The College Application Essay

The Basics OfWriting

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Personal Statement on the Common Application

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This personal statement helps us become acquainted with you as an individual in ways different from courses, grades, test scores, and other objective data. It will demonstrate your ability to organize thoughts to express yourself better. We are looking for an essay that will help us know you better as a person and as a student. Please write an essay (250-500 words) on a topic of your choice or on one of the options listed below. You may attach your essay on separate sheets (same size, please).

How is my essay evaluated?

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By a multiple-scoring system: scored separately for content, style, and mechanics.

ORHolistically…based on comments by

evaluators and the conversation of the admission committee.

Portraying the “REAL” You

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1. Interview family and friends:

How would you describe me to people who have not met me?

What is my best trait?What is my worst trait?What do you think is most unusual or

unique about me?How have I surprised you?

Portraying the “REAL” You

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2. Record your goals/dreams for your life.3. Record your thoughts and feelings about

one/two of the topics below or one of your own choosing: self-esteem, identity, independence from parents, academic and extra-curricular success, popularity and acceptance by a peer group, physical appearance and attractiveness, loyalty, trust and honesty.

4. Share an excerpt from your diary or journal.

Portraying the “REAL” You

5. Record interesting observations about human behavior. (People are amazing. They do and say some strange things!)

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Preparing for the College Essay

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1. Read the works of essayists2. Read the editorial section of your local

newspaper, articles from The New Yorker.3. College admission websites…mission statement,

philosophy, history, values, image, policies, attitudes, accomplishments.

4. Read issues of the newspaper from the college to which you are applying.

5. CAREFULLY READ THE DIRECTIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR WRITING THE ESSAY ON THE COLLEGE APPLICATION.

8. Admissions officers will detect high school essays disguised as college application essays.

Essays about a personal relationship

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Teacher, coach, distant relative, your arch-rival at school, neighbor, cyber friend, member of friend’s family

NOT YOUR PET.Sample Essay #14

Commonly discussed Issues

Environment, world peace, prejudice, drugs, crime…blah, blah, blah…

YOU WANT TO BE UNIQUE! REMEMBER?

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Under-explored issuesIndividual rights Right to dieAIDSAbortionGun controlMaterialismEquity and justiceFree trade Internet issues like

privacy Alienation, education,

commerce10

The Issues Essay

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• ONE issue you feel strongly about. Use specific details.

Make it clear why this issue is important to you. Will this issue help your reader understand you

better? What will they know about you once they’ve finished your essay?

Can you make this issue interesting to your reader? Will they care about it?

Employ creativity, humor, and personal stories in “issues” essays so they don’t become a deadly bore.

It’s okay to be controversial, but don’t cross the line and become offensive or argumentative!http://www.longview.k12.wa.us/mmhs/wyatt/pathway/cllad.html

Sample essay #24

The personal growth, formative experience, life-changing adventure essay

NOCollege admission process, your vacation,

your wilderness experience, winning/losing a competition, the benefits of discipline, summer camp, a part-time job, an unforgettable experience, UNLESS you take a UNIQUE perspective.

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The personal growth, formative experience, life-changing adventure essay

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YESAn ordinary field trip that became

extraordinary, a piece of literature/song that influenced how you perceive life/ yourself/others, an unexpected gift, a white lie/insult that helped you to grow, an informal social situation that impacted you, a time when an authority figure let his/her guard down.

The personal growth, formative experience, life-changing adventure essay

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ONE growth experience ONLYBe specific: give details, be personal, use

descriptive language. Choose an experience that reflects something

about yourself and shows how a crisis was resolved. What will your reader know about you after they finish this essay?

Be clear about what you’ve learned from this experience, but don’t write “I have learned blah blah blah” or “This taught me blah blah." Instead, try to weave your observations and evidence of growth throughout the essay’s story. Reflection is a key element in this kind of essay.http://www.longview.k12.wa.us/mmhs/wyatt/pathway/cllad.html

Sample Essay #33

The Famous Person Essay

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Choose a person you know about, someone of sincere importance to you.

Don’t choose a person because you think she or he is the “correct answer." Imagine reading 50 essays about Helen Keller, Michael Jordan, or Grandma. Ugh.

Be very specific about why this person is important to you. Why are you drawn to him or her? What is special about him or her? You can choose anyone -- even Helen Keller, Michael Jordan, or Grandma -- if you can be specific and interesting.

The person you choose to write about will reflect something about you. What will your reader learn about you from this essay?

http://www.longview.k12.wa.us/mmhs/wyatt/pathway/cllad.html

Personal Qualities Essay

DON’T

1. Lists of your favorite/least favorite things

2. Your determination and tenacity

3. Your diversity of interests

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Personal Qualities EssayYES

1. Quirks that annoy others.

2. A time you put your foot in your mouth.

3. A personal possession to which you have become unreasonably attached.

4. Your unusual awkwardness in some social situations.

Sample Essay #317

DO…

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BE YOURSELF- PERSONAL AND ANECDOTAL. Let your personality shine through. Avoid language that seems stiff or stuffy. Your essay is the place for your true, unique voice to speak to the readers. They will appreciate your authenticity.

DELIVER A POSITIVE MESSAGE.ENSURE DEPTH…ONE IDEA/EVENT/ONE FOCUS.BE INTERESTING.WRITE ABOUT WHAT YOU KNOW AS A TEEN/YOUR

OWN EXPERIENCE.WRITE ABOUT SOMETHING YOU FEEL PASSIONATE

ABOUT.EXPRESS YOUR OPINION WITHOUT BEING OFFENSIVE.

DO

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DO keep a clear and singular focus. Ask yourself how every paragraph -- even every sentence -- relates to your intended focus.DO choose examples to clarify your focus. One or two carefully chosen incidents can be much more effective than several which do not clearly relate to your topic.DO write with energetic verbs and specific details. Help your readers feel your experience -- draw them in with your choice of words. Effective use of verbs and details engages your readers and makes your essay more memorable.DO write your essay with attention to structure. Does your essay have an introduction? A conclusion? Do your paragraphs and sentences conform to basic grammatical conventions? Essay readers expect well-written, polished essays without disruptive grammatical or convention errors

DON’T

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SELL YOURSELF or EXPLAIN DEFICITS ON YOUR APPLICATION .

WRITE A SCHOLARLY RESEARCH PAPER or HIGH SCHOOL ESSAY.

WRITE SOMETHING EMBARRASSING OR OFFENSIVE.

WRITE A NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL/SOAP BOX ESSAY.

BE CYNICAL.REFERENCE POPULAR MUSICIANS, MOVIES, T.V.

SHOWS, DR. SEUSS BOOKS…WHINE, FEIGN HUMILITY, BOAST…

OPENINGSENIGMATIC STATEMENTOBSCURE QUOTATIONINSIGHTFUL QUESTIONTRIVIAL OBSERVATIONPARADOXGROSS

GENERALIZATIONSOMEONE ELSE’S

OPINION/THEORYA CONFESSIONSAMPLE OPENINGS

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CLOSING

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DODOBRING CLOSURE.RESOLVE SUSPENSE CREATED IN THE

ESSAY.COMPOSE SHORT, FORCEFUL

SENTENCES.

DON’TDON’TAsk the committee to admit you.Use “finally”, “in conclusion”.Repeat yourself.

SAMPLE CLOSINGS

Style (See Guidelines for writing a college application essay Handout)

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DODOUse IMAGERY but not to excess.Incorporate dialogue, but don’t write a screenplay.Read your essay aloud to ensure it has a natural

flow.Use energetic verbs and specific details.Avoid overused words like responsibility, interact,

develop, leadership, interpersonal, goal, role, integrity, excellence.

Avoid SLANG and BUZZ phrases.Avoid superfluous words like first, second, (etc.),

thus, moreover, the next point.PROOFREAD AND REVISE.

STYLE

DON’TDON’TTell. Instead show.Start too many

sentences with “I”.Use the phrases “a

lot of” or “tons of”. Try “many”, “numerous”, “significant”.

Have spelling errors.24

PRESENTATION

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1) Attach your essay separately if the college allows.

2) Use ONLY plain, white, quality 81/2 * 11 paper with no personalized embellishments.

3) Do not use staples unless the school asks.4) Do not exceed the word limit by more than 10%.5) Type in Arial or Times New Roman, font size 12.

Double space.6) 1-11/2 inch margins unless school requests

otherwise.7) Number each page. Record your name and ss# on

each page.8) Collate your essays in the order requested.

SOURCES

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As brilliant and creative as I am, I did rely heavily on the sources below!

Stewart, Mark Alan and Cynthia C. Muchnick. Best College Admission Essays. Canada: Thomson, 2002.

http://www.longview.k12.wa.us/mmhs/wyatt/pathway/cllad.html