Spotlight of the Month
Make It Happen: Writing the College Application Essay That Will Get You In
You've completed your service hours and listed your
extracurricular activities. Transcripts and SAT scores are attached and ready to
go, and you've got envelopes addressed to both first choices and back-up
schools. Now it's time to really get down to business and write your college
application essay.
What's so important about the college application essay?
Getting into any college is getting harder and harder, and writing an outstanding personal essay is one way to make your application stand out from the others. The application essay is also the chance to make a personal impression; sure, your grades, test scores and activities all say something about you, but the essay is where you can really shine.
Who is going to read my essay, and what are they looking for?
College admission officers are the people in charge of creating the best group of freshmen possible, motivated, creative, bright students who will enhance campus life. They may read 50 to 100 essays in a single day, so you want yours to stand out above the crowd. At most schools, at least two admissions officers will read your essay. Both of these admissions officers have to read hundreds of essays and will spend an average of 10 to 20 minutes reading yours.
Admission officers are usually looking for an essay that is organized, clear and concise but also honest, direct, and original. Of course, it should also be grammatically correct with perfect spelling.
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 How do I get started?
Today many colleges and universities supply you with an essay prompt in the form of a question designed to elicit a thoughtful response that reveals something about the writer. If not, you may have to choose a topic of your own. The subject is an important part of your essay and, whether or not you choose the topic or it was pre-selected, give careful thought to what you're going to write about.
Here are some sample essay prompts from major universities:
- "First experiences can be defining. Cite a first experience that you have had and explain its impact on you."
- "Tell us a story about yourself that will help us to know you better. Illustrate one or more themes, events or individuals that helped shape you. Be clear and forceful."
- "Attach a small photograph of something important to you and explain its significance."
Even with prompts or questions, you'll need to develop a topic. The list below will help you get started with your brainstorming.
- What are your major accomplishments, and why do you consider them accomplishments?
Click here to learn more about getting started and Writing College Application Essays.
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