The Uncommon College Essay

Reviews / Votes

"College application essay." Those three words can inspire terror in teens (and parents alike). The Uncommon College Essay, is a fantastically useful book that will help you overcome those fears and stresses-enabling you to shine. Stacey Brook should be applauded for her ability to take a high-stakes, potentially-overwhelming challenge and demystify it, piece-by-piece, illuminating it as the tremendous opportunity it is. The Uncommon College Essay is at once wise and insightful, while remaining compulsively readable, even fun! Brook's sentences-because they are clear and concise, elegant and entertaining-don't just tell you what makes a great essay, they show you. And her playful tone makes for a stress-reducing, frequently-inspiring coaching session. This is the book we all wish we had when preparing to apply for college. It should be required reading for anyone beginning this process. -- Jay Phelan PhD * UCLA Department of Life Sciences Core Education, co-author of The Secret Syllabus. A Guide to the Unwritten Rules of College Success * As the founder of an ed tech company, author, and business coach, I know this book could only be written by someone like Stacey with twenty years of experience sculpting all manners of personal playdough into outstanding essays. Stacey found the perfect tone; the book reads like your teen's favorite hip teacher is guiding them through the process. Beyond the stellar advice and easy-to-read format, Stacey's pedagogy is flawless. The Uncommon College Essay is exactly what applicants (and their long-suffering parents) need to make their way through the essay-writing maze. without missed deadlines, all-nighters, or tears. -- Julia Pimsleur * author and founder/CEO of Million Dollar Women * I served on numerous acceptance and scholarship committees for over 30 years at Boston University. The personal essay was often a deciding factor about which qualified applicants were accepted at our highly competitive university. With her professional background, excellent writing skills, and a playful sense of humor, Brook has published a definitive book on the topic. Highly readable and relatable, Brook's The Uncommon College Essay is now a recommendation on my list of writing resources. -- Dorothy S. Clark * retired writing professor/master lecturer and writing program director, Boston University College of Communication * In a world of cookie-cutter templates and AI quick fixes, this book is the next best thing to having Stacey in your living room, demystifying a process that too often feels opaque and high-stakes. -- Dana Suskind * parent and professor of surgery, University of Chicago * Stacey worked with all three of my kids on their successful applications to Duke and Northwestern. With anything related to the college essay, I would trust her implicitly. Simply put, she is a miracle worker. -- Lisa Landsberg * parent *