College Survival Advisor

The admissions essay can be critical to college acceptance. The following scenario will provide you with an example of how stand-out admissions essays get students on top of the pile:

Late, Friday afternoon, a review board college dean has just read her 99th application of the day … many students have similar test scores, grades and activities on their transcripts. She picks up yours, reviews your grades, and then reads your essay. It puts a smile on her face. For the first time, within an hour, she knows without a doubt that your application is going in the “accepted” bin.

Your Essay Mission

The admissions essay is your one moment to distinguish yourself as the best candidate in the group. It’s your opportunity to express what makes you, you. Share your individuality by expressing your experiences, inspirations and motivations.

When approaching the admissions essay, choose a topic that allows you to write with passion and insight. Choosing the wrong topic, may cause writers-block. Even worse, there’s a chance it will lead to a lackluster, boring essay. Your topic should elicit emotion, so you are better able to compose a powerful personal essay that captures attention. Hopefully, it will provide the college admissions staff with a first-hand look at your personality traits, because you aren’t able to “wow them” in person.

Powerful Personal Statements

College Boards often provide essay topics, which range in degrees of flexibility, originality, and specificity. Examples include, “Describe someone who has had an influence in your life.” “Write about something unusual you plan to bring to college.” Or, “Describe a book that has challenged the way you think.” If the college provides subject matter, read each question, and then do initial brainstorming. Choose the topic you feel most strongly about. The college essay is certainly not a contest to pick the “right” answer–because there is no right answer. Rather, this is your time to display original ideas, experiences, and creative thoughts, showcasing why you belong on that college campus.

It’s Your Baby

Some learning institutions leave the playing field wide open. Instead of providing subject matter for the admissions essay, it might simply say, “Choose a subject and write about it.” For some students, this can be overwhelming. If this is the case, give your topic some pensive consideration prior to writing. Think about a life-altering person, event or experience, and compose notes around that subject matter.

Example: As a standout high school athlete, write about your entry into sports and how it has shaped your life as a student athlete. Tell about the hard work, discipline, dedication, and sacrifice you’ve endured throughout the years to make it to the level of competition you enjoy, today. Share how your hard work on the field, has translated to the classroom. A personal essay of this magnitude will uplift the board when they read about your personal traits, motivation and dedication.

The Trick Question

“Tell us about yourself.” What do you do with that? It’s a four-word question that can put a student all over the map. And, you only have 500 to 1000 words to do it. Impossible? Not at all. This is actually one of the most common questions, asked by colleges, nationwide. Essentially, this seemingly evasive question is meant to gear students to think about whom they are, what has shaped their lives, and where they are going. The question isn’t meant to boggle the mind and the answer isn’t intended to bring about a deep, philosophical response. Instead, answer the question openly and honestly. Put some personality into it, that will be sure to put a smile on a board member’s face.

A Stand-Out Essay

When choosing a topic, try to be “original.” Easier said than done, amongst thousands of college entrance applicants. First, brainstorm about events, people, places, books, vacations and experiences. Write them down. Then, go back and ask some questions: Why did you write it down? How did it impact your life? Did that event make you independent? What did you learn about life from the experience? Finally, choose the two most compelling topics and ask yourself these questions: Are you the only student who could write this essay? Do you think other students have done this? Would this topic make a board member remember me? Whether your topic is entirely original or not, at the very least, find an interesting angle when you begin to write.

Brevity is King

Admissions essays are often limited to 500 to 1,000 words. It’s a tough order, considering you must convey the essence of your life in about two pages! For some students, it’s the biggest obstacle of the entire process. On a positive note, strict word count will keep your thoughts centered, so you include only key aspects of your life. As you select your application essay topic, keep word count in continual reference and don’t pick a topic that will take five pages to convey. Instead, craft an essay with relatively concise parameters; yet display your personality and style in your writing. As you write, again, keep the word count in mind. If you exceed the word count by 25 words, not to worry. However, if you overshoot by 100-plus words, go back and visit the chopping block.

Online vs. Snail Mail

The Internet has obviously become an integral part of the college application process. In order to keep things simple and cohesive, colleges often encourage students to submit essays along with the rest of the admissions application. This is a tremendous convenience. However, it can also be a detriment if you neglect to treat your essay with care. Your admissions essay represents you-be extra diligent and masterful when it’s time to edit and spell check.