Writing A College Essay

Writing A College Essay See how the first relays information in apassivevoice, while the second paints anactivepicture? Feel free to start out by painting a vibrant picture of yourself too! Many college admissions counselors have said that the more unique your essay â€" the content and writing style â€" the more captivating it is to read. When it comes to college essays, you want to maximize the opportunity to delight, intrigue or amuse your reader….immediately. Keep reading to learn even more about the things that you should not write about in your college admissions essay. But with acceptance rates at all-time lows, just being yourself in an essay means understanding your readers and the unique form in which you are writing. Ethan Sawyer is a nationally recognized college essay expert and sought-after speaker. in Exeter offers both group classes and one-on-one writing coaching sessions to help students through this process. Meeting times will vary, depending on each individual. You and I and your teenager will come up with a schedule that works best for everyone. The Word Barn is a great space for writing and sharing ideas. Free writing, ideally done with pen and paper instead of on the computer, is an exercise in opening the creative mind and letting ideas flow. Knowing this, you will be more relaxed and inspired as you write. Whether you’re prompted to write about a formative experience, why you think you’d be a good fit for the university or about a person who has influenced you greatly, answer the question honestly. Don’t just write what you think the admissions office wants to hear. Very often they are inundated with essays that cater to “what they want to hear,” making such essays exactly what they don’t want to hear. That said, if you can pull it offâ€"if you can produce essays that complement your other credentialsâ€"you will be able to introduce an effective “hook” into your applications. Let’s take a look, then, at why colleges require essays in the first place. As a senior English teacher, this book gave me a ton of guidance in helping my students write their college application narratives. I bought this book before my senior year for an essay writing course. I thought that it was a great read and that upcoming seniors should give it a read. There's no formula, no trick, no strategy, says Harry Bauld, a former Ivy League admissions officer. Ah, college application essays â€" the necessary evil of college-bound high school seniors everywhere. If you’ve just finished your junior year of high school, then these may very well be in your near future. Writing your college essay can be a daunting task. These 650 words or less â€" your personal statement to colleges â€" will be one of the most important pieces of writing you’ve done in your life up until this point. I hope that after reading this post you feel a bit more confident in your ability to write your college admissions essay. It may feel scary and impossible, but with right approach , you can write an essay that showcases your unique personality and impresses admissions officers. Vagueness isn’t a problem unique to admissions essays. It’s something all writers struggle with â€" including myself; I struggled with it while writing this very article. 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. Students have no clue what to write that will wow admissions staff and faculty members from hundreds of other essays they will read. Think of the college application process as a video game, and the dreaded college essay is the dragon that needs to be slayed. The power of a good essay is often found in its ability to give the reader this insight. If you find yourself in this situation, you’re not alone. Writing a compelling essay is not an easy task given the high-stakes nature of college admissionâ€"nor should it be. In fact, few practiced writers are able to do it on demand. 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. A thoughtfully crafted essay and a clean, clear application can make a tremendous difference in the college admissions process.