The Perfectionists Guide To The College Essay

The Perfectionist's Guide To The College Essay The essays that make up The Common Application & supplements are not just typical pieces of writing, nor are they just another step in the application process. College essays are an uncommon genre that must catch the attention of admissions officers and illuminate students’ intellect, personality, and potential. Our Senior Counselors have years of experience guiding students in writing essays that make admissions officers take notice. Our students write great application essays and become stronger writers, better prepared for college and beyond. For students thinking about taking a gap year, I would encourage them to apply to colleges during their senior year. Teenagers change a lot from August to May, and while you might feel sure in the fall that you want to take time off, seeing all your friends making college plans might make you feel differently in the spring. One of the things that helps students feel in control of this process is having options. Being able to consciously choose to take a gap year feels a lot better than having to take one by default. I fell into the trap of reading a bunch of “successful” essays that were published online. Reading them made me feel like I had to have experienced a traumatic event or done something spectacular for admissions officers to notice my essay and application. When I started the whole essay writing process, I honestly felt really stressed out about feeling like I haven’t had experiences that were “worthy” of the Common Application essay. But I literally ended up writing about a time I performed a poem. One of my favorite Common Application essays is about a trip to Costco. However, admissions reps also need to know how you think. So the primary purpose of the college essay is to provide an opportunity to tell your whole story. The application essay is a common part of the university and college admissions process. The majority of stress and work in the admissions process stems from the essay writing. These essays are a critical component of a student’s application, as it’s one of the only opportunities to inject personality into an application. Year after year they get into their top choice colleges, including the Ivies, prestigious liberal arts schools, and the best state universities. While it’s important to put considerable effort into all college application components, essays are often the finishing touch and should be treated with great care and consideration. Because colleges are looking for students who know themselves well, have academic goals and a career direction, and can articulate them clearly. Honestly, it doesn’t matter what you write about, but rather, why you write about it and what you’re trying to convey with it. According to an article published on Time.com, college application essays aren’t as important as they are cracked up to be. Deciding which colleges to apply to is difficult enough, but you add to that the stress of writing a personal essay for each of your applications. Your personal essay is supposed to give college admissions teams a snapshot of who you are as a person and who you hope to become but you don’t have to spill your guts or transcribe your whole life story. To increase your chances of getting accepted, first learn just how important your essay is and then take the time to learn the Dos and Don’ts of college application essays. 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. She also served as second chair in the selection committee for the school's flagship interdisciplinary Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology. A graduate of Cornell University, Ms. Heaton brings exceptional skills to the craft of essay writing paired with experience reading and evaluating thousands of Penn admissions applications. Prior to joining Penn, Ms. Heaton worked as a public relations professional and served for a decade as a member of the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network. Taking a semester or a year before diving into college life can help students go into their freshman year with confidence, maturity, and some real-world perspective. One common essay mistake is telling a particular story without answering the prompt. Since many colleges allow students to choose from a few different prompts, addressing the topic of your choice is an easy way to tell your story within the constraints of an essay. When writing, consider the admissions officer who will read your essay. Take this opportunity to expand on your application -- but remember to re-read your essay with the prompt in mind. Students should spend a lot of time crafting their essays and as as result, need to manage their time to be successful. Each of member of our professional writing team is a U.S.-based native English speaking professional. Admissions officers have to read an unbelievable number of college essays, most of which are forgettable. Some schools will allow you to defer enrollment for a year, and if you reapply after taking a gap year, you’ll have new experiences and stories to share in your application. Most colleges require a college essay, sometimes called a personal statement, as part of their application process. Quite simply, the best college essays make a personal statement and give admissions officers a window into your soul. Many students write essays that are too clichéd or shallow, or too impersonal and uninformative. For some students, the essay itself will be cause for rejection.