Good College Application Essay Examples
When you have three or four subjects you have settled on, create a brief outline for each topic with some of the main points and critical details to see if you have enough information to craft a whole essay. By narrowing it down this way, the final decision on what to write about will come easier. Factors give minority students advantages in the admission processes of the countrys universities and colleges (NARA). The obvious differences in what America says and what America does, leads one to believe that affirmative action has no place in higher education in a color-blind America. This essay will discuss the benefits of affirmative action in higher education and the adverse effects of affirmative action in higher education. This essay will also give a perspective on the issues. 8. The most important thing or person in my life. This topic is too broad and too loaded, whether you want to write about God, your mom or best friend. These essays are usually painfully boring.
While you do have the option to write on any subject, that amount of freedom can often seem nebulous to students. I suggest you start by doing a quick write for each prompt to see what comes to mind. It is highly likely that youll find some prompts easier to write than others, and your story will naturally be drawn out. On the other hand, you may have a topic you already know you want to address, and the prompts can shape it in a way that allows you highlight what college admission counselors are looking for. Admissions officers have to read an unbelievable number of college essays, most of which are forgettable. Many students try to sound smart rather than sounding like themselves. Others write about a subject that they don't care about, but that they think will impress admissions officers. Once you are familiar with all the guidelines, its time to start brainstorming ideas for your essay. Take some time to mull over your experiences, relationships, and perspectives and write down some potential topics to write about. For those of you who have been reading our blog regularly (and, really, whats better than reading an admission blog on a lovely summer day?), you recently received some tips on maximizing the stylistic elements of a college essay.
Honor College Application Essay Example
To revisit a metaphor I used in that post, style is the wrapping paper of your essaythe content is the gift. As much as we love a pretty package, we want to open it up to find something wonderful inside. Find out what the admissions process is for the school youre applying to, both for the application and the scholarship. Will there be a panel of three or 10 people who decide if you should get money for college? Once you know, refer to the selection committee in your essay and acknowledge that it has a monumental task ahead. You are not pandering, but instead making the panelists aware that you are not taking this process lightly. College admissions officers have to read through hundreds of essays each year. Dont squander the opportunity to make yours stand out. This is your chance to sell yourself and show the admissions committee who you really are and what makes you tick. It also affords you the opportunity to prove your writing and grammar skills too. They say that the way to a mans heart is through his stomach. It has been my experience that the way to ANYONES heart is through the stomach. To me, food is not simply about sustenance. The time that I spend in my kitchen, the effort and care that I pour into my confectionary creations, is a labor of love that brings me just as much satisfaction as it does my hungry friends and family.
My college essay - I won Most Original pumpkin at a Halloween party years ago. I have the Most Original award. Its a consolation prize. You cant be the best, or the prettiest, so you have to be original. Ive won the Most Original award a fair number of times. I was even named Most Original at a basketball awards banquet. What does that even mean? How can anybody be Most Original when shes playing basketball?
If your transcript is a little weak, a well-written essay may compensate for lower grades and act as a tipping point that helps you to gain entrance. Its not a guarantee, of course, but when it is done right, it can offer you a distinct advantage over applicants who are not as conscientious. Recognizing the Most Original award for the pity-prize that it was, I grew increasingly hostile toward the very word original. If you win this cursed award, everyone around you offers feigned sympathy or, even worse, insincere congratulations. Phrases like oh, bummer or well-intentioned but half-hearted well, good for you circle the recipient, creating a cyclone of regret from which the winner will never recover. 1. Listing accomplishments. You might be the most amazing person on the planet, but nobody wants a recitation of the wonderful things you've done, the people you've encountered and the places you've visited. Here, a writer must restate the thesis statement and relate the closing sentence to the introduction. You can also discuss your experiences in college essays that worked for you to become a better person. Lastly, state how a particular college can help you achieve the goals. 3. Sharing how lucky you are.
2 thoughts on What Should My College Essay be About? - Set it aside for a few days and read it again. Put yourself in the shoes of an admissions officer: Is the essay interesting? Do the ideas flow logically? Does it reveal something about the applicant? Is it written in the applicants own voice?
The more information admissions officials can determine about you, the easier it will be for them to see you as part of the overall student body at their school. Although it is only one part of the application process, it is one of the most valuable and should be taken on with as much motivation and skill as you can master. A student who can make an admissions officer laugh never gets lost in the shuffle. But beware. What you think is funny and what an adult working in a college thinks is funny are probably different. We caution against one-liners, limericks and anything offcolor. Anyone can write about how they won the big game or the summer they spent in Rome. When recalling these events, you need to give more than the play-by-play or itinerary. Describe what you learned from the experience and how it changed you. On the other hand, best essays are indeed not only the thing that matters to college. But a great college essay can compensate for poor test scores and grades. Similarly, a bad essay can also overshadow all of your accomplishments. So consider your application as a tool for standing out among other applicants.
If you are one of the lucky teenagers who has grown up in an affluent household, with all the perks that goes with it, no need to share that with college admission officials. "The last thing anyone wants to read about is your ski trip to Aspen or your hot oil massage at a fancy resort," Robinson observed. Students frequently ask what they should write aboutthere is really no way for an admission counselor to answer this question. You know yourself best and you know what is important to share. All college essays must contain two elements, however: the illustration and the insight. The illustration element can take many shapes, but most students use an anecdote or series of moments to illuminate their personality and experiences. The insight element can be separate or intertwined, but a strong college essay always includes some type of analysis. Your goal in a personal statement is not only to introduce us to yourself but to show us how you think. That all sounds very heady, but your high school career has prepared you to write a good essay. Now the trick is to make it personalwhich is usually where students start to panic. A useful shaping tool/springboard for brainstorming topics are the essay prompts suggested by the Common Application.
Oofthat was a lot, huh? It can be overwhelming to sort through his advice, so dont be afraid to use the resources available to you (counselors, teachers, parents, etc.) to ask for help. And, as always, feel free to share your questions in the comments section below. Happy writing! Im still skeptical about the Most Original award. In the context of an award ceremony, its still just a meaningless consolation prize. But I dont think of being Most original as an insult anymore I wear it as a badge of honor, proof that I am myself and no one else. The idea of writing new content for each college you apply to might be daunting. The good news is that in some cases, reusing one you have previously written is ok, provided you keep in mind a couple of points: