For all of you, I empathize with your angst (assuming that you are angst ridden). I have written at length about college application essays before. If you need a last-second pep talk about how to approach the larger essays (at this point, I hope that you ED/EA applicants are well beyond needing a pep talk), check out some of my articles on College Confidential. You may find some sparks of inspiration there.
This blog article, however, is aimed at those of you who are targeting Regular Decision (RD), with its traditional January 1 (or even a bit later) deadline. Accordingly, you now have two full months to conjure, plan, and execute your applications' writing requirements. …
– Thoughts on Application Essays
Before you start working on your Common Application essay and the associated Common Application supplements that colleges just love to throw your way, you need to start seeing yourself in the proper perspective in regards to being an applicant to your candidate colleges. This stratagem applies even if you're not aiming for the top, as with the Ivies and other elites. Knowing who you are and how you think, plus being able to express that in an articulate statement, will go a long way in advancing your admission chances, regardless of where you are applying.
Here's a little exercise that may help you understand what I mean: …
– Assay Your Common App Essay
… Does the thought of writing that CA essay give you chills, indigestion, or nightmares. Not to worry. That's what I'm here for, to lend some helping-hand thoughts to aid your cause. Just keep in mind that the essay is your friend. No, really! In addition to your academic record and recommendations, the essay can can push a borderline applicant into the “Admit" column, if executed properly. That's the purpose of this message — to help you write the best essay you can.
One of my goals for the summer is to make sure that by the time you return to school in late August or early September you will have completed your Common Application essay, or at least have a solid idea to develop. So it's time to start thinking about this, if you haven't already done so. …
– [Even] More on Essays
I guess if you say the title of this post fast, it could sound like “Moron Essays." Trust me; I've seen some moron essays in my day, but the sample I'd like to share with you today is far above the moron class. In fact, the writer of this essay was admitted early to one of The Big Three Ivy League universities. The writer has generously given me permission to share his effort with you. Thus, you should be able to see the advantage of using not only picturesque imagery but also one of my favorite essay elements: humor. …
– Applying You to Your Application Essays
There are two sides to every story, they say. I say there are two sides to every application essay: (1) your side and (2) the college's side. The New York Times Magazine ran an essay contest inspired by Rick Perlstein's essay, “What's the Matter With College." The 600 or so responses cover some interesting ground.
What you can see in these entries is the contrast between writers who write what they want to say (the winners) and those who write what the contest judges want to hear (the losers). Therein lies the critical key for those of you involved in, or planning to become involved in, the college application process. This is when you will confront the application essay challenge.
There are a lot of opinions out there about application essays. You'll find blogs, articles, and books galore. But what happens when your bundle of writing skills meets the probing prompts of the various schools to which you want to reply? …
– Essays with A Smile
You rising seniors out there are looking at the summer ahead for jobs, fun, relaxation, vacations, and maybe–just maybe–some planning for your college applications this fall. If you're like many of the students I've worked with over the years, you're probably most concerned about your essays. Even the brightest students many times have difficulty conjuring decent topics and gathering their compositional forces to put together a winning st of sentences and paragraphs. So, what's a frustrated essayist to do then?
Try a little humor, I say! If you can put a smile on the faces of those admissions folks who will be reading your application, then you will have gone a long way to helping them remember you from amid the piles and piles of applications that glaze over their eyes every year. The goal is to stand out, right? Well, humor in your writing, properly applied, can be a big plus for you. …
***
There's a lot to absorb from the above articles. However, you'll find not only my advice on how to approach your essay(s), but you'll also find some real-life essays that have propelled their authors to college success.
You can be one of those successes too. Read and heed!
**********
Be sure to check out all my college-related articles on College Confidential.
