College Essay Tips

What’s the purpose of a college essay?

• To tell the Admissions Committee something about yourself
• Your chance to become “real” to a committee
• To demonstrate your ability to write an articulate, well-constructed essay (content and style)

Sample Questions

On the 2009-2010 Common Application, you will find the following six questions.  Remember, next year’s questions could be different!

“…Please write an essay (250 word minimum) on a topic of your choice or on one of the options listed below….”

• Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
• Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.
• Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.
• Describe a character in fiction, an historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.
• A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix.  Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
• Topic of your choice.”

Some “do’s” and “don’ts”-

Do’s-

              Be creative

              Be concise

              Write in an appropriate tone

              Be clear

              Be accurate – spelling, grammar and sentence structure

              Answer the question asked

              Edit, edit, edit!

              Allow one or two people to review your essay

Don’ts-

              Don’t dwell on your weaknesses

              Don’t be boring!  Your audience will be reading thousands of essays

              Don’t allow others to take away your voice

              Don’t lie

              Don’t disregard the directions

Getting Started – The Topic

• What impression would I like to give to the reader?
• What will my essay tell the reader that he/she would not know from the rest of my application?
• What tone or style will I implement?
• Am I answering the question asked?

English teachers and the college counselors will be happy to brainstorm ideas and review essays with students.