|
The College ESSAY! "They" don't tell you it is nothing like any essay you've ever written. Find out what you need to do. See our articles below:
|
|
The college application essay is a way to demonstrate what kind of person you are. It is not about what you do; it's about who you are. Colleges are interested in your achievements as a student; they are also interested in how you will fit into their environment. Both will indicate your success on their campus.
There are many mistakes writers of college essays make, mostly because they do not know how to think about writing the essay and do not plan carefully from the beginning.
Here are some basic tips for planning the college essay in a thoughtful way.
|
|
Start Early!!
These words can not be said enough or emphasized enough. Really! An essay should grow. It needs time to form in your mind. You need to practice using words to get what's in your head on paper. You will want to let the words cool on the paper and then revisit them, and you will want to edit and revise the essay. All of that takes time, and we're talking about only one essay.
|
|
Here's how to go about writing your college application essay, in a few easy steps.
|
|
It's hard to get started writing the college essay application. The main reason is you have no idea what "they" expect. Let's face it, you've never written anything quite like this essay before.
|
|
Because the college essay is not the same kind of essay that you write for your high school English teacher, it does not have to have the typical essay introduction, which provides a thesis statement.
|
|
There are really 4 steps to writing the college essay. The first is thinking about how to answer the application essay prompt, the second is writing the first draft, the third is the editing stage, and the fourth is polishing your last draft.
|
|
Like filling out a job application, completing a college application requires that you put your best foot forward, and that means not handing in writing that is riddled with grammatical errors.
|
|
Below are listed other common mistakes writers make in thier college applpication essays.
|
|
Below is a college application essay prompt from the Common Application which so many students use. A student provided a sample draft essay that answers the prompt. He went to a college consultant for revision suggestions, but you may also want to use an English teacher, a guidance counselor, or a knowledgeable adult. A friend or parent will probably not give you the honest feed back you need.
|
|
Once your college application essay is finished, it’s good to pause before putting it in an envelope, breathing a sigh of relief, and sending it off with your application. Any college essay must be edited—with attention to detail.
|
|
You can go to many sites and read many books about applying to college. They all suggest good game plans, and they even will give you some ideas to get you thinking. Another thing these sources do is give you sample essays that illustrate the best college applications essays or the winning college application essays.
|
|
If you're using the Common Application, you have met the short activity essay. Aside from the main essay, or the personal essay, the Common Application requires you to write the short activity essay. You may also have to write a similar essay required on an individual school's application in supplemental materials. |
|
You will find many college applications ask you to write a short essay on why you want to go to their college. The typical prompt is just that: Why do you want to attend this college?
|
|
See a sample supplemental essay that provides additional information for the college admissions committee to consider in their review of an application.
|
|
|
|
|
Applying to College 
