You're more than your application.

Stress, excitement, pressure, money worries, big questions about who you are — all of that is normal, whether or not it ever shows up in an essay. This page isn't only for a crisis. It's a place to find real, current resources for whatever's actually going on, essay-related or not.

Crisis support

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988, 24/7
• Crisis Text Line — text HOME to 741741, 24/7

Margin is a writing mentor, not a crisis service. If you're in immediate danger, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

If you're worried someone might get hurt — including yourself

• Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (Sandy Hook Promise) — report a safety concern about yourself or someone else, including a threat of violence or a warning sign of self-harm.

Ongoing support — not just for crisis moments

• NAMI HelpLine (mental health info & support) — 1-800-950-6264, weekdays
• SAMHSA National Helpline (mental health & substance use) — 1-800-662-4357, 24/7
• National Alliance for Eating Disorders Helpline — 1-866-662-1235, weekdays

LGBTQ+ students

• The Trevor Project — crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ young people under 25. Call (866) 488-7386 or text START to 678678, 24/7

Sexual assault & abuse support

• RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline — 1-800-656-4673, 24/7
• Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline — 1-800-422-4453, 24/7
• National Domestic Violence Hotline — 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788, 24/7
• National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline — 1-866-331-9474, 24/7
• National Human Trafficking Hotline — 1-888-373-7888, or text 233733, 24/7

Academic pressure

• The Jed Foundation — mental health and emotional well-being resources built specifically around the pressures of the college transition and the college years

For the essay itself

• Common App — official prompts, account, and submission
• Common App writing tips — starting-point guidance straight from the source

Financial aid & scholarships

• studentaid.gov — official FAFSA & federal financial aid
• QuestBridge — connects high-achieving, low-income students with full scholarships
• Bold.org — exclusive scholarships, free to search and apply
• Fastweb — the original free scholarship search engine, still going strong

Career & gap year exploration

• CareerOneStop — free U.S. Dept. of Labor tool for exploring careers and assessments
• Gap Year Association — the accrediting nonprofit for legitimate gap year programs

First-gen & undocumented students

• I'm First! — community & guidance for first-generation students
• Immigrants Rising — college & scholarship guidance for undocumented students