Heavenly Essays: 50 Narrative College Application Essays That Worked

This is the summer to write college application essays. I bought several books that I formerly used when teaching high school English and gave them to my nephew. This book has keep his attention and I find him reading essays in his free time. Let’s hope it stimulates his thoughts to write that killer essay!

This collection of essays provides quick inspiration and reassurance to stressed high school students hoping to crack the code to penning their own college entrance essays. What is so nice is that they reassure students that they don't have to write lofty, critical essays beyond their years and experience but, rather, authentic narratives that reveal their personalities, skills and dreams. In a college application process so seemingly crafted around puffery and exaggeration, the essays presented let students know that their individual voices are valuable in the admissions process beyond all the grades, test scores and other resume details. I think Janine's books make great gifts for high schoolers getting ready to dive into the college application process.

The entire college application process is stressful for both parents and the applicant. The college essay has been elevated to an art form that can be a significant factor in any student's application. Sitting down down and looking at a blank screen is an overwhelming task for any adult let alone a high school senior. While a number of books on the college essay exists, the author's book Escape Essay Hell was the first that made sense to my daughter. The author walks a senior through the entire process in a chatty and understandable process geared towards 18 year olds. Heavenly Essays is the follow up to the first books which shows the actual results of her work. As you read the essays, there are a wide collection of topics. Some tug at your heart, some make you smile but all of them illustrate an important quality about the student. The collection really helps students understand that they don't need to write about curing cancer, a mission trip to South America or losing the big game. Examples teach and this book is a must for the parent looking to understand the process and for the student seeking to write and essay.

I first bought “Escape Essay Hell” and as a newer college consultant, I was thrilled to find “Heavenly Essays” to provide real examples to my students. I know there are mixed reviews on reading other people’s essays before a student writes their own, but I found it to be a very effective tool. It is not a hinderance, it’s a catalyst for a student to identify their own topic. In addition, it provides plenty of examples to share Janine’s unique writing style and structure. I particularly like that she shares the colleges a student was accepted to, to validate the process she uses. This is a must-have accompaniment to “Escape Essay Hell!”

I actually bought this book before the author's "Escape Essay Hell" which is an outstanding guide to the format and details for producing the excellent essays contained herein. Both books are essential to the college application essay writing process and focus on the necessary and best practices without a lot of extraneous material that is not specifically relevant to this task. These essays demonstrate what "Escape Essay Hell" teaches and is very valuable and necessary as a companion.

So lucky to have found the website filled with useful information and specific examples. Attempting to help my daughter edit her essays and realize the submitted work could have been so much better had we found this website earlier. Will definitely be beneficial for the remainder of the apps due

Not that helpful. Instead I recommend College Essay Essentials: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Successful College Admissions Essay by Ethan Sawyer. It was very helpful to my daughter when writing essays for her college applications.

I always thought writing a PS is a nightmare. But after reading this book, you'll be surprised how easy it is to write a PS. The examples in this book are relatable to high school students and actually fun to read! highly recommend to everyone who is struggling to find a topic to write about.