THE ADMISSION ESSAY

Everything You Need to Know About Writing a College Application

Essay

WILL I HAVE TO WRITE AN ESSAY?

As far as the admission process goes, schools vary their requirements of each applicant. Many schools won’t require an essay, while others require short ones on a topic of your choice, and even others ask for lengthy essays on a specific prompt-but never fret! It’s not hard to put together something that any school would love.

HOW WILL I KNOW? If a school requires an essay, they will tell

you at the end of the application. If you’re unsure of what is required, don’t be afraid to ask!

As a general idea, here are some examples of schools and their requirements:

ESSAY

NO ESSAY

Truman State University Drury University Fontbonne University Saint Louis University Hannibal-LaGrange University William Jewell College Missouri University of S & T

(Rolla)

Missouri State University Harris-Stowe State University Southeast Missouri State

University University of Central Missouri Rockhurst University University of Missouri-Columbia University of Missouri-Saint

Louis

WHAT TO EXPECT… If a school requires an essay, a prompt

could look something like this:Discuss an incident that has shaped your

identity.Tell us why you wish to further your

education.Talk about some issue of importance to you,

either personally or politically. Evaluate a significant achievement,

experience, or ethical dilemma you’ve had. Describe a role model in your life or from a

movie or book. Examine a journey you’ve been on

physically or metaphorically.

WHAT IF THERE IS NO PROMPT!? Most schools care more about how you

write than what you write about. Pick something you’re passionate about, and discuss that. Be creative, and show that school insight into who you are!

Some schools ask that you simply write a personal statement describing who you are, where you want to go, and why that school will help you get there. Be open, honest, and true to yourself when writing!

TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS Think about the people that read these

application essays…they have seen more than you can imagine. Here’s their advice for you: Be specific. It’s hard to write about your whole life

in a short essay. Make one moment represent something larger. Tell a good story, don’t tell me things about

yourself: show me. Be as creative as possible! We’ve seen

everything, impress us with something new! Tell your story orally to family or friends for

practice before you begin writing. Make it unique to you. When you’re done, you

should be able to say that you’re the only person that could have written that exact essay.

EXAMPLES OF CREATIVITY One admissions counselor listed these

as some of her favorite “opening lines” : I have old hands. I change my name each time I order at

Starbucks. As an Indian-American, I am forever bound

to the hyphen. Some fathers might disapprove of their

children handling noxious chemicals in the garage.

Sounds a lot better than “My name is ______ and I want to go to your school because…” RIGHT?

THE WRITING PROCESS STEP 1: PREWRITING

Brainstorm: Make a list of things you want to include and ideas youhave.

Group these ideas together to organize easily

STEP 2: DRAFTINGWrite in 3 separate parts: Intro, Body, and

Conclusion STEP 3: EDITING

Let your work “cool” by taking a break. Come back later to fine-tune your word choice and check for grammatical errors.

Don’t be afraid to ask others for help!

TIPS AND TRICKS Keep your focus narrow and personal. Paint a picture: Use vivid details. Don’t write a resume, they already have

that! Be honest and succinct: Don’t write

what you think they want to hear, and don’t use 50 words if 5 will do.

PROOFREAD!

HOW TO MAKE A GOOD ESSAY GREAT… (Examples from College Board)

OKAY: “I want to help people. I have gotten so much out of life from my family.” BETTER: “My mom and dad stood on plenty of

sidelines until their shoes filled with mud or their fingers turned white. I want to bring that kind of commitment to working with fourth-graders.”

OKAY: “I like to be surrounded by people with a variety of backgrounds and interests” BETTER: "During that night, I sang the theme song

from Casablanca with a baseball coach who thinks he's Bogie, discussed Marxism with a little old lady, and heard more than I ever wanted to know about some woman's gall bladder operation.“

DON’T STRESS!

Writing an admission essay can be tough, but remember, this is your opportunity to present yourself to a school in your own words, focusing on what YOU want to talk about. Think of writing the essay as your chance to build an intimate relationship with the person on the other side of that piece of paper. Let them see the real you as a prospective student at their school. Good luck!