The August Advantage
The most successful applicants do not wait until senior year chaos hits in the fall. They use the summer to build clarity, direction, and momentum. College supplemental essay prompts are released in early August, but the strongest responses are rarely written from scratch at that point. In this June webinar, our experts will share how colleges actually evaluate supplemental essays and how students can prepare strategically before prompts are published.
📅 Can't make it live? Register anyway and we'll send you the full recording and resources!
In this Webinar, You'll Learn
We will show students how to:
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Research colleges with purpose rather than relying on surface-level information
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Identify recurring essay themes across institutions
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Gather meaningful, school-specific details in advance
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Understand where major-specific prompts appear in the Common Application and how they change based on intended program
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Set realistic summer goals and avoid the last-minute pitfalls that create unnecessary stress in the fall
Students and families will leave with a clear, practical plan to use the summer effectively so that when prompts go live, they can focus on writing thoughtful, authentic responses with confidence.
PANEL
Shelia Hallsted-Baumert, PhD
Sheila Hallsted-Baumert draws on her broad experience in education for her role at Revolution Prep. Having started her career in the K-12 and university-level classroom, Sheila has served as a counselor and academic dean at independent schools and IB diploma programs. She has also guided future college counselors through UC Berkeley’s College Counseling Professional Certificate Program. Always advocating for increased professional development and a more inclusive community outreach, Sheila has participated in leadership committees at HECA and IECA. With higher degrees from Princeton and NYU, Sheila knows the pressures of this highly competitive environment and has aimed to lower the stress when supporting high school students from around the world as a College Application and Writing Coach. With her holistic approach and a firm belief in every student’s capacity to succeed, she has championed her students as they pursue their educational goals. Sheila is committed to sharing information, opening access into “how things work” and building deeper connections with students, families and school communities as they tackle the ever-changing landscape of college admissions!
Gregg Murray
Gregg Murray brings extensive expertise in college counseling and admissions to his role at Revolution Prep. He has worked as a college counselor at distinguished independent schools and has served as an admissions representative and application reader at respected universities. Gregg has also instructed future college counselors through UCLA Extension's College Counseling Certificate Program and mentored underrepresented high school students as an Admission Coach. Gregg has contributed to key committees within the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS) and the Western Association for College Admission Counseling (WACAC), focusing on diversity, data analytics, and collaborative programming. Gregg's approach is grounded in helping students and families navigate the college admissions process with clarity and confidence, leveraging his deep understanding of the landscape to create meaningful educational opportunities.
Don't Miss This Opportunity.