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Writing the College Essay
Purpose of the Essay
To see you as a person, not just statistics
To distinguish you from all other applicants
To demonstrate your ability to write and express yourself at a high academic level
Three Main Types of Essays
Why you?Why this college?Creative
Why you? Essay
What sets you apart?
What do you think about a certain issue?
What defines you as a person, student, etc.
Why you? Essay
Examples:Evaluate a significant experience,
achievement or risk that you have taken and its impact on you.
Discuss some issue of personal, local, national or international concern and its importance to you.
Indicate a person, character in fiction, an historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, etc.) who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.
Why this university? Essay
Example:
Why do you want to spend two to six years of your life at a particular college, graduate school or professional school? How is the degree necessary to the fulfillment of your goals?
Why this university? Essay
Avoid mentioning the history of the school“University of Virginia was founded by
my personal hero, Thomas Jefferson.”
UVA was founded in 1819, the same year my great great great great great great grandfather bought his house, the same house we live in today.
Avoid platitudesUVA is a really great school.
Creative
You pick the format
Short story
Poem
Stream of consciousness
You pick the content
You still need to demonstrate your ability to write and express yourself at a high academic level
Getting Started
Step 1: Choose a TopicOne central experience (disaster, miracle,
family incident, etc.)
One theme (what you believe is the purpose of life, the vastness of the universe, working hard is the way to dreams, etc.)
Choose a fresh topic, one that millions won’t already have written aboutSay no to: death, divorce, disease, disorders,
sports injuries, trips, heartbreak
Getting Started
Step 2: Brainstorm supporting details, experiences, stories, images
Concrete
Meaningful
Relevant
Writing the Essay
Step 3: Follow the prompt
If they say 1000 words, don’t go over
If they say double-spaced, double space
Make sure you answer the question
Writing the Essay
STEP 4: Follow good writing rules Have a powerful opening sentence
“I am a changed person. Three years ago, I realized that people are important.”
“Three years ago, my mind was reborn.”
Use concrete examples to support your statements “Every day, I get up early to help my grandmother.” “ When the sun reaches the horizon, I am already
carrying my grandmother’s tamales to the neighbors.”
Avoid clichés, contractions, and big words Powerful essays are original, formal, and don’t need a
dictionary Write your own essay, and use your own words
Writing the Essay
Avoid unnecessarily long sentencesWrite clearlyHave a variety of sentence lengths
Have a strong conclusionDon’t just repeat your essayIf you used a story or image in the opening
part of the essay, mention it in the ending, with a new meaning or twist.
Writing the Essay
Choose a verb tense, and stick with itWrite in the active voice
“That summer was very educational.”“That summer taught me a valuable lesson.”
Show, don’t tell“My family is very traditional.”“Each March, we place sprigs of rosemary and
thyme outside our front door to commemorate the end of winter.”
Write about what you knowBe sincereDon’t try to impress the admissions board
Writing the Essay
Edit
Don’t be in love with the sound of your own writing
Cut out anything that doesn’t need to be there
If you can say it in 4 paragraphs, get rid of that 5th paragraph
Self-edit
Get others to edit your essay
Final Thoughts
Essays take time and a lot of work.
Start early, and abandon an essay if it not working for you.
Use resources and people to help you, but don’t use other people’s words.
Requirements of the Essay For This Class
You essay must be approximately 650 words in length. You may not go over, so you need to get as close to that number as possible.
The final copy must be typed and double spaced.
Questions…