How To Write A Great College Admissions Essay

How To Write A Great College Admissions Essay No wonder people feel stressed out about their college essays! The college essay is one of the most important parts of your college application, and it’s easy to see why. When reviewing applications, colleges and universities are looking at two main things- who you are as a student, and who you are as a person. The goal of your essay is to make an impression on an admissions officer, but you don’t have much time to do it. Look for a strong opening line that really grabs the reader’s attention. Be warned that some college essays demand more creativity than others. Consider the cultural identity of your prospective school as you formulate your topic. Some may embrace a tradition of creative thinking. Another useful Internet resource is College Board. Here, you can sample actual essay questions from several colleges, as well as get an overview of the type of questions colleges ask prospective students to answer and what they're looking for in your answers. This site offers tips for writing effective essays; advice on creating your essay draft; and two sample essays with imbedded drop-down menu critiques. Boise State University is one of many colleges that don't require an essay for freshman applications. Some colleges, like North Carolina State University, offer students the option to write a personal statement. Share your thoughts in the comments section below, or post about it in the College Info Geek Community. The teacher told Tiso that someone she knew had been talking to an admissions counselor at the University of Delaware, who was praising one of the best college essays they'd read. A great college essay gives the reader a glimpse of the person behind the page. So, to capture your reader’s attention from the opening sentence, start your story in the middle of the action, rather than writing in a linear fashion. But there is a big difference between a professionally written essay and an essay conceived, written and revised by a student, under the direction of a professional coach. It can be hard to choose what to talk about in your college essays. In addition to this, the schools that you’re applying to may have different prompts â€" which could mean having to write multiple essays. This is why we recommend sitting down and coming up with a few different topics to consider. The college essay allows you to present yourself both personally and academically to the admissions officer. I can assure you that you AP English Literature essays are NOT the types of essays readers want to see on your college application. Your essays are your only chance to have to share your personality with the committee so you better be sure to make them personal. What questions do you have about writing college admissions essays? If you’re already in college, do you have any advice for current high schoolers? In some instances, you can actually see this cultural identity reflected in an essay prompt. The Common Application, which is accepted by nearly 800 colleges and universities, is a single-serving college application that allows you to create one admissions package for submission to multiple schools. Lots of counselors tell students to “tell a story only you can tell,” and I definitely agree with that. But sometimes students misinterpret this to mean â€" “tell me about a totally unique experience” â€" and they get totally stressed out because they don’t feel that they have any unique experiences. Telling a story “only you can tell” means that you tell the reader a story from your perspective. So you don’t need to have great exotic vacations or heartbreaking stories of community service in some far off land â€" you just need to reveal your point of view about a topic. When you can show the reader a slice of your genuine self â€" you are on your way to a great college essay. The uniqueness of an essay stems not from some external experience, but your internal responses. A great college essay combines creativity, excellent writing, and honesty. Of course, your college application essay is just one part of your admissions package, along with your GPA, your class rank, and your extracurriculars. Every college weighs these factors differently. Don’t bury the lead…College admissions reps read hundreds of college applications each year but they rarely come across an essay that really surprises them.