college board essay 2021

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, sat essay prompts: the complete list.

SAT Writing , SAT Essay

On every SAT Essay, you'll have to read an argument meant to persuade a broad audience and discuss how well the author argues his or her point. The passage you'll have to read will change from test to test, but you'll always need to analyze the author's argument and write a coherent and organized essay explaining this analysis.

In this article, we've compiled a list of the 14 real SAT essay prompts that the College Board has released (either in The Official SAT Study Guide or separately online) for the new SAT. This is the most comprehensive set of new SAT essay prompts online today.

At the end of this article, we'll also guide you through how to get the most out of these prompts and link to our expert resources on acing the SAT essay. I'll discuss how the SAT essay prompts are valuable not just because they give you a chance to write a practice essay, but because of what they reveal about the essay task itself.

UPDATE: SAT Essay No Longer Offered

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In January 2021, the College Board announced that after June 2021, it would no longer offer the Essay portion of the SAT (except at schools who opt in during School Day Testing). It is now no longer possible to take the SAT Essay, unless your school is one of the small number who choose to offer it during SAT School Day Testing.

While most colleges had already made SAT Essay scores optional, this move by the College Board means no colleges now require the SAT Essay. It will also likely lead to additional college application changes such not looking at essay scores at all for the SAT or ACT, as well as potentially requiring additional writing samples for placement.

What does the end of the SAT Essay mean for your college applications? Check out our article on the College Board's SAT Essay decision for everything you need to know.

SAT essay prompts always keep to the same basic format. Not only is the prompt format consistent from test to test, but what you're actually asked to do (discuss how an author builds an argument) also remains the same across different test administrations.

The College Board's predictability with SAT essay helps students focus on preparing for the actual analytical task, rather than having to think up stuff on their feet. Every time, before the passage, you'll see the following:

• evidence, such as facts or examples, to support claims.
• reasoning to develop ideas and to connect claims and evidence.
• stylistic or persuasive elements, such as word choice or appeals to emotion, to add power to the ideas expressed.

And after the passage, you'll see this:

"Write an essay in which you explain how [the author] builds an argument to persuade [her/his] audience that [whatever the author is trying to argue for]. In your essay, analyze how [the author] uses one or more of the features listed in the box above (or features of your own choice) to strengthen the logic and persuasiveness of his argument. Be sure that your analysis focuses on the most relevant features of the passage.

Your essay should not explain whether you agree with [the author]'s claims, but rather explain how [the author] builds an argument to persuade [her/his/their] audience."

Now that you know the format, let's look at the SAT essay prompts list.

14 Official SAT Essay Prompts

The College Board has released a limited number of prompts to help students prep for the essay. We've gathered them for you here, all in one place. We'll be sure to update this article as more prompts are released for practice and/or as more tests are released.

SPOILER ALERT : Since these are the only essay prompts that have been released so far, you may want to be cautious about spoiling them for yourself, particularly if you are planning on taking practice tests under real conditions . This is why I've organized the prompts by the 10 that are in the practice tests (so you can avoid them if need be), the ones that are available online as sample prompts, and the ones that are in the text of the Official SAT Study Guide (Redesigned SAT), all online for free.

Practice Test Prompts

These 10 prompts are taken from the practice tests that the College Board has released.

Practice Test 1 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Jimmy Carter builds an argument to persuade his audience that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge should not be developed for industry."

Practice Test 2 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Martin Luther King Jr. builds an argument to persuade his audience that American involvement in the Vietnam War is unjust."

Practice Test 3 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Eliana Dockterman builds an argument to persuade her audience that there are benefits to early exposure to technology."

Practice Test 4 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Paul Bogard builds an argument to persuade his audience that natural darkness should be preserved."

Practice Test 5 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Eric Klinenberg builds an argument to persuade his audience that Americans need to greatly reduce their reliance on air-conditioning."

Practice Test 6 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Christopher Hitchens builds an argument to persuade his audience that the original Parthenon sculptures should be returned to Greece."

Practice Test 7 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Zadie Smith builds an argument to persuade her audience that public libraries are important and should remain open"

Practice Test 8 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Bobby Braun builds an argument to persuade his audience that the US government must continue to invest in NASA."

Practice Test 9 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Todd Davidson builds an argument to persuade his audience that the US government must continue to fund national parks."

Practice Test 10 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Richard Schiffman builds an argument to persuade his audience that Americans need to work fewer hours."

Special note: The prompt for Practice Test 4 also appears on the College Board's site with real sample essays written in response. If you've written a practice essay for practice test 4 and want to see what essays of different score levels look like for that particular prompt, you can go there and look at eight real student essays.

Free Online Practice

This prompt comes from the College Board website .

"Write an essay in which you explain how Dana Gioia builds an argument to persuade his audience that the decline of reading in America will have a negative effect on society."

This prompt comes from Khan Academy , where it is listed as an alternate essay prompt to go along with Practice Test 2:

"Write an essay in which you explain how Leo W. Gerard builds an argument to persuade his audience that American colleges and universities should be affordable for all students."

The Official SAT Study Guide 2020

The Official SAT Study Guide (editions published in 2015 and later available online for free) contains all 10 of the previously mentioned practice tests at the end of the book. In the section about the new SAT essay , however, there are two additional sample essay prompts (accompanied by articles to analyze).

Sample Prompt 1:

"Write an essay in which you explain how Peter S. Goodman builds an argument to persuade his audience that news organizations should increase the amount of professional foreign news coverage provided to people in the United States."

Sample Prompt 2:

"Write an essay in which you explain how Adam B. Summers builds an argument to persuade his audience that plastic shopping bags should not be banned."

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How Do You Get the Most Out of These Prompts?

Now that you have all the prompts released by the College Board, it's important to know the best way to use them. Make sure you have a good balance between quality and quantity, and don't burn through all 14 of the real prompts in a row— take the time to learn from your experiences writing the practice essays.

Step By Step Guide on How to Practice Using the Article

#1: Understand how the SAT essay is graded .

#2: Follow along as we write a high-scoring SAT essay, step by step .

#3: Plan a set of features you'll look for in the SAT essay readings and practice writing about them fluidly. This doesn't just mean identifying a technique, like asking a rhetorical question, but explaining why it is persuasive and what effect it has on the reader in the context of a particular topic. We have more information on this step in our article about 6 SAT persuasive devices you can use .

#4: Choose a prompt at random from above, or choose a topic that you think is going to be hard for you to detach from (because you'll want to write about the topic, rather than the argument) set timer to 50 minutes and write the essay. No extra time allowed!

#5: Grade the essay, using the official essay rubric to give yourself a score out of 8 in the reading, analysis, and writing sections.

#6: Repeat steps 4 and 5. Choose the prompts you think will be the hardest for you so that you can so that you're prepared for the worst when the test day comes

#7: If you run out of official prompts to practice with, use the official prompts as models to find examples of other articles you could write about . Start by looking for op-ed articles in online news publications like The New York Times, The Atlantic, LA Times , and so on. For instance, the passage about the plastic bag ban in California (Official SAT Study Guide sample essay prompt 2, above) has a counterpoint here —you could try analyzing and writing about that article as well.

Any additional articles you use for practice on the SAT essay must match the following criteria:

• ideally 650-750 words , although it'll be difficult to find an op-ed piece that's naturally that short. Try to aim for nothing longer than 2000 words, though, or the scope of the article is likely to be wider than anything you'll encounter on the SAT.
• always argumentative/persuasive . The author (or authors) is trying to get readers to agree with a claim or idea being put forward.
• always intended for a wide audience . All the information you need to deconstruct the persuasiveness of the argument is in the passage. This means that articles with a lot of technical jargon that's not explained in the article are not realistic passage to practice with.

What's Next?

We've written a ton of helpful resources on the SAT essay. I f you're just getting started, we recommend beginning with our top SAT essay tips for a quick overview of the essay task and what you need to know.

A little more familiar with the SAT essay but still not quite sure how to write one? Follow along with our step-by-step guide to writing the SAT essay .

Looking to earn a high score? Learn what it takes to get the highest score possible on the SAT essay here .

Plus, if you want a reference linking you to all of our great articles on the SAT essay, be sure to check out our ultimate SAT essay guide .

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?

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Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also have expert instructors who can grade every one of your practice SAT essays, giving feedback on how to improve your score.

Check out our 5-day free trial:

Laura graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College with a BA in Music and Psychology, and earned a Master's degree in Composition from the Longy School of Music of Bard College. She scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and GRE and loves advising students on how to excel in high school.

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2021-2022 Common App Essay Prompts

February 26, 2021

The decision-makers at the Common Application have officially announced that the Common App essay prompt menu for the upcoming 2021-22 admissions cycle will be slightly different than in 2020-21. In the opinion of the College Transitions staff, the choice for nothing more than minor tinkering was a wise one. A quick look at the data shows that the prompts, as presently constituted, received rave reviews across the board—more than 95% of admissions officers, guidance counselors, parents, and students rated the selections positively.

In this blog we will review:

• What’s new in 2021-22?
• The COVID-19 essay
• A look at all 2021-22 Common App essay prompts
• The most popular Common App prompts that students choose
• Advice on brainstorming/writing your Common App essay

What’s New for 2021-22?

The Common App essay prompts will remain the same for 2021-2022 with one exception. The following prompt will be clearing out its desk and entering an early retirement:

Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma – anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

Replacing Ex-Prompt #4 will be New Prompt #4:

• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

According to the folks at the Common App, this one was inspired by scientific research on gratitude and kindness, specifically the benefits of writing about the positive influence of other people in our lives.

The COVID-19 Optional Essay

The optional COVID-19 question will remain within the Additional Information section. For tips on whether to/how to best utilize this space, check out our blog on the topic — How to Answer the COVID-19 Question on the Common App.

All 2021-22 Common App Essay Prompts

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Which prompts are most popular?

In most recent cycle reported by the Common App, the most frequently selected topic was #7, the “topic of your choice” essay. This prompt was chosen by 24.1% of applicants. Prompt #5, the “discuss an accomplishment” essay was a close second, attracting 23.7% of seniors. The bronze medal went to prompt #2, the “challenge, setback, or failure” themed essay, which netted 21.1% of Common App filers. Overall, the three most popular prompts accounted for 68.9% of applicants.

Advice on brainstorming/writing your essay

The basic rules for writing a stellar college essay vary little from the general guidelines for producing any strong piece of written work: be authentic, tell a story that is personal and compelling, and diligently edit, revise, and polish your product.

Writing an essay that is compelling doesn’t mean that you need to have wrestled a puma, grown up in a cult, or discovered a new galaxy at age seven.  A great college essay can take place on a grand stage but it can just as effectively take place in everyday life.  There is a ready supply of drama, tension, and conflict in the course of a typical day.  Over the course of your life you have undoubtedly had experiences that constitute worthy topics.  Think it over.  Talk to family and friends.  Your compelling story will emerge.

We also invite you to review the following resources to help with your college essay writing:

• Advice on what to do is useful, but tips on what not to do are of equal importance. Check out our Five Essay Topics to Avoid to discover what topics admissions officers are sure to find unappealing, off-putting, or downright gross.
• If you are a real go-getter, you may also wish to get a start on the most prevalent Common App supplement required by colleges—the “Why this College?” essay. Reference our guide for mastering the “Why this College?” essay .
• If you are also applying to a school in the University of California system, you’ll also need tips on answering the UC Personal Insight Questions .
• Are you a transfer applicant? Don’t worry, we have advice for you too in our blog entitled How to Write a Winning Transfer Essay.
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First-year essay prompts

Common App has announced the 2024-2025 essay prompts.

Below is the complete list of the common app essay prompts..

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

We will also retain the  optional community disruption  question within the Writing section. 

Looking for tips on how to approach the essay? Check out this video. 

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The 2020-2021 Common Application Essay Prompts Are Here

The Common Application has just announced that the essay prompts will be the same as those used in 2019-2020. Every cycle, the Common App offers six prompts that students can use to brainstorm great essay topics. There is also a seventh prompt to write on any topic of your choosing.

New to college applications? Keep reading this article to learn why these prompts matter, when to start your essay, and how you can be preparing for college applications now.

2020-2021 Common Application Essay Prompts

Here are the essay prompts from last year, which will be used again in this upcoming application cycle. Since we have worked with these prompts extensively in the past, we can confirm that these can inspire some pretty great essays.

Prompt #1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

Prompt #2: The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Prompt #3: Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Prompt #4: Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma – anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

Prompt #5: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Prompt #6: Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Prompt #7: Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What is the Purpose of the Common App Essay?

By the time you apply to college, you have gathered a long list of grades, test scores, and extracurricular accomplishments. But, while admissions officers are interested in seeing what you have done with your high school years, what they really want to know is who you are. When people read your college application, they want to know, “Is this someone who will succeed at our school?”

In your essay, you get to tell a story or two that introduces admissions officers to you as a candidate for their school. In your introduction, you want to come across as smart, thoughtful, and mature. Your essay should be deeply personal, error-free, and written in language that demonstrates you are prepared for the academic challenge of college.

What you choose to write about does not matter nearly as much as how you address the topic. We have seen winning essays on the alarm clock, Robotics Club, death, and home cooking. The commonality that all these essays shared was that they portrayed the author as a thoughtful person of good character. Just about any strong college essay will answer these four questions:

• Why Am I Here?
• What is Unique About Me?
• What Matters to Me?

While the essay can be about any topic, the Common App provides a few suggestions to help students start out on the right foot. Whether you write to a prompt or brainstorm a fresh idea, make sure your essay addresses these for key questions. Before you begin writing essays, we recommend checking out our post How to Write the Common Application Essays 2019-2020 .

Ways to Prepare for College Applications Now

We recommend waiting until late summer or early fall of your Senior year before you begin writing personal essays. Those few months actually make a big difference in how students reflect on their lives and what anecdotes they choose to highlight. 

If you are eager to get a head start on the college application process, here are some goals you can shoot for now as a Junior:

1. Build an epic extracurricular profile.

If your goal is to ace your college applications, the single most important thing you can be doing (besides keeping your grades up) is to cultivate a crowning achievement of your extracurricular profile. Your Junior summer is your chance to demonstrate that you care deeply about these out-of-school interests. It’s your opportunity to show that you know how to maximize available resources to create something meaningful.

Take time as a Junior to think about what impact you want to have outside of the classroom. Think of positive experiences you have had leading up to this point when it comes to ECs. The more substantial of an impact your extracurricular endeavors make, the more competitive your application on the whole will be. 

Impact will look different for everybody. Some students have breadth of impact by planning a large event. Others accomplish depth of impact through a service project that supports a few people in a big way. Still others trailblaze, taking the first steps in the uncharted territories of an extracurricular activity that few students in their community pursue.

If you’re concerned about your extracurricular profile because you haven’t developed it much up until this point, there are still steps you can take to improve your ECs. See our post How to Improve Your Extracurriculars Junior and Senior Year for tips on how to make the most of the time you have left.

For more advice on how to craft a successful extracurricular profile, check out these CollegeVine posts:

Breaking Down the 4 Tiers of Extracurricular Activities

Your Complete List of Extracurricular Activities

Your Ultimate Guide to Summer Programs for High Schoolers

A Guide to Extracurricular Activities: Grade 11

2. Ask 2-3 people to write your letters of recommendation.

Think carefully about who should write these letters for you, and give them plenty of advance warning before your earliest deadline (at least one month). You should ideally ask teachers who know you both as a student, and in an extracurricular context; for example, your math teacher and debate advisor could be a good pick. This isn’t always possible of course, so you should always just aim for teachers who know you well and can speak very positively of you. You should also try to ask teachers you’ve had recently.

You can learn more about connecting with recommenders by checking out these related articles:

How to Pick Which Teachers to Ask for Letters of Recommendation

9 Rules for Requesting Letters of Recommendation from Teachers

What Makes a Good Recommendation Letter?

Should You Submit an Additional Letter of Recommendation?

A Step-by-Step Guide to Your Recommendation Letters

3. Complete all standardized testing.

While you will have opportunities to take your SAT, ACT, and SAT Subject Tests in your Senior fall, it pays to wrap up this process as a Junior. You will want the time your Senior year to focus on essays and extracurricular activities.

Here are a few additional resources for those looking to wrap up their standardized testing by the end of their Junior year:

When Is the Best Time to Take the SAT?

SAT vs. ACT: Everything You Need to Know

ACT Score Range: What Is a Good ACT Score? A Bad ACT Score?

Why Should You Take SAT Subject Tests?

Complete List of SAT Subject Tests

4. Familiarize yourself with the Common App and begin brainstorming essay ideas.

The Common App allows you to build one application and send it to hundreds of schools. Filling out the form is fairly straightforward, and most sections take less than a half-hour to complete. You can create an account today, and the Common App will let you roll over any information you have submitted when the 2020-2021 application cycle opens in August.

Beginning this process early ensures that little details will not slip through the cracks. For example, one student of ours practiced piano for ten years but almost forgot to note that extracurricular on her application. Luckily, she had been updating the form for months, so when she remembered this important extracurricular activity, it was easy for her to log on and update her file.

Additionally, the Common App lets you start brainstorming essay ideas. We recommend keeping a journal or running Google Doc of ideas so that you have a plethora of good ideas to choose from once it is time to start writing your essays. For more on brainstorming essay topics and the Common App in general, check out these links:

A User’s Guide to the Common App

What Is a Personal College Essay?

How Important Is the College Essay?

Where to Begin? 3 Personal Essay Brainstorming Exercises

Why This Common App Essay Worked: Prompt 2: “The Lessons We Take…”

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Pedro hall named winner of kish college paul simon student essay contest.

Pedro Hall was selected as Kishwaukee College’s winner of the 2024 Paul Simon Student Essay Contest, where he described “How Kishwaukee College Changed My Life.”

Hall, a Sycamore resident, received a scholarship for the Spring 2024 semester and was recognized with a certificate of achievement at the April Board of Trustees meeting. Hall’s entry was forwarded to the Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA) for entry into the statewide Paul Simon Student Essay competition.

In his essay, Hall reflects on how Kishwaukee College provided the opportunity for him to revisit his goal of pursuing higher education after a 15-year hiatus due to life obstacles.

“I took a picture holding a sign that read, ‘First Day of School! ¡Primer día de clases! Kishwaukee College, Malta, IL. #estudiandoporunsueño #gokougars!’ In the background, a frame read, ‘Bloom Where You Are Planted.’ This picture paints a summary of how that day was the beginning of my dream of obtaining a doctorate degree in education. One day I will, and when I do, I will always remember that it all began with an opportunity given at Kishwaukee College,” Hall wrote in his essay.

When crafting his essay, Hall said he received encouragement from multiple Kish instructors and saw the prompt as an opportunity to pass along further inspiration.

“I hope the people who read my essay enjoy it and remember that it is never too late to work toward our goals regardless of how old the goal is or how old we are,” Hall said. “Perhaps it wasn't your time then, but it may be now. Do a life assessment and see if now the time is right. If it is not, don't give up on your dream. Wait, because your time will come. For me, this is my time, and I am elated to go full force in the pursuit of my lifelong dream.”

Hall plans to graduate from Kish in May with an Associate in Science degree. Following Kish, he plans to transfer to a four-year university to pursue a bachelor’s degree before obtaining a doctoral degree in education. Hall intends to work in Special Education after completing his academic journey.

To read Hall’s essay in its entirety, visit www.kish.edu/iccta .

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Peter Jutras, PhD

“Peter Jutras has a strong record of inclusive leadership, visionary thinking, fiscal responsibility, community building and student-forward curricular development, all of which will serve our College-Conservatory of Music as it continues to grow its legacy as an internationally renowned performing and media arts institution,” says Valerio Ferme, PhD, UC’s executive vice president of academic affairs and provost. “His experience in the development of interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary partnerships with programs in the humanities and sciences will continue to fuel our innovative approach to education.”

During his tenure at HHSOM, Jutras has become known for an innovative and creative vision, community building and student success. He led school-wide efforts to launch new curricular offerings and review core requirements to create opportunities for more relevant and flexible course options. Additionally, Jutras has tapped innovative collaborations across campus to partner with new educational programs such as an Innovation Bootcamp for musicians and an interdisciplinary arts Lab.  

I have a strong passion for advancing the cause of music and the arts on a global scale while supporting and empowering students, faculty and staff. I can’t wait to partner with members of the UC and Cincinnati communities to build on the college’s rich history.

“It is an honor and privilege to be chosen as the next UC College-Conservatory of Music dean,” says Peter Jutras, PhD. “I have a strong passion for advancing the cause of music and the arts on a global scale while supporting and empowering students, faculty and staff. I can’t wait to partner with members of the UC and Cincinnati communities to build on the college’s rich history to prepare students for successful careers that positively impact society.”

An avid researcher, Jutras has published numerous articles in leading music journals, and he is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences. Jutras served as editor-in-chief of Clavier Companion Magazine, a leading national piano pedagogy publication, for 11 years.

Jutras holds a BM degree in music education from the Eastman School of Music, an MM degree in piano performance and pedagogy from Southern Methodist University and a PhD in music education with an emphasis in piano pedagogy from the University of North Texas.

About the College-Conservatory of Music

The University of Cincinnati's nationally ranked and internationally renowned College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is a preeminent institution for the performing and media arts. The school’s educational roots date back to 1867, and a solid, visionary instruction by internationally renowned faculty has been at its core since that time. Declared "one of this country's leading conservatories" by the New York Times, CCM offers nearly 120 possible majors, along with a variety of pre-collegiate and post-graduate programs and workshops. The synergy created by housing CCM within a comprehensive public university gives the college its unique character and defines its objective: to educate and inspire the whole artist and scholar for positions on the world stage.

Learn more at ccm.uc.edu .

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Peter Jutras, PhD, professor of piano and piano pedagogy and director of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music (HHSOM) at the University of Georgia, has been named dean of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, effective Aug. 1, 2024, pending approval of the UC Board of Trustees.

Books | 20 new books coming this spring you won’t…

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Books | ohtani’s interpreter charged with bank fraud, stealing $16 million from ballplayer, things to do, books | 20 new books coming this spring you won’t want to miss.

It’s finally spring, which comes as a relief to those who have been looking forward to stowing away their sweaters and gloves — and to book lovers as well, who know that publishers unleash a flood of new titles this time of year.

Here are 20 books coming out now and in the following months that are perfect for reading on your porch, at the ballpark during the seventh-inning stretch, or wherever else you choose to welcome the sun back into your life.

SEE ALSO : Sign up for our free Book Pages newsletter about bestsellers, authors and more

“Table for Two: Fictions”

Author: Amor Towles

What It’s About: The latest from the author of “A Gentleman in Moscow” and “The Lincoln Highway” comprises six short stories set in turn-of-the-millennium New York — and a novella that takes place in Golden Age Hollywood, and revisits Evelyn Ross, a character from his novel “Rules of Civility.”

Publication Date: Out now

“The Audacity”

Author: Ryan Chapman

What It’s About: Chapman’s 2019 debut novel, “Riots I Have Known,” was a hilarious satire about literature and the prison system, and his new one promises to bring back his wildly original sense of humor. This novel follows the founder of a startup who goes missing shortly before she’s set to be revealed as a fraud.

“You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World”

Editor: Ada Limón

This anthology of nature-related poems includes heavy hitters such as Joy Harjo, Jericho Brown, and Rigoberto González. It’s part of U.S. Poet Laureate Limón’s “You Are Here” initiative with the Library of Congress, which will see her unveil art installations featuring poems in national parks across the country — including, on June 23, Redwood.

“A Really Strange and Wonderful Time: The Chapel Hill Music Scene: 1989-1999”

Author: Tom Maxwell

What It’s About: The 1990s were a banner decade for indie rock, thanks in no small part to the North Carolina college town of Chapel Hill. Maxwell, a former singer and guitarist for the Squirrel Nut Zippers, takes a look at how Chapel Hill, and the nearby town of Carrboro, gave birth to bands like Superchunk, Polvo, and Archers of Loaf.

“Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder”

Author: Salman Rushdie

What It’s About: The legendary author of “Midnight’s Children” and “The Satanic Verses” writes about the aftermath of the 2022 knife attack in Chautauqua, New York, that left him unable to use one hand or see out of one eye.

Publication Date: April 16

“Chipped: Writing From a Skateboarder’s Lens”

Author: José Vadi

What It’s About: The Sacramento author wrote about the Golden State in his well-received essay collection “Inter State: Essays From California” in 2021. Now he’s back with a memoir in essays about skateboarding, covering everything from the heyday of Thrasher magazine to connection between the sport and jazz.

Author: Julia Hannafin

What It’s About: The debut novel from L.A. television writer Hannafin (“The L Word: Generation Q”) follows a character who takes a job monitoring great white sharks on the Farallon Islands off the San Francisco coast after the death of her mother and falls for her boss.

Author: Justin Taylor

What It’s About: The Portland, Oregon, author returns with a wild, comic novel about a former child actor who’s now barely scraping by, and returns to Hollywood in the hopes of taking part in a revival of his old show. He soon realizes that bringing the series back might lead to the demise of American society as we know it.

Publication Date: April 23

“The Whole Staggering Mystery: A Story of Fathers Lost and Found”

Author: Sylvia Brownrigg

What It’s About: Novelist Brownrigg (“Pages for You”), who lives in Berkeley and London, returns to bookshelves with a memoir about receiving a package meant for her father, 50 years late. When he declines to open it, she and her brother do, leading Brownrigg to reconstruct the life of her father’s father, who died at 27.

“Attachments: Essays on Fatherhood and Other Performances”

Author: Lucas Mann

What It’s About: The latest from author, professor and bookstore co-owner Mann (“Captive Audience: On Love and Reality TV”) is a collection of 12 essays about his experiences raising his young daughter, touching on children’s literature, art, and nature, among other themes.

Publication Date: May 6

“The Body Farm: Stories”

Author: Abby Geni

What It’s About: Geni’s first book, “The Last Animal,” was a knockout short story collection that dealt with people’s relationships to the natural world. Her latest collection tackles similar themes: These 11 stories explore bodies, and how we learn how to inhabit them.

Publication Date: May 7

“Another Word for Love: A Memoir”

Author: Carvell Wallace

What It’s About: Oakland-based Wallace is one of the most versatile journalists working today, known for his sharp celebrity profiles and writing about sports, music and more. His new book is a memoir about growing up Black and queer in a Pennsylvania town and raising two teenagers in an increasingly hate-filled country.

Publication Date: May 14

“Blue Ruin”

Author: Hari Kunzru

What It’s About: The acclaimed British author follows up his novels “White Tears” and “Red Pill” with one about an undocumented migrant to the U.S. living out of his car and delivering groceries during the pandemic, who is invited to live with an ex-lover and two other people in upstate New York.

“Accordion Elegies: A Memoir of Music, Migration, and Mexico”

Author: Noé Álvarez

What It’s About: The second book from memoirist Álvarez (“Spirit Run: A 6,000-Mile Marathon Through North America’s Stolen Land”) chronicles his attempt to connect with the musician grandfather he never knew by learning the accordion and traveling across Mexico and the U.S. with the instrument.

Publication Date: May 28

“Everything And Nothing At Once: A Black Man’s Reimagined Soundtrack for the Future”

Author: Joél Leon

What It’s About: Performer and storyteller Leon’s debut essay collection is structured like an album and contains his thoughts on growing up Black, masculinity, therapy, parenting, Nipsey Hussle, Will Smith and Chris Rock, and much more.

Publication Date: June 4

“Farewell, Amethystine”

Author: Walter Mosley

What It’s About: The king of crime fiction returns to L.A. in his latest novel featuring Easy Rawlins, the detective he introduced in 1990’s “Devil in a Blue Dress.” This one features Rawlins, now 50 years old, investigating a woman’s missing ex-husband; the case brings back memories of his troubled past.

“The Sons of El Rey”

Author: Alex Espinoza

What It’s About: The latest novel from UC-Riverside creative writing professor Espinoza , a Mexico native who was raised in L.A., follows the family of Ernesto Vega, a once-famous luchador, and his wife, son, and grandson, each of whom have struggles of their own.

Publication Date: June 11

“Any Person Is the Only Self: Essays”

Author: Elisa Gabbert

What It’s About: The New York Times poetry columnist and author of books including “The Unreality of Memory” returns with an essay collection that explores how time affects how we consider art and ourselves, touching on subjects including Sylvia Plath, surf movies and hair metal.

“One of Our Kind”

Author: Nicola Yoon

What It’s About: Los Angeles-based Yoon is best known as the author of young adult bestsellers like “Everything, Everything” and “The Sun Is Also a Star.” Her latest novel, for an adult audience, follows a family who moves to a Black community that turns out to be not what it seems.

“You Are the Snake: Stories”

Author: Juliet Escoria

What It’s About: Escoria made waves in the literary world with her critically admired. 2019 novel “Juliet the Maniac.” Her latest book is a collection of short stories that focus on the lives of girls and women.

Publication Date: June 18

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Angel Reese Bids Farewell to LSU, College Basketball With Heartfelt Video Essay

• Author: Karl Rasmussen

In this story:

Angel Reese announced Wednesday morning that she intends to enter the 2024 WNBA draft following LSU's season-ending defeat against Caitlin Clark and Iowa in Monday's Elite Eight .

Shortly after her announcement, Reese bid farewell to the Tigers and all of her fans across the country on a more personal level, sharing a heartfelt video essay to her social media accounts. In the video, Reese thanked her supporters and expressed her gratitude to those who helped her along her journey.

"I'm leaving college with everything I've ever wanted," Reese said. "A degree. A national championship. And this platform I could have never imagined. This is for the girls that look like me, that's going to speak up on what they believe in, it's unapologetically you. To grow up in sports and have an impact on what's coming next.

"This was a difficult decision, but I trust the next chapter because I know the author. Bayou Barbie, out."

Grateful for these last four years and excited for this next chapter. #BAYOUBARBIEOUT pic.twitter.com/EvkzUW08JV — Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) April 3, 2024

Reese played two seasons at LSU after transferring from the University of Maryland. With the Tigers, she racked up a multitude of accolades and won a national championship last season, vaulting herself into the national spotlight in the process. Across 69 games for LSU, Reese averaged 20.9 points and 14.4 rebounds.

After wrapping up a legendary college career and bidding an emotional farewell to her fans, Reese has officially declared her intention to enter the WNBA draft, where she projects as a first-round pick in what figures to be a loaded draft class.

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Trump’s New Stance on Abortion

More from our inbox:, j street and israel-gaza nuance, should students ‘brand’ themselves for college, the risks facing gps satellites, alternatives to social media.

To the Editor:

Re “ Abortion Should Be Left to the States, Trump Says ” (front page, April 9):

In his statement on Monday, former President Donald Trump seemed to be trying to forge a middle ground on the question of whether abortion should be legal. He failed. His problem is that it is simply not possible.

Either you believe — as most people do — that the procedure, at least in the early to middle stages of pregnancy, should be for the woman herself to decide, and should therefore be legal; or you believe that it is a form of murder, as is held by some, in which case it should be banned across the board.

To illustrate the point: In the matter of the murder of a living person, would we leave it up to each state to make its own decision? The answer is clearly no.

A half-century ago, when I was serving as national P.R. director for Planned Parenthood, we faced this problem. Our Washington director at the time, Jeannie Rosoff, made a public statement to the effect that there is no middle ground when it comes to discussing the legality of abortion.

What she said then remains true today. Sorry, Mr. Trump, good try, but it doesn’t work.

Robin Anthony Elliott Yonkers, N.Y.

I find the online headline of an April 8 news analysis, “ On Abortion, Trump Chose Politics Over Principles. Will It Matter?,” puzzling, as it seems clear that any instance in which Donald Trump were to choose a principle other than his own perceived self-interest — should there be such a case — would be vastly more newsworthy than the day-in, day-out reports of his efforts to influence by deceit.

As to your question, I don’t know whether it will matter or not. I certainly hope so. I’ve enjoyed living under the rule of law in our representative democracy.

Chris Weinmann Norwich, Vt.

Donald Trump’s statement on abortion includes that Democrats “support abortion up to and even beyond the ninth month” and “even execution after birth.”

This is an affront to obstetricians, pediatricians, nurses, midwives and other medical personnel who strive to care for the baby from the moment of birth. The notion that medical personnel might murder a newborn in the delivery room is insulting and deranged.

Alan Meyers Cambridge, Mass. The writer is emeritus professor of pediatrics at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.

Re “ Searching for a Middle Path on Gaza ” (news article, April 9):

As a longtime human rights lawyer who specializes in national security and counterterrorism, I applaud J Street for having the courage to take a nuanced view of the Israel-Gaza conflict.

While a cease-fire is necessary, its terms matter, and must include a return of the hostages and an end to attacks on civilians by Hamas.

As a Jew born in Israel and raised in the U.S., I find it disturbing to see so many human rights and advocacy organizations insist on a permanent cease-fire by Israel without even mentioning Hamas’s responsibility in the conflict and its commitment to continuing attacks on civilians.

A truly progressive and rights-respecting position would acknowledge the responsibilities of all sides in resolving the conflict, and show empathy for all who are suffering its consequences. I believe that J Street has done exactly that.

Daphne Eviatar Brooklyn

Re “ Elite College Admissions Have Turned Students Into Brands ,” by Sarah Bernstein (Opinion guest essay, March 31):

As the father of a high school senior who has just completed the college application process, I say amen to Ms. Bernstein.

Teens should be focused on exploring a range of interests (the broader the better), and colleges should be rewarding such diversity of experiences, versus résumé padding with empty titles focused only on fitting a desired narrative.

Higher ed is creating a generation of narrow-minded thinkers who have lost sight of the notion that it’s about the journey, not just the destination.

Jon Kossow Atherton, Calif.

Like Sarah Bernstein, I also help students craft admissions essays. She makes some good points regarding preparation for college admissions, highlighting that students’ individual interests and passions need to be considered, rather than creating a rigid strategy or marketing “brand” for the student.

However, it’s all a matter of goals. If students want to attend a top-tier university, they need to start defining a specific way to present themselves to the admissions committees right from the get-go at the beginning of freshman year in high school. If the goal is to allow students to explore their interests during high school, then they may have a more balanced life, but the chances of admission to a prestigious institution decrease significantly.

I was fortunate to have been accepted to M.I.T., and even though all of my high school efforts were geared toward that goal, I have no regrets whatsoever. In fact, it may have been one of the smartest decisions I have ever made.

Dennis Vidach New York

Re “ World Has No Backup if GPS Signals Ruling Modern Life Go Down ” (news article, March 29):

Amid a global increase in GPS jamming and spoofing attacks — which drown out satellite signals or send them falsified data — the U.S. needs to modernize its GPS satellites rather than abandon them altogether.

While we should also be investing in alternative satellite and terrestrial systems, the reality is that GPS is our only viable option for years to come, and it’s essential to our economy, critical industries and emergency services.

The most immediate option we have is to complete the upgrade of our satellites in orbit. Currently, our satellites and technology devices rely on L1 band GPS signals that were invented more than 50 years ago and are susceptible to interference.

The U.S. has already invested billions to upgrade our satellite constellation to the more modern L5 GPS band, which is far more resilient to jamming and spoofing with 18 out of 24 L5-capable satellites in orbit and congressional funds appropriated. It is now a matter of finishing the job.

Doing so would be an important first step in enabling the U.S. to reclaim its GPS leadership in an increasingly hostile world.

Steve Poizner Sunnyvale, Calif. The writer is a former White House fellow in the National Security Council Office of Transnational Threats and is the C.E.O. of oneNav, a technology company.

Re “ Is Threads the Good Place? ,” by Pamela Paul (column, March 29):

Ms. Paul adroitly summarizes the problem with social media driven by algorithms, in this instance Instagram’s Threads. Her penultimate paragraph poses the question “But where else to go?” yet offers only other social media platforms as possibilities.

I have a few other ideas. Outside. To a coffee shop. To a public park. To the library. To a bar or club (don’t drink too much). To a cooking or painting class. To a book club. To the basketball court. To a friend’s living or dining room with a bunch of other friends.

To any of the places we used to go to socialize before social media came along.

Dan Jackson Boston