Writing A Strong College Admissions Essay

Writing A Strong College Admissions Essay Students can work one-on-one with a volunteer on the essay topics of their choice, or get help on the seven Common App prompts. Whether they’re starting with a blank page or a close-to-final draft, the project provides free volunteer support at any phase of the writing process. School-based counselors have a lot of students to advise and are very busy, so seek guidance early and often. While it’s important to put considerable effort into all college application components, essays are often the finishing touch and should be treated with great care and consideration. Many of the prompts on the Common Application are left open-ended for a reason. They serve as starting points while giving you freedom to show colleges who you are. A common mistake that students make while writing their essays is focusing completely on an event that took place. While what occurred is important, you need to demonstrate how it affected you and how you felt. This writer’s style clearly shows off her sense of humor. If one of the purposes of a college essay is to make yourself come to life off the page, then this essay hits the mark. Far from seeming unfinished or unedited, the somewhat stream-of-consciousness style establishes a humorous and self-deprecating tone that makes the reader instantly like the applicant. Students can receive Writopia Lab college essay writing instruction at our labs through a College Essay Workshop or Private Sessions. Workshops at our labs have a maximum of seven participants. College Essay Workshop programs are only available to students who are high school juniors or seniors. Personal Essay/Pre-College Essay Workshops are available for freshmen and sophomores. For more insights into how we work with students on college essays and applications, check out this TEDx Talk from our co-founder, Eric Karlan. More than anything else, it is this writing style that elevates what could have been a fairly superficial statement of personal growth into a truly informative story that showcases the author’s personality. It can take some convincing for many kids and parents to believe that when it comes to writing the essays, in particular, college admissions officers care about who students are. The essays should reveal their personalities, passions, dreams, weird talents, favorite foods, sickest playlists, inexplicable loves and undeniable quirks. We trust you’ll find this information useful as you prepare your college applications. Feel free to contact our admissions staff with additional questions. Your college counselors are there to help, but they can’t if you don’t ask or wait until the last minute to seek guidance and feedback. Make a plan to meet with your college counselor and go over your college list and essays, and ask for feedback on your writing. Your college counselor can provide valuable insight into how to improve your college application essays, so seek feedback on your drafts as soon as possible. In addition, free lesson plans are available at 826 Digital for teachers or school counselors nationwide who want to demystify the college essay process and support their students. The essays that make up The Common Application & supplements are not just typical pieces of writing, nor are they just another step in the application process. College essays are an uncommon genre that must catch the attention of admissions officers and illuminate students’ intellect, personality, and potential. Our Senior Counselors have years of experience guiding students in writing essays that make admissions officers take notice. Our veteran admissions counselors are frequently asked to share expert advice about writing compelling college essays. We asked our admissions counselors to share their perspectives on why the college essay matters and what matters most. Also, she adds, they have been writing to the instructions of high school teachers up until this point, rather than for themselves. Finding their voice means students must get to know themselves and write authoritatively, sharing a sense of their lives with admissions officers. A common mistake that students make when tackling their college essays is to pick the wrong topics. It's a huge turn off, for instance, when applicants write about their sports exploits or their pets. Admissions officers want to see how you think and how you’ve grown. The essay is the only place on your application to truly take them into your mind. Essay writingis an important part of the college application process. Using the Common Application, you will have to write one major essay, and possibly write a series of smaller essays for each school on their Supplement Forms . Far too many students don’t have anything worthwhile to say in their conclusions to application essays about why they want to attend a particular college or university.