1. Created by: Adrienne Cochran Presented by: Cheryl Rosenbaum

2. Essays Required Essays Not Required  Florida A & M  University of Florida  New College of Florida  Florida State University  FAU Honors College  University of Central Florida (essays are strongly recommended)  Florida Gulf Coast University  University of South Florida  University of West Florida  Florida International University  Florida Atlantic University  University of North Florida All universities who utilize The Common Application require admission essays.

3.  This is your opportunity to:  Introduce yourself to the people who are trying to decide whether or not to invite you to their campus.  Imagine it is a face-to-face interview.  The most important thing is to BE YOURSELF!  Show that you are an effective communicator (e.g. literate and engaging).  Provide information to support /explain the rest of your application.  Differentiate yourself from other students with similar applications. Remember that you only get ONE chance to make a good impression!

4.  A student with potential for growth  An individual who will contribute to the quality of life for other students  A personality that will fit in on their campus  Individuals who are sincere and are themselves

5.  Do not use your essay to restate information that is already in your application or to list every accomplishment, activity, award, or personal quality.  Examine the prompt carefully so you know exactly what is required.  Keep an open mind.  Focus on aspects of your life that you are passionate about, that describe who you are as a person, that are relevant to your future goals, and that show you will be a successful college student.

6.  Write with a focus and a clear voice.  Pay attention to clarity of thought, organization, and sentence structure.  This also includes things such as tense consistency, use of active voice, etc.  Engage the reader.  Your narrative should have a conversational, yet appropriate, tone.  Illuminate your ideas with details, examples, and anecdotes.  You need to include concrete examples.  Avoid sounding like a thesaurus.  Nothing is more awkward or turns readers off more than the use of pompous or inappropriate words. Imagine you are having a conversation with the reader.  Keep it within the assigned word count.  Check to see if you have addressed ALL the requirements of the prompt.

7.  Your words form the reader’s initial impression of you.  The reader will read between the lines to form an opinion of whether or not you will be a good fit for their college  Qualities they are looking for:  Enthusiasm  Intelligence  Uniqueness  Scholarship (not $)  Ability to communicate  The fit for this college (do some research)

8.  Your essay should grad the reader’s attention. The purpose of the opening is to identify you as a unique individual and to introduce the topic and the tone of the essay.  Elaborate on the situation established in the opening/introduction.  Consider details: What subtext about you is revealed by your choice of specifics?  Consider diction: What does your choice of words say about you?  The conclusion does not need to be a summary or restatement. Some ideas:  Make a final dramatic point.  Reveal an insight gained from the ideas presented in the body of your essay.  Connect yourself to the college or system of colleges  Leave the reader with a provocative, final point about you.  Create an open-ended invitation to get to know you better.

9.  Do not be afraid to pat yourself on the back, but do not gloat and avoid pomposity.  If you address a negative topic or issue, do your best to link it to a positive outcome or insight.  Choose one facet of an experience, and polish it for a single effect on the reader.