How To Write A Strong College Application Essay

How To Write A Strong College Application Essay If you are witty, show the reader your sense of humor (But be cautious. What you think is funny, someone else may not.). If you are more thoughtful, take on a slightly more serious tone. 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? Reading your essays gives us insight into how you define yourself and how you will define yourself as a member of the Babson community. When you apply to Babson, you’ll be required to submit two essaysâ€"a Personal Statement and a Writing Supplement. Usually, your English teacher will be happy to take a look. The college essay may be your only opportunity to show your personality to the admission office. Conversely, you also don’t want to come across as a whiner or entitled. That’s not the kind of individual students, alums or administrators want representing their schools. Like it or not, schools use your essay to gauge your personality and character. Therefore, you must carefully consider the language you use. Share your thoughts in the comments section below, or post about it in the College Info Geek Community. I hope that after reading this post you feel a bit more confident in your ability to write your college admissions essay. It may feel scary and impossible, but with right approach , you can write an essay that showcases your unique personality and impresses admissions officers. It’s impossible to write an article covering every possible essay prompt you could encounter in the college application process. On the subject of essay prompts, Meredith points out that the 7 variations offered by the Common App are designed to give all applicants the opportunty to share something meaningful about themselves. Many selective colleges and universities have their own essay prompts. Other colleges may simply offer you free writing space to provide a personal statement. You are writing a personal narrative, not a parable, so don’t feel compelled to conclude with a lesson learned or a happy ending. You may have a beautifully crafted essay or a wonderful story to tell, but if you don’t take the time to proofread, your essay may be overlooked and end up in the rejection pile. Careful proofreading shows the reader you care and you aren’t sloppy. Before you send your essay to colleges, have someone you trust read it and provide feedback. one-on-one meetings, I help students explore their personal values, identify meaningful themes, and compelling essays. As a guide for every draft of every essay, I create a process that is manageable, calm, and even fun. Rachel chooses her favorite book, Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. If she writes 500 wordsâ€"well under the limit for GMU, but fine for a tightly written essayâ€"it will be easier to shorten the same essay for UVA. She digs out a paper she wrote on this book, but she’s aware that most colleges do not welcome academic writing, so the paper will mostly serve as inspiration. However, the Common Application is perhaps the best starting point for anticipating likely college essay prompts. If you fall into the excited category, consider this a complimentary resource. We’ll spotlight some of the essay prompts you’re likely to see, and we provide a few examples of essays that have actually earned students passage into the colleges and universities of their choice. Consider this a good set of references as you hammer out your ideas, and work through your essay drafts. It’s okay to be colorful but you want to make sure it doesn’t come across as inappropriate or immature. Additionally, some essays ask you to discuss a personal accomplishment. While it’s okay to show pride, you don’t want appear cocky or a braggart.