Writing Is Not Writing Unless It’s Revising
Every theater production goes through weeks of rehearsal. Football teams practice formations and plays dozens of times before running them…
Josh Stephens
What Engineers Can Learn from Authors
Google X’s self-congratulatory embrace of “failure” ignores lessons that have served writers and artists well for millennia
Today’s Applicants, Tomorrow’s Reputations
As admission rates have plummeted, the esteem of many “second-choice” colleges has skyrocketed. This is good news for today’s applicants.
Overcoming Affluence: How Students of Modest Means Can Defy the Odds
A library card, a quiet place, and a sense of determination can enable disadvantaged students to defy their wealthy counterparts. Wealthy high school students enjoy an astonishing array of advantages, from private schooling to tutoring to vacation homes. But they do not have a monopoly on intellect
On Seismology and the Humanities
Humanities majors might not be able to move the Earth, but they still learn invaluable skills - and get great jobs. Contrary to the trendiness of "STEM," the humanities offer tremendous intellectual and vocational value for college students.
College Essays and the Misuse of 'Voice'
Reconsidering one of the most common pieces of advice that students receive when they write college essays College counselors and English teachers exhort students to use "voice." It's a reasonable goal. But it's nearly useless advise for inexperienced writers. Josh Stephens offers some alternatives
The Hidden Perils of Applying to ‘Reach’ Colleges
Students who are serious about applying to ultra-selective schools need to affirmatively articulate — first to themselves, then to the…
Some Recommendations About Recommendation Letters
You scored 5’s on all but one of the six AP exams you took as a junior and sophomore. You won the history department award, and took second…