you can run on your own draft tonight.
By Anel Askar, Co-founder, Claros
Step-by-step guides
All 12 guides →- How to Brainstorm Your Personal StatementBrainstorm your 650-word personal statement by mining your own life first — not the prompt list — for small, specific moments of tension or growth, generating three distinct angles, and keeping only the ones no other applicant with your résumé could have written.6 min read
- How to Build a Balanced College ListBuild a balanced college list by sorting schools into reach, match, and safety using published middle-50% GPA and test ranges plus admit rates, weighting the list toward matches with a few reaches and at least two safeties you could genuinely afford and enjoy.6 min read
- How to Use a Net Price CalculatorA net price calculator estimates what your family will actually pay after grants and scholarships, not the sticker price; every federally aided U.S. college must post one, and running it with your income and asset details tells you whether a school is realistic before you apply.5 min read
Advice that knows your record
These posts are written for everyone. Claros reads your grades, activities and goals and tells you what applies to you this week.