COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAY WRITING

Amy Carter, B.A., M.S.

Generation TXJune 29, 2012

Application Essays

For state-supported universities (Texas A&M, UT, Texas Tech, etc.), the Apply Texas Common Application is used. Each school’s essay topic requirement varies. There are four topics with the first three being

the ones most required. For private universities, each school has

its own essay requirements and prompts that vary.

Apply TX Prompts

Topic A Write an essay in which you tell us about someone who has

made an impact on your life and explain how and why this person is important to you.

Topic B Choose an issue of importance to you—the issue could be

personal, school related, local, political, or international in scope—and write an essay in which you explain the significance of that issue to yourself, your family, your community, or your generation.

Topic C There may be personal information you want considered as part of

your admissions application. Write an essay describing that information. You might include exceptional hardships, challenges, or opportunities that have shaped or impacted your abilities or academic credentials, personal responsibilities, exceptional achievements or talents, educational goals, or ways in which you might contribute to an institution committed to creating a diverse learning environment.

Topic A

Write an essay in which you tell us about someone who has made an impact on your life and explain how and why this person is important to you.

What is this prompt asking of you?

Topic B

Choose an issue of importance to you—the issue could be personal, school related, local, political, or international in scope—and write an essay in which you explain the significance of that issue to yourself, your family, your community, or your generation.

What is this prompt asking of you? Do you know what is going on in the world?

Topic C

There may be personal information you want considered as part of your admissions application. Write an essay describing that information. You might include exceptional hardships, challenges, or opportunities that have shaped or impacted your abilities or academic credentials, personal responsibilities, exceptional achievements or talents, educational goals, or ways in which you might contribute to an institution committed to creating a diverse learning environment.

What will you write about?

What Major Universities are Looking For

Essentials of a good application essay according to Texas A&M College Station, Texas State, and UT Austin are as follows: Fluency, Logic Grammar, Mechanics Unified Theme/Subject Clarity, Creativity Organization, Examples

David A. Byrd, Ph.D.Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs, College of Education & Human DevelopmentTexas A&M University

Good vs Bad Topics

Because most of the prompts for college applications are open-ended, you are responsible for selecting a topic on which to write.

Good Topics Bad Topics

Why my brother is my best friend.

Why my brother is the only friend I have in the world.

My weekend helping the homeless.

My weekend throwing water balloons at people on the street.

How the global warming crisis affects me.

How bad global warming is for the world.

Topic Selection

Whatever topic you select to write on, it should do the following: Show much thought Show how it built your character Separate you from all of the other applicants Support other parts of your application Show critical thinking

Explain HOW and WHY your topic impacted your life.

David A. Byrd, Ph.D.Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs, College of Education & Human DevelopmentTexas A&M University

Generic Topics

Your essay needs to separate you from the hundreds of other applicants’ essays that admission counselors will read.

Generic topics are those that every student can relate to and do not leave an impression on the readers. Ex: My ________ has made a profound impact

on my life because… …she has always been there for me. …he always took me out to play basketball. …he helped me decide what to be in life.

Selecting YOUR Topic

Topic selection is the most important element of the application essay.

“A well-written essay with no content is not as memorable to the reader as one that is compelling, thought-provoking and leaves the reader feeling that he/she really knows the applicant” (Dr. David Byrd, Texas A&M University College Station 25 June 2012).

Topic Selection Tip #1

READ, READ, READ -- the classics, contemporary novels, the

newspaper, news magazines, etc. Reading improves the vocabulary,

sentence structure, etc. Reading stimulates the mind and allows for personal experiences to be remembered.

Topic Selection Tip #2

Keep a diary or journal of your personal experiences.

This will help you: Practice your writing Keep a record of you experiences Find your passion and what/who you feel are important Find your voice

Topic Selection Tip #3

Ask a close friend to write a personal essay about you.

The essay should be about what is interesting about you – what make you YOU. What have you done in your life? What makes you unique? What is it about you that the person likes,

admires? This allows you to see yourself in a

different light.

Topic Selection Tip #4

Think about how you would describe yourself to a complete stranger in 3 minutes or fewer. What do you think a person needs to know

about you? What is important that can’t be seen from

your physical appearance?

Topic Selection Tip #5

Become conscious of things that you do that you feel are important or meaningful to you.

Critically think about WHY you do these things…HOW do they affect you? If you only do these things because someone

else wants you to or because they will look good on your application, don’t write about them.

Add these things into your diary/journal.

Topic Selection Tip #6

Get teacher input Ask a teacher who you feel close to, or who

you feel knows you really well, to read your essay(s).

Get an English teacher to proofread it for you. Don’t procrastinate! Don’t ask a teacher to read over your essay and

tell him/her that you have to submit it the next day.

Give the teacher time to read it and make corrections or comment on what you’ve written.

Topic Selection Tip #7

Don’t read too many sample essays.

There are hundreds of samples posted on the Internet or available in books for you to read.

You want your essay to be YOUR creation and about YOU; reading too many samples may hinder your ability to be creative.

Topic Selection Tip #8

Don’t plagiarize – EVER!!!

Plagiarism is equivalent to academic suicide. It is punishable by law and NEVER acceptable.

Even “tweaking” a sample essay you find is considered plagiarism – why take the risk?

Topic Selection Tip #9

Share your essay(s) with your parents just before you attach it to your application.

While they may “know you best” they can also stifle your creativity and have a tendency to

take over thus inhibiting your voice.

Remember that YOU are going to college, not them!

Essay Categories

Admissions Counselors read thousands of essays that fall into several categories. The attempt-at-humor essay The cry-for-help essay The I-make-the-world-a-better-place essay The laying-it-on-too-thick essay The way-too-broad-of-a-topic essay The I’ve-overcome-so-many-obstacles essay The my-personal-growth-will-make-you-sick

essay

Most Important Element

Answer the question!

Many well-written essays never answer the question or address the prompt.

If the topic is why you would be a good fit for the college, don’t go off on a tangent about the importance of relationships. Every sentence, example, idea must tie to the

prompt.

Essay Introductions

The beginning of your essay must grab the reader’s attention.

Don’t be quirky or give the reader an excuse to put down your essay – draw him/her in.

Don’t fill the beginning with every SAT word you know or try to be shocking. A good first line of an essay creates a sense of

excitement, interest, or anticipation that motivates the reader to continue on and learn about you.

Have a Message for the School

What are you trying to tell your reader? Make a list of the things you want the reader, and the school, to know about you. Do you want to show you can overcome

challenges? Do you want to prove you are resilient? Do you want to add to the overall climate of

the school? Your message doesn’t have to be “epic”

but honest and well-thought-out.

Make the School Feel Special

Although you may be applying to several different schools, let each one feel that it is the only school you truly want to attend.

Colleges also want to know that you can add to their community. You need to tell the school how you will enrich

the school in addition to how the school will enrich you.

Make your essay an extension of yourself and let the reader know you are an interesting person, not just a name on a list of applicants.

What You Really Want Colleges to Know About You

What You Want to Tell the College

How to Include it in Your Essay

Even though my grades aren’t very good, I would really be happy at your school.

Discuss how you will rise to the occasion and show how other dimensions of your personality will make you an asset to the school.

I am a little obsessed with my grades, but I did go to the prom once.

It’s ok to be honest here but explain why you value grades over being social and how is an asset.

The prestige of your school matters to me.

Do NOT write this! Harvard knows why you are applying; elaborate instead on how YOU will enrich the school.

I have wanted to go to your school since I was a small child and it would fit my personality the best.

Be specific. Describe why the school appeals to you and why you’ve always wanted to go there. Explain how these reasons tie in with who you are.

If You Don’t Remember Anything Else…

Remember this… WHAT you say is more important than

HOW you say it. Keep your essays short and to-the-point. Essays should be 1 to 1 ½ pages in

length. The essays should support other parts of

your application. Write about unique situations that make you

who you are and separate you from other applicants.

Further Assistance

Read Lewak, Risa. Don’t Stalk the Admissions

Officer: How to Survive the College Admissions Process Without Losing Your Mind.” Berkeley: Ten Speed Press. 2010.

Visit with College Admissions Counselors – they can tell you specifically what their colleges are looking for.

Visit with your HS counselors, academic deans, etc. – they have contacts at the colleges and updated information.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Amy Carter, Floresville HSEmail: acarter@fisd.us

Website: http://www.fisd.us/High/teachers/english/acarter/index.htm