Ensuring An Impressive College Application Essay
It may not be the only factor that determines your admission into the university of your choice, but your college essay plays a crucial role. In fact, one New York Times report acknowledges that most exclusive colleges actually give the essay considerable importance – making it more critical to your chances of getting into the country’s finest universities than your standardized test scores.
So, while you’ve persevered throughout your junior and senior years getting good grades, a high SAT/ACT score, joining meaningful extracurricular activities, and creating leadership positions inside and outside of school, do not forget the significance of your college application essay. It’s not just about writing a perfectly composed, formal, and grammatically correct essay; it’s also about ensuring that your essay is compelling enough to grab the attention of the admissions committee or your regional admissions counselor.
Your college application essay has to stand out enough that it pulls up any small inadequacy in your application, be it an average SAT/ACT score or your less than stellar extracurricular activities. Be aware that an admissions committee has to look over thousands of applications, and your essay has to have the kind of unique and creative voice that will gain and sustain attention. Make admissions want to read on.
But here’s the million dollar question: What sort of essays make college admissions into our nation’s best universities and Ivy League schools a done deal?
The first step is to change the way you think about your college essay – do not fear it. The essay is not meant as a stumbling block, but rather an opportunity for you to present yourself in your own authentic voice. And that means using color, lyrical writing, artful storytelling, and vulnerability to explore a special quality you possess, or a moment in your life that may have changed the way you look at things or taught you about something that now informs your life. Basically, your college essay must provide a meaningful glimpse into your life.
The second step is to figure out a topic. If you are writing the personal statement for the Common Application, choose the prompt that gives you the most latitude for storytelling. We usually suggest Colleges supplementary essays will provide specific prompts like: write a letter to your roommate; discuss the community you come from, or the way you would engage on campus. If you’re confronted with many options, focus on the ones that highlight your achievements or love of learning, but be likeable and humble-always. There are artful ways to brag. After all, much like a job application, college applications are a chance for you to “sell” yourself to the admissions officer and show him/her what a good investment you will be. Click here to know more.
