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Application Essays
I know this page looks a bit bulky, but it's filled with really good stuff.
Application essays give the colleges an effective look at you beyond grades and test scores. They are important.
Remember the "Brag Book" I recommended you keep? Now's the time to get it out and muse about it. Write down ideas as they occur to you and make notes about them. That way you will have a ready-made list of topics, commentary, and reflections.
Depending on the schools you are applying to, there is a good chance you will be required to write one or more essays, and sometimes to craft some short answer responses. Colleges will put their 2007 applications online at various times between now and fall, 2006. Watch for the applications for schools on your list. In the meantime, you can look at last year's applications to get an idea of the types of essay questions. See a list of
Common essay topics
For a search of 7000 U.S. colleges and universities, go to the
U.S. Department of Education College Search Engine
You can search on various criteria including locations, regions, territories, majors, programs, desired degrees, number of students, and religious affiliation. This is easily one the most comprehensive general search engine search on the Web.
In the meantime, keep track of the steps to applying with the list of
what's in your admissions portfolio.
Choose your topic carefully and be sure your writing shows the person you want the reader to see.A Common application essay questions ask you to write about an event, circumstance, personal experience, or individual in your life and how you were influenced by it. This is where you show the college who you are by discussing your personal growth, your growth as a citizen of your community, and what you will bring to the college. Remember to "show, not tell." Write several drafts and take the time to do them right. Sometimes you can recycle all or parts of your your essays for different schools, but be sure you make each essay relate to the particular school for which it is intended.It is unethical to hire someone to write your essays, and if, for example, your SAT I essay receives a low score, or you have average grades in high School English, the colleges may notice the discrepancy between your academic performance and perfectly written application essays.However, there is help available to make sure your essays are the best they can be. If you choose to work with a college consultant on this or other parts of the admissions process, be sure he or she has writing and editing skills, or even a professional editing service to help guide you.
Things to Remember
- The application essays are the personal part of the application and lets the schools see who you are beyond grades and test scores
The topic must be adequately discussed in the word limit of the essay Answer your question uniquelyStay on topic Be yourself, show your soul Don’t over promote yourself Create some mystery at the beginning Share something about yourselfCapture your audienceRaise intriguing questions or dilemmas Use original language, not clichés, slang, or trite sayingsHighlight your growth as a result of the event or circumstance you are writing aboutUse examples and illustrationsDon’t just say it or tell it, show it (Show, not tell)End with a bang
Writing Application Essays
- Write for perfection, edit, re-edit, re-write and edit again, with help from editors. Ask someone to proofread it to check for errors, grammatical mistakes, and illogical sentences
- Focus on you, and reveal something about you. Offer insight about who you are, how you think, and give the reader the chance to know you as a person.
Be creative and interesting. Be clear and concise and provide a smoothly flowing essay with nice transitions. Watch and correct any gaps between what you meant to say, and what the reader might understand?Make the reader like you and want to meet you. Remember, you are not writing to please the readers, you are writing so that the readers can get to know you. Would you be a valuable addition to their school? Have you portrayed yourself as likable? Make your application essays flawless. Content is not the only thing that counts. Check spelling, grammar, and word usage. DO NOT rely on spell-checker for more than a cursory check, put your document at 200% (tool bar) and study it line by line. Do word counts. A couple of words over or under the limit will not hurt you, but don’t push it.Write about ordinary experiences, but do it in an extraordinary way.Display passion for your subject.
Essay Writing Don'ts
- Don’t try to be someone else.
- Don’t flex: Don’t write application essays designed to impress by discussing the mysteries of the world, or trying to show off your intelligence or sophistication.
Don’t feel you have to write about saving a village, ending poverty, or similar accomplishments.Don’t use clichés, slang, or profanity. Don’t over quote-use sparingly; maintain your originality and your own voice. Don’t go wild with the thesaurus. Use interesting words, but keep it real.Don’t resort to gimmicks.Don’t try to be funny on application essays unless you really are funnyDon’t write about being a criminal, and idiot, or a psychopath Stay away from topics that make you uncomfortable, it will show in your writing Be careful with topics such as drug addiction, suicide attempts, mental illness, and other iffy topics. The college may wonder if you can survive the rigors of college life.
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