College Admission Essays Why Your Choice of Essay Matters

Why do colleges use your essay to determine acceptance? “The college regards your choices as a way to evaluate your preferences, values, mental processes, creativity, sense of humor, and depth of knowledge. Your writing reflects your power of persuasion, organizational abilities, style, and mastery of standard written English.” ( It is the living and breathing part of your application.

Colleges look for: Your preferences- Are you geared towards art, science or math? They want to make sure their college is right for you and visa versa. Your values- What is important to you? Colleges look for your indication of who you are and what matters to you. Your thought process- By reading your essay, colleges try to decipher the way you think and if you are intellectual. Do you plan or write on a whim?

Think About Topics “The topic you select for your essay can also reveal much about who you are. Yale's application instructs: ‘In the past, candidates have used this space in great variety of ways.... There is no 'correct' way to respond to this essay request.…’ No answer is wrong, but sloppy, general, insincere, or tasteless responses can hurt your cause.

Think About Topics Some of the best essays—the memorable and unusual ones—are about very similar, just more focused, topics. Essays about your family, football team, trip to France, parents' divorce, or twin can be effective as long as they're focused and specific: a single Christmas Eve church service, a meal of boiled tongue in Grenoble, or dipping ice cream on a summer job. ” (

Choosing a Topic Tips Be Interesting!!! The topic doesn’t necessarily have to be interesting, but the way you write it does. Make it unpredictable. The people who read your essay read thousands! Make yours stand out. Ask yourself, would I want to read this?

Choosing a Topic Tips Write about yourself!!! The admissions board already has your grades, scores and other basic information, but who are you? If you write about yourself, they will get a good feeling of your own individual personality. Do not write about anything already mentioned on your application. You only have a certain about of time and space to sell yourself. If you already listed on the application that you are the President of the Spanish Club, don’t write your essay on an experience with that club.

Examples of Essay Topics Describe a significant interest or experience that has special meaning for you. How have you grown and developed over the years? Life is short. Why do you want to spend 5 or 6 years at a particular university or college? What do you plan to do with your college degree? Why have you chosen this career or profession? What are your long-term career goals? Or bring in the topic from an application you are working on now.

More Topics How is the degree necessary for the fulfillment of your goals? Does any specific attribute, quality or skill distinguish you from everyone else? How did you develop this attribute? What are the reasons for your interests? Analyze your childhood. How were your interests shaped from your upbringing?

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