Application Essay

Application Essay Use this module as an opportunity to develop your essay step by step. Always ask for help and stay focused on your topic. Remember that the college application is important, but not as important as your grades. Your essay may be your own ideas, words, and writing. Ask people to read your drafts to provide you corrections and advice on your essay. The manner in which you like to engage in learning. We don’t all process the same information the same wayâ€"and colleges don’t all deliver it in the same manner! The essay is one of the few things that you’ve got complete control over in the application process, especially by the time you’re in your senior year. College admissions committees are looking to build a student body that will contribute to and sustain the community. They want to attract students and eventual alumni who are innovators and creators, and they want to have a hand in shaping those minds. When you’re responding to the “Why Us” prompt, you’re telling them exactly how an education there will shape your intellectual and professional journey. This essay isn’t just about the college; it’s about you, too. You should also feel free to use any assistive technology that you are using in school to help write your essay. Getting started can be the hardest part of writing. There is information to share and college admissions officers like to read a good essay. This is especially true if you are an experiential, hands-on learner who values testing ideas. Be prepared to provide evidence of this learning style in your supplemental essays. Students have no clue what to write that will wow admissions staff and faculty members from hundreds of other essays they will read. However, once you get started, writing becomes easier. Follow these simple tips to get a strong start on your essay. Your goal should not be to include all of your accomplishments and activities . The most engaging essays tell a story and have a clear focus. A thoughtful and detailed narration of a difficult time in your life tells far more about you than a list of competitions won and honors achieved. Ethan Sawyer is a nationally recognized college essay expert and sought-after speaker. Each year he helps thousands of students and counselors through his online courses, workshops, articles, products, and books, and works privately with a small number of students. Julie helped my daughter take her essay from a disjointed, boring story to an essay with great flow and flair that college admissions readers must have enjoyed enough to accept her into a very competitive program. Often the best college essays develop out of a moment or idea that at first seems small, but then grows, develops, and takes on a life of its own. Focus instead on the key messages you want to convey and develop a storyline that illustrates them well. There is a very good chance an essay developed in this manner will meet at least one of the listed essay prompts. Resist the temptation to buy the “best college essays” book. It will only contribute to the “paralysis by analysis” you might be experiencing. The genius for your essay rests within you, not an essay someone else has written. When it comes to college essays, you want to maximize the opportunity to delight, intrigue or amuse your reader….immediately. College essays can seem overwhelming, but you are sharing who you are as an individual. Do not get overwhelmed and stressed by the essay. Your teachers, family, friends, school counselors, and community members are all people you might ask to help you create your essay. There are several tutoring services available across the nation; with a little research you should be able to locate an agency near you that may be able to assist you with writing. A thoughtfully crafted essay and a clean, clear application can make a tremendous difference in the college admissions process. Too often students get stuck on the choice of a prompt and never get to the essay itself. The Common App essay prompts are not requirements; they are ideas designed to stimulate a creative thought process.