Tag Archives: edswell

A Tool to Master the Dreaded Application Essay

 

college essay toolThe college application season is now in full swing and if you listen closely enough, you might be able to make out the tap-tapping of millions of seniors across the globe writing their application essays.  If you happen to be one of those students or a parent of one, I’d like to introduce you to Edswell, an application essay management tool that makes the whole process a lot easier.

So…what does it do? First, it gives you all of the application essay and deadline requirements for a student’s college list, in one click. Required, optional, supplemental, program-specific…all of them.  Students often spend days or weeks getting all of this information, now they can get it in a few seconds.

Second, it provides a beautiful essay management system that automatically organizes, syncs, and version controls every draft (built on Dropbox).  Instead of creating a folder and filling it with files, users simply click on the school and essay they want to work on – all drafts are viewable in an attractive feed-style format.

Third, it allows students to easily invite anyone to review a draft.  Reviewers do not need an Edswell account.  When the edited version is sent back to Edswell by a reviewer, it is incorporated into the feed for that essay, where differences between drafts are automatically highlighted.

Finally, it allows parents and counselors to track student progress.  Sometimes seniors need a nudge…Edswell gives the nudgers the information they need to make it happen.

You can give the platform a try for free for 30 days, no credit card required to sign up.  Just visit http://edswell.com and click “Free Trial.”  Oh, and for those interested in more information, there’s a short video walkthrough on the website.

I’d like to end with a salute to the seniors who are undertaking the not-insignificant task of memorializing their narratives, stories, and experiences in their application essays.  And Sam, if you’re reading this, I think it’s okay to start your Common App essay with “What’s a BA without a good burrito?”

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alex thalerAlex Thaler is the CEO of Edswell and the author of “The Art of the Personal Statement.”  He received his BA from UC Berkeley and JD from University of Pennsylvania.  In his non-existent spare time he enjoys woodworking and dreaming about moving to Hawaii.