Writing “The” College Essay

“Your” Admissions File• Admission Application• The Transcript• The Interview• ACT/SAT Scores• Teacher/Counselor Recommendations• “The” Essay• Resume

Who will read “your” essay? Know your

audience

First Cut• Regional admissions officers• Grad students/temps• Hired readers/spouses of admissions staff• Faculty

Second/Final Cut• Admissions Director • Deciding Committee

No bad topics, but beware…• The Trip• My Favorite Things• Miss America• Jock• My Room• Three D’s (I honestly believe I have the discipline,

determination, and the diversity…)• Tales of My Success• Pet Death• Selling and Telling-Autobiography

…only bad essays

Writing “The” College Essay• 1st: Chill Out!...Relax• Approach: • If you ask yourself what “they” are looking for,

you’re already on the wrong track.• Find a reader, or readers• Write something only you could write about• Know what you write about• Your college essay is an informal, or familiar,

piece: personal statement• Entertain… inject some humor (doesn’t have to

be a joke)

• 2nd: Warming Up•Use your notebook•Stranger than fiction: Observations•Letter Writing•Rambling & Ranting•Free Association•Boring for Fun•Ranting (“venting”)•Grousing: Change for the worse…for the better•Start anywhere!!!

• 3rd: Coming Alive!•Tell a story!•Entertainment Quotient• Sense Detail: see what you saw, hear

what you heard, taste what you tasted • Think metaphorically, Metaphor

Madness• Verbs and Nouns, describe without

adjectives• Be CREATIVE!

• 4th: Rewrite•Where am I? What shape am I in?• Tone and mood of your essay• Don’t boast, don’t whine• Be authentic, be you

•The Beginning: keep an eye out for a lead, a show opener, an “angle” to your essay.• Stir up curiosity.• Avoid bad leads: “In the following essay I

hope to show…” Just do it, don’t announce it.• Avoid false questions: “Have you ever

thought about bee pollen?”

• 5th: Rewrite, Rewrite, Rewrite•Read your draft aloud and think about your tone, mood and style•Transitions: avoid overused words (e.g. but, instead, moreover, in addition, thus, secondly)• e.g. Now we are given…

•Trim the fat: shorten your essay, say more with less.• Strengthens your essay. Take the time to be

short.• Reference to “writing the college application

essay”

• 6th: Edit •Find readers who are honest and care about you. •Have your English teacher proofread and edit. •Have a friend read it. •Check for run-on sentences and combine to strengthen. •Be thorough: (e.g. “can not” instead of “can’t”, “that is” instead of “that’s”)

Essay Don’ts• Should not mention information listed elsewhere as part

of your application package. • Don’t write a resume.• Ex.: GPA, listing activities you are involved in.

• Don’t use clichés • Don’t try impressing the judges by using big words• They detract from the story.

• Avoid sounding unsure of yourself. • Ex. Don’t use “I think” “maybe” “I want to” “perhaps”

• Don’t bore the reader by starting your essay with:• “My name is…”• “I was born”• “ I am a Senior”

Essay Do’s • Captivate your reader’s attention with your first sentence.• Be original and creative.• Write about yourself! • Tell a story and write with passion!• Be honest! • Don’t write what you think they want to hear.

• Proofread! • Have someone else read your essay!

• Length-limit your essay to two double spaced pages unless otherwise stated.

• KIS- Keep It Simple

Essay Types• Scholarship Essays Focus on:• Heritage and family background• Personal and academic achievements• Academic plans and career goals • Financial Need• Community Services• Obstacles you have overcome

• Admission Essays: Focus on getting to know you and seeing if you are the right fit with the school.

Apply Texas Essay Topics• Topic A: Person who has made an impact on your

life.• Most students are going to write about their mother, father or older

sibling. • Try to be original

• Topic B: Issue that is of importance to you, your family, your community or your generation. • Do not write a research paper.• Make sure you give your points of view and discuss how the affects are

of importance to you, your family, your community or your generation.

• Topic C: Personal Essay on Common Application• Write a personal statement about you. You may discuss: heritage and family

background, obstacles, goals, passions, community involvement, accomplishments.

• Tell a story

Common App Essays• Topic A: Evaluate a significant experience, achievement,

risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.

• Just like Topic B: Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.

• Just Like Topic A: Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.

• Topic of your choice: Could be your Personal Statement