1. The College Admissions Essay

2. Purpose Conveys your unique character. Demonstrates your writing skills. Demonstrates your ability to organize thoughts clearly.

3. Steps Give yourself plenty of time. Get to know yourself. Brainstorm. Pick your topic. Choose the format that will best convey your ideas. Write a rough draft. Evaluate your writing style and treatment of the topic. Edit, edit, edit. Finalize and send it in.

4. Tips

5. Basic Tips Proofread, proofread, proofread (and then get someone else to proofread it for you)! Submit your own work. Tell the truth. Answer the question. Follow the directions. Keep your audience in mind.

6. More Tips Don’t be sentimental or self-pitying. Let the admissions counselors see the real you, not a list of your extracurricular activities. Emphasize feelings and thoughts. Choose key points and narrow your topic. Make your essay unique and memorable. Write in a friendly, semi-formal style.

7. More Tips Get to know the college / university Write a separate essay for each school. Counselors can tell when essays are canned! Avoid super-sensitive and private subjects Show, don’t tell Be humble, but not modest. Sell yourself! Don’t try to write an earth-shattering essay. Just tell about yourself.

8. Types of Essays

9. The General Essay (No topic restrictions) “Tell us about yourself.” Choose a topic you are familiar with. Look at other schools’ more specific questions to get ideas. Focus your essay—don’t try to cram everything about yourself into one paper. Choose a topic that really excites you.

10. Specific Topics Why did you choose _______ College / University (or, why are you and ______ College / University a good “fit”)? Describe your most rewarding experience. What are your career aspirations? Who is the most influential person in your life? Why? Describe a successful student. What a college education means to me.

11. More Specific Topics Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, or risk you have taken or an ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you. First experiences can be defining. Cite a first experience you have had and explain its impact on you. (Pennsylvania State University) Tell us a story about yourself that will help us get to know you better. Illustrate one or more themes, events, or individuals that have helped shape you. Be clear and forceful. (University of Southern California) Attach a small photograph of something important to you and explain its significance. (Stanford University)

12. Organize Your Essay

13. Organization Introduction –Include an attention-grabbing first sentence— an anecdote, a startling fact, a question, or a line of dialogue. Make your reader want to read more. –Write a thesis statement—one sentence that summarizes your topic. –BRIEFLY summarize the points that develop your thesis.

14. Organization (continued) Body –3-5 paragraphs that develop your thesis. –Each paragraph has a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence. –All ideas should be connected and synchronized. Make sure paragraphs flow into each other. –Organize your points under one general topic. If a point doesn’t directly relate to your topic, leave it out.

15. Organization (continued) Conclusion –Reiterate your points in a positive, brief, and forceful manner. –Avoid phrases like, “the end” or “to conclude.” –End with a sentence that will stick with your reader, but that doesn’t appear too contrived.

16. What are colleges looking for? A passion Dedication to something for a long time Leadership skills Personality A good “fit” for the college Someone who will add something to the class Something unique to say

17. What aren’t colleges looking for? A straight-A student A list of activities A description of that service project you did that one time* A narrative about that vacation you went on* A really sad, dramatic story* An essay about your dog, your grandma, or how your dad is your hero* *** You can write about any of these as long as you do it in a unique and interesting way.

18. The End