Sep 15, · Your college essay is something that you should not only be proud of, but also something that you genuinely want to showcase to college admissions offices. The writing piece itself should display your character, goals, and accomplishments. When I was going through the process of writing mine, I struggled because I didn’t think I had a story good enough to tell Tips for a Stellar College Application Essay. 1. Write about something that's important to you. It could be an experience, a person, a book—anything that has had an impact on your life. 2. Don't just recount—reflect! 3. Being funny is tough. 4. Start early and write several drafts. 5. No repeats Sep 30, · Dos and Don’ts in Writing College Application Essays. 1. Write too much, ramble on, thinking that more (words) is better. It is not. 2. Brag, boast, toot your own horn, or come across as arrogant. 3. Write what you think college admissions people want instead of Estimated Reading Time: 4 mins
Dos and Don'ts in Writing College Application Essays | HuffPost Communities
by: Connie Matthiessen October 3, Print article. Few students breeze through this part of the college application process because writing a good college essay is no easy task. It can be particularly challenging for first-generation college students, who tend to dismiss the real-life circumstances that make their experience unique. Here, first-generation students and experts who work with them offer valuable insights and advice.
One of the most challenging aspects of the essay-writing process is identifying a topic to write about. And they are just 17 years old! Many students think that the essay is primarily about proving how accomplished they are academically, according to Urrutia Gedney. They want students who are well-rounded, who show character and resilience in difficult circumstances. Experts like Watson and Urrutia Gedney agree that the everyday challenges students face often make the most compelling essay topics of all.
These experiences might include taking care of younger siblings every day after school, for example, or picking up groceries for a grandparent, or working an after-school what should i write my college application essay on to help the family cover rent. Such experiences demonstrate qualities that colleges are looking for, including courage, grit, responsibility, leadership, and resilience.
What has that weekend or after-school job taught you? How are you going to use that knowledge going forward? For Ernesto Ye Luo, it took many drafts and a college rejection to help him get there. Ye Luo lived in Panama until the age of 10, when his family moved to San Francisco. He says his original essay, which he submitted to Middlebury College in his early decision application, covered too many topics.
My essay was all over the place. Looking back, he thinks he may have been rejected, at least in part, because his essay was so scattered. Ye Luo had a compelling story to tell.
As a Chinese person in Panama, he never felt that he fit in. But in the US, he felt just as out of place. His family was very poor and lived in a cramped, one-room apartment. They shared a bathroom and kitchen with other tenants. Ye Luo became withdrawn and discouraged, and he was failing in school.
His parents helped him turn things around. His family what should i write my college application essay on Hakka, a Chinese ethnic group that has always faced discrimination. That is our history. Ye Luo says that their words gave him a sense of pride and determination to succeed. I tried to adapt socially and academically. After Ye Luo rewrote his essay with a narrower, deeper focus, he was accepted by a number of colleges, including Wesleyan University, where he is now a freshman.
At ScholarMatch, Watson uses freewriting exercises to help students start their essays. Students come to ScholarMatch workshops feeling nervous about the process. Freewriting helps kids relax and simply write; it also usually helps elicit an essay topic. For the exercises, Watson asks students to write whatever comes into their minds. From the freewriting, he and other writing coaches help students identify points they can develop into an essay.
At LA, Urrutia Gedney and volunteer coaches help students identify essay topics by asking questions like the following:, what should i write my college application essay on. Many kids get overwhelmed by the format of the college essay. Instead, think about what you would say if the person was standing right in front of you. What do you make? Do you help them with their homework or go to their parent-teacher conferences?
These kinds of details will take your essay from the general to the personal. Watson often has to work with kids from immigrant backgrounds to tell their own stories. The only thing is they often want to tell the story from the perspective of their parents.
They see that their parents have had to work so hard to get where they are. They have such reverence for what their parents have been through that it is hard for them to think about themselves.
He recalls a high school senior who was homeless and lived for several months with his mother in their car. He was just so grateful for the opportunity to learn. For Urrutia Gedney, the college essay has value beyond helping a student get into college. Choosing the wrong college can be bad for mental health.
How students can benefit from randomly assigned college roommates. A parent's guide to saving for college at every stage. Please enter a valid email address, what should i write my college application essay on. Thank you for signing up! Server Issue: Please try again later. Sorry for the inconvenience. Versión en español. Many first-to-college kids don't realize they have stories that colleges want to hear.
by: Connie Matthiessen October 3, Print article. Sharing who you really are One of the most challenging aspects of the essay-writing process is identifying a topic to write what should i write my college application essay on. Share on Pinterest. Get the GreatSchools newsletter — our best articles, worksheets and more delivered weekly. Sign up. Choosing the wrong college can be bad for mental health Choosing the wrong college can be bad for mental health.
How students can benefit from randomly assigned college roommates How students can benefit from randomly assigned college roommates. A parent's guide to saving for college at every stage A parent's guide to saving for college at every stage.
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Sep 15, · Your college essay is something that you should not only be proud of, but also something that you genuinely want to showcase to college admissions offices. The writing piece itself should display your character, goals, and accomplishments. When I was going through the process of writing mine, I struggled because I didn’t think I had a story good enough to tell Tips for a Stellar College Application Essay. 1. Write about something that's important to you. It could be an experience, a person, a book—anything that has had an impact on your life. 2. Don't just recount—reflect! 3. Being funny is tough. 4. Start early and write several drafts. 5. No repeats Sep 30, · Dos and Don’ts in Writing College Application Essays. 1. Write too much, ramble on, thinking that more (words) is better. It is not. 2. Brag, boast, toot your own horn, or come across as arrogant. 3. Write what you think college admissions people want instead of Estimated Reading Time: 4 mins
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