College Essay

While many high school students are overwhelmed by the thought of writing a college essay, the process doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, if you remember to follow a few simple tips, it might even be enjoyable!

Let Your Personality Shine Through

In most cases, your college essay will be the only chance the admissions officers have to get to know the “real” you. They’ll see your grades, list of extra-curricular activities, and ACT or SAT scores, but these things don’t give them a chance to get to know you as a person. Your application essay does.

So don’t feel compelled to show off your vocabulary or write about topics that mean nothing to you. Let your passion, your creativity, and your unique personality shine though.

Tell a Story

Admissions officers must sort through thousands of applications each year. To stand out from the crowd, your essay needs to be lively and engaging. As any writer will tell you, the best way to capture your reader’s interest is to tell a story.

Nobody wants to read an essay preaching about the evils of pollution, but a story about how you organized a school recycling program that made you want to pursue a career in environmentalism is much more interesting. On the same note, an essay about how you overcame a learning disability is much more interesting than one that simply ticks off a list of your numerous academic accomplishments.

One final word of caution—don’t make your college essay topic too broad. Since most essays are only about 500 words in length, aim to give a quick glimpse into your life. Your essay should be a snapshot, not an autobiography.

Remember What You Learned in English Class

Even if you have a great story to tell, a badly written essay is likely to be rejected. Good application essays incorporate the following tips:

• Write in the active voice. For example, “I presented my research at the conference.” is preferable to “My research was presented at the conference.”
• Use short sentences. Many students make the mistake of thinking long, rambling sentences will make them sound more intelligent, but studies have shown that concise language is the most effective.
• Use descriptive language. If you’re writing about an experience that took place while you were volunteering in Mexico, describe the sights, sounds, colors, and smells that surrounded you. Make the reader feel like he/she was there with you.

Leave Time for Revisions

During the college application process, it’s important to plan ahead. The last thing you want to do is submit the first draft of your essay. Leave yourself plenty of time to revise, rewrite, and reword. While admissions counselors generally frown upon paying someone to write your essay for you, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask your English teacher, guidance counselor, or parents to look over your work. They’ll help you catch careless errors and let you know if your college essay does a good job of capturing your personality.

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