College Admissions Essay

Types of Admissions Essays

Following Directions
Your essay provides an abundance of information to an admissions counselor, including how well you can follow
directions. If the application asks for one page, then attach only one page. If the application provides a space
in which to write your essay, fill the whole space. If the application doesn’t give specific requirements, aim for
1-2 double-spaced, typed pages. Make sure you use an easy-to-read font and type size, such as black 12-point
Times Roman.

Finally, don’t be tempted to write one general essay and send it with all your applications. If a college asks a
specific question, be sure to answer THAT question.

Keeping the Reader Engaged Think creatively. Because your essay is one of hundreds to be read by admissions counselors, it needs to make an impression. Focus on what you are excited and passionate about. The best strategy is to reveal your genuine self, and it will make the writing process more fun. Your goal is to get the reader to remember you favorably. Be honest and sincere, and let your individual voice and personality separate you from the crowd.

Try to grab the reader’s attention with a great opening sentence. Be bold and colorful. If it succeeds, the reader
will be encouraged to continue. Don’t feel pressure, however, to have a brilliant opening line before you begin to compose the body of your essay. Often it’s best to do a draft of the entire essay and then return to the opening sentence. It might be easier to write an attention grabbing first line when the following paragraphs are
already on the page.

Show, don’t tell. Try to capture people, places, events, and feelings in words so a reader can visualize and
respond to them. Illustrate your points with examples and specific descriptive details. For instance, don’t just say that you’re a leader. Show your leadership with life experiences and stories instead.

To keep the reader engaged, use present tense, active verbs, and other descriptive language; give interesting
details and facts; and if possible, use all the senses in your descriptions. How did something look? How did it
sound? How did it feel, smell, taste? Remember you are not writing an assignment for a grade;
you are writing an essay for a reader to appreciate.

Admissions officers want to read what you want to write, not what you think they want to read.

Avoiding Pitfalls
Do not use your essay to summarize activities and achievements you’ve already listed on the application.
Although you may ultimately decide to write your essay on an activity, personal experience, or achievement, avoid
writing an essay that’s merely a summary or retelling of information presented in other parts of your application.
Be original, but not gimmicky.

For example, do not write your essay in an unusual, “clever” format just to be different. Leave out language a reader might not understand, such as jargon and technical terms.

Stick with the truth. This advice may seem obvious, but it can be tempting to stretch the truth when you are trying
to impress someone. Keep in mind that the purpose of the essay is to tell a reader what sort of person you really are.

Do not hire a professional writing coach or get excessive help from your parents. Admissions counselors are
trained to spot plagiarism and writing that does not sound like the applicant.

Stick to vocabulary that is familiar to you. If you rely too heavily on a thesaurus in search of bigger and bettersounding words, you risk sounding pretentious as well as unintentionally misusing words.

Write several drafts. Polish and proofread for positive results. Read your writing repeatedly for errors in spelling
and grammar. Reading the essay aloud is helpful. Ask a few good proofreaders to check your writing for mistakes,
since it’s easy to miss errors in your own writing. Also ask them to point out any passages that are vague or unclear.

Do not underestimate the importance of grammatical correctness. Represent your ideas in the best light by
checking your essay thoroughly for correct usage, spelling, and punctuation.


> Guidelines for Writing the College Admissions Essay

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