Peninsula Academy Blog

Get into Your Dream or Target College with Lower-Than-Expected GPA

Six tips to help high school students with low GPA to get into college

The Most Prestigious and Selective Pre-college Summer Programs

A list of the most selective and prestigious pre-college summer programs.

Best Computer Science Competitions

A selection of the best computer science and engineering competitions for K-12 students, including advanced students and novices.

Preparing for Test-Blind and Test-Optional College Admissions

The guide to test-blind and test-optional college admissions: what they mean, which schools have adopted them, and how to stand out.

How to Plan for College in 9th Grade

It’s never too early to start planning for college and laying the foundation for your college-readiness. Your freshman year is an ideal...

Admissions Interview: the Do's and Don’ts

Many elite colleges include an alumni interview as part of their application process. The practice dates back for as far as some of these...

Everything You Need to Know About the Common App Essay

The Common Application is an undergraduate college admission application. Applicants may use Common App to apply to any of the nearly 900...

How to Write a Perfect UC Essay for Every Prompt

The University of California system represents the most prestigious public education institution in the world. If you’re a California...

Tips to Write Great UC Transfer Application Essays

The University of California (UC) system, the most prestigious public education institution in the world, attracts tens of thousands of...

Essential Editing Tips to Use in Your Essay Writing

Below are common editing issues for many students we have worked with. In general, we recommend taking note of mistakes that you find...