*That we can fit on the front and back of one sheet of paper
Everything* You Need to Know About Writing
Your College Essays
Your essay is an opportunity. It may seem more like a punishment when you’re staring at a blank screen,
but it truly is your chance to show the selection committee at your school of choice why they should
want you. How do you do that? By sharing something, in your unique voice, that makes them realize
you’re not like every other candidate. You will bring something special to their campus if given the
chance—show them what that is. They’ll already know your grade point, your activities, and your test
scores. So use your essay to take them beyond the basics. The first step in doing that is …
This may be the most important part of writing your essay(s). Within the guidelines of the prompt, tell a
story that is personal, that highlights your personality, and that no one else can tell in the same way.
Pretend you are the person whose job it is to read college essays. How many students do you imagine
might submit essays that, for example, recount their experience with just missing a record and then
persevering to break it? If these essays tell the story in an unconventional way or have an unexpected
twist, you may be interested in reading all of them. But if hundreds of students can (and do) tell the
same story in a similar way, your job is going to grow old quickly, and you’re going to feel ambivalent
about these applicants. The student who brings you something fresh, something different, however …
that student you’re going to remember. Be that student.
After finding the right topic, the next step is to …
We mean figuratively, of course. And the best way to do that is with an opening, or lead, that draws the
reader in and makes him or her want to learn more.
Your lead doesn’t have to be earth-shattering or mysterious. It can simply paint a picture using
descriptive words, dialogue, or anything else that makes the reader feel as if he or she is right there
while the story is unfolding: Hsss. I hear the warning sound only a second before feeling a sharp pain
in my toe and then a slow burning. “I’m glad my hiking boots are safe in my trunk” is my last thought
before I sink to the ground and the world goes dark. It can make a statement or ask a question that
Choosing the
Right Topic
Grab Your
Reader
leaves the reader puzzled: Who would have thought that eating fast food for two years would be good
for me?
No matter how you open your essay, take your reader along for the ride by using your words to “show,”
(Even when I tried to hold my legs still, I couldn’t stop the trembling.) not “tell” (I felt so nervous.). Once
you’ve piqued your reader’s interest, you’ll have him or her until your last word.
We are your essay advisors, Susan Elliott Blashka and Hollace Schmidt. We graduated from Solon High
School and then earned our bachelor’s degrees in journalism from Northwestern University. Ms. Blashka
runs her own writing and editing business and is a licensed professional mental health counselor; Mrs.
Schmidt is a freelance writer for magazines including Parade; O, The Oprah Magazine; and Fitness.
We’ll help you:
Brainstorm topics (Make an appointment even if you have nothing written—we love that!)
Create an outline for your essay
Write a lead that hooks the reader
Craft an ending that ties back to the opening or looks ahead to the future
Explain the “so what” factor—what this story says about you
Make sure your writing sounds like you (If you don’t speak in five-syllable words, you shouldn’t
be writing with them either.)
Convey your thoughts concisely and clearly
Find and correct errors in your writing
Visit http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0c4fa4aa2da5f49-shscollege1 to create an account
and sign up for spots in August or September (the link to October appointments is
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0c4fa4aa2da5f49-shscollege2). You’ll find instructions there;
please follow them! We’ll start meeting with students in the Media Center on Monday, August 28. Bring
two printed copies of whatever you’ve written and a pen or pencil to each meeting. If you have
questions or need to reach us before your appointment, email Ms. Blashka at [email protected] or
Mrs. Schmidt at [email protected].
Your Essay
Advisors
Next Steps
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