Writing Your College Essay
Why do colleges want an essay/personal statement?
The college application lets the college know what you’ve done. The college essay lets the college
know who you are.
The essay is also a sample of your writing ability. The college is looking not only at the content but also
the quality of your writing. A large part of performance in college is based on written products and they
want to see if you are ready.
What types of essay prompts might the college use?
The ‘tell us about yourself’ question: The school wants to know you better and wants you to reveal your
personality. They want to know your creativity, sense of humor, organization and thought processes.
They are looking for examples of your beliefs and values so be truthful and authentic. This is also a
place to explain any gaps or deficiencies in your transcript.
The ‘why did you choose this college’ question: They want to know if you have well-thought-out goals
for your future and how their college will help you achieve them. Give specific reasons about your
desire for this college or major. Include personal experiences that have motivated your decisions.
The ‘tell us about’ question: This question will look at your creativity and knowledge. It might ask about
your opinion of world events, family, personal preferences, etc. This question must be focused and well
organized. They are looking at your thought processes.
How do I write the essay
Prewrite – With the prompt in front of you, collect and organize your ideas. Brainstorm. Write down as
many responses as you can - you can always eliminate ones that don’t fit later. Include personal
characteristics as well as places you’ve been and accomplishments. Ask friends and relatives to help
you think of all possibilities.
Organize – Make sure the essay topic is clear and that it answers the essay question the college asks.
Look for connections in the information you brainstormed so you can group ideas together. Be aware of
word limitations – colleges with a stated maximum number of words often cut off the essay when the
limit is reached. Now, create a topic sentence and prepare to tell a story.
Draft – If the maximum word count is long enough, write the essay in three parts – 1. Introduction (tell
the reader what the essay is going to be about). 2. Body (information supporting your topic sentence).
This is the part that answers the essay question. 3. Conclusion (briefly recaps information in the body
and topic sentence).
Edit – Reread the essay and have others read it. Read it out loud to see how it sounds when spoken.
Look for errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, clarity and organization. Make sure you can find your
main idea and follow it from beginning to end. Use facts, quotes and evidence if you are proving a
point. Don’t make it too long or too short – make every word count. Don’t include information found in
your application somewhere else. Make it specifically YOU!
Rewrite – This is the final step and a last chance to edit. Always write your essay in a word processing
program so that it can be saved before copying and pasting your final version into the online
application. Make sure you have followed all directions.
DO:










Use the word “I” in your essay.
Research on the college to ensure that the hopes/dreams you described in your essays can
be fulfilled there.
Be concise - more is not better.
Write in your own words, speaking honestly, clearly and from the heart – be truthful.
Let the college know what’s special, unique, distinctive and/or impressive about you.
Paint a picture of the real you...not who you think they want you to be.
Use spell-check.
Draft, proof and rewrite the essay. Put it away for a few days and look at it again with fresh
eyes.
Let the college know how you were affected by the topic or experience if appropriate.
Be mindful that your application should be consistent with your future goals.
DON'T:
 Use clichés.
 Try to be funny, cute or sarcastic.
 Use thesaurus words – be sure you sound like YOU.
 Exceed the word or page limit.
 Use the name of the wrong college in the essay.
 Be cynical and critical- colleges will wonder if that is the personality you will bring with you to
college.
 Have someone else write your essay! College application readers are expert at recognizing
essays not written by the applicant.
In the words of Richard Avitabile, former director of admission at New York University, “Personal
essays are a powerful way for the students to get the attention of the application reader.
Especially in larger places, where we don't get to meet every applicant, the essay is really a
chance to see more about the person behind the grades and scores. The more personal the
essay topic, the more we learn. However, I disagree with the school of thought that encourages
'baring one's soul' in the essay. Keep the topic positive and full of ways that you will contribute
to our college. Powerful essays do touch on the soul – help us to know what makes the student
joyous – and tell us about hopes and dreams.”
Before you submit:
 Proof, proof, proof the entire college application, including essays.
 Make sure you’ve completed every box and answered every question.
 Include all requested documents – contact the college if you’re uncertain about anything.
Many colleges will not consider an incomplete application.