magoosh blog | high school
start magoosh sat or magoosh act prep today!

author: kim lifton

kim lifton
kim lifton is president of wow writing workshop, a leading expert on the college application essay. kim is a former journalist who has made it her mission to know everything about college admissions. she speaks with senior admissions officers from the nation’s most selective colleges almost every day. wow works directly with students, and trains school counselors, english teachers and independent educational consultants who want to improve their essay-coaching skills.

  • how high school does and doesn’t prepare you for the sat

    on the back of the official sat study guide (second edition), the college board claims that the sat “measures what you already know.” they say, “if you take rigorous, challenging courses in high school, you’ll be ready for the test.” but are these statements truly accurate? let’s talk about how your academic classes can and…

  • speed reading: how it can help you ace sat critical reading

    the critical reading section of the sat can be especially terrifying if you’re a slow reader. with so many passages to analyze and so many questions to answer, this section can quickly become overwhelming. but, despair not! for all you slow readers out there, there is alas a solution! no. no, it’s not pizza. not…

  • how do i write the “why us” essay?

    so you’re completing your college application and arrive at the dreaded “why us?” essay. what to do? here’s what ethan sawyer, the college essay guy, recommends! here are three quick tips to get you on the right track:   1. don’t write about the school’s size, location, reputation or the weather. why? because that’s what…