College Essay Essentials

College Essay Essentials The ten-hour Essay Package also includes tailored support for supplemental essays and the Common Application, critical opportunities for students to showcase their backgrounds, interests, and passions. You need to end your application essay just as strongly as you began, so the committee remembers you when it comes time to make their final decision. When there are only a few spots left in the class, you want to be the one they choose. However, the essay is not the most important part of your application when you are applying for college. Your overall Grade Point Average , college preparation, test results, and the strength of the high school curriculum all outweigh the essay . We haven’t all pulled babies from burning buildings or sailed around the world in a catamaran. Tell a story from your own life that shows something unique about you. As mentioned in step 2, writing a college essay takes time, but with enough pre-planning the actual essay writing will be easier. The importance of college essays has increased in the past few years. Twenty-six percent of college admission offices consider the college entrance exam is of “considerable importance” in the admission process . Some colleges weigh essays higher than other parts of the application. The essay is the component of the college application that allows for some freedom. There is no need to write a formulaic essay with an introduction, three-point body and conclusion. This is your opportunity to showcase your personality. What makes you who you are â€" was it a struggle in the past? Your desire to attend the school to which you are applying? You may want to try outlining your essay in multiple formats or the same format multiple times. You may do pre-writing for several different answers to a topic and then pick the best one to write the actual essay. You might want to plan to do one pre-writing essay, wait a few days, and then do another pre-writing exercise. If you need inspiration, check out this student’s admissions essay. It got him into Harvard, MIT, Yale, Columbia and the University of Virginia. It’s beautifully crafted, fun and reveals more about the student than an application ever could, which is exactly the goal of the college admissions essay. If your essay is forgettable, well, you might be too. Some college and university applications provide essay questions that influence some pretty good answers. However, teacher recommendations and extracurricular activities rank below the college essay . Therefore, it is extremely important to submit a well-written college entrance essay. I truly love helping high school seniors find the perfect topic for their college essays and then guiding them through the process of writing it with honesty, voice, and style. Don’t be too formal â€" or too reliant on a Thesaurus. After all, this component of the essay is all about your personality. The story that your friends perk up to listen to- that’s the stuff that makes for great app essays. More than anything, officers want to get to know you through your essay. You will end up sounding like every other applicant. , any other graphic organizer, and/or pre-writing technique that works for you will help you to focus your ideas. Don’t try to impress the admissions committee with your knowledge or verbiage; impress them with who you are. Don’t write about circumstances and embellish just to have a sad or serious essay. However, if you have had to struggle with an illness, loss of a loved one or other difficult experience, discuss how you have or are working to overcome it.