College Application Essays
The personal statement essay and short answer essays (which some schools require) add yet another layer to your application, allowing you to show off your writing skills and tell the admission counselors your story in a way that might not be clear to them from the other parts of your application.
Your College Application Essays
Many students dread the thought of writing their college application essay. But the essay is an opportunity to provide admission counselors with some real insight into who you are and why you would succeed at their school.
What can an essay do? It can make you stand out, it can make you show who you are as your authentic self. It can help the counselors feel confident you're ready for college-level writing. For schools with strong liberal arts and science programs that require strong writing, critical thinking, and creativity, the essay can also show that you would thrive there.
- Be authentic. Don’t focus on impressing the reader, focus on being yourself and letting your voice come through.
- Talk about your experiences. College admission counselors read thousands of essays each year, but the ones that stick are often the ones about pivotal moments or experiences that mean something to the specific applicant.
- Pick a topic you care about. Pick a topic that interests you and one you can vividly describe within the constraints of the application. Don't forget to stick to the word count!
- Fill in all the blanks. “I always tell students: When you have the Common App in front of you, see everything as an opportunity,” Dean Peek says. “Anything that you leave blank is a missed opportunity. Because we can't meet every single student, the essay is one way that we can get to know students more personally and in their own words.”
- Give yourself plenty of time to write. The summer between junior and senior year is a good time to get started on your college essay. Starting it then allows you to brainstorm ideas, outline your thoughts, put together a draft, and set it aside for a few days before reading it again with fresh eyes. When you feel you have a strong draft, invite someone to offer feedback, which can help you refine your ideas and language. But remember, the essay should be yours.