How To Write The College Admissions Essay

How To Write The College Admissions Essay Be warned that some college essays demand more creativity than others. Consider the cultural identity of your prospective school as you formulate your topic. Therefore, Sawyer says, this may not necessarily be the right time to start working on essays. Sometimes, colleges do not require the particular essay application length. Instead, write about a person who truly has impacted your life. It doesn’t matter if it’s a third cousin, your boss at the local pizzeria or your French teacher. Just be sure that the essay isn’t merely a biographical sketch. You want to reveal that you can think logically and objectively; the reader shouldn’t come away thinking you’re myopic. Additionally, you must remember that, ultimately, admissions officers are using these essays to gain insight into you. You should relate your opinions and arguments to your own life and experiences. When it comes to writing a successful college essay, you must realize that honesty trumps everything (except possibly good grammar/a typo-free piece). Schools aren’t interested in fantasy versions of their applicants. You are a unique individual; be truthful with your answers and the admissions committee will appreciate your point-of-view. Similar to the questions above, the emphasis should not be on who you choose. If you choose a person in the hopes of merely impressing the admissions committee, it will likely make your essay appear disingenuous. Some may embrace a tradition of creative thinking. In some instances, you can actually see this cultural identity reflected in an essay prompt. The Common Application also gives you the option of responding to one of 7 different essay prompts. If you will be using the Common App, you’ll be able to choose, and write about, one of these prompts. If you don't plan on using the Common App, these prompts can still offer insight into a topic you'll likely be writing on for your school of choice. The college essay is not a test to see if you can read minds or anticipate what the admission office wants to hear. Plain and simple, they want to know about you, how well you write and how self-aware you are. By contrast, there are establishments that have a strict word limit. If you are given requirements with specific word limit, you should definitely follow them. Be attentive while reading college essay prompts and the instructions, as they provide the word count of the particular admission essay. The admissions department at UC Berkeley will read about 20,000 application essays and Stanford will read about 16,000. The college essay may be your only opportunity to show your personality to the admission office. 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. You must write about what they taught you and how it relates to your own outlook on life. As with many of these questions, the issue/cause you select is not nearly as important as your explanation. Though you can certainly demonstrate passion and fervor for your argument, it’s vital you don’t come across as dogmatic.