Write Your College Essay

The College Admission Essay Topic- Experts Weigh In

A college admission essay is a completely separate entity from the SAT essay, but it can cause just as much stress. To assuage your fears, we turned to college admission officers from three different types of schools—a state technical school, a small liberal arts college and a large public university—for advice. Our experts are:

Danny Easley, assistant director of admissions at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta

Lisa Przekop, associate director of admissions at the University of California at Santa Barbara

David Wagner, associate director of admissions at Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass.

Q: How do colleges use the college application essay?

Easley: At Georgia Tech, we use the college application essay for three purposes:

1 to gain insight into who the student is as a person 2 to know what is important to the student; and 3 to see the student’s writing skills and how well that student communicates. Great writing skills can wow the admissions officer.

Przekop: At a big public university like UCSB, the personal statement is very critical. Because we don’t do interviews, the personal statement portion of the college admission essay is the student’s interview. We want to know why the student is a good fit for our campus and what the student has to offer.

Wagner: Colleges want to get the very best sense of the

student—and essays reveal quite a lot. Ultimately, essays give the student a voice in the application process. They give the student a chance to showcase his skills, ideas, history and creativity.

Q: For open-ended college admission essays, what is a good topic?

Easley: Students should give some thought about what is important to them. A topic may seem insignificant on the surface, but it really tells us about the student. Even trivial topics can be important.

Przekop: We like to see an overall picture of how the student has spent the last four years. Don’t just list a plethora of activities, but give examples to back up characteristics. Epiphany moments don’t tell us a lot about the student, unless she was really spurred onward. Also, avoid unnecessary hardships; we are not looking for a tragedy.

Wagner: I get to read more than my fair share of essays on Kerouac and Shakespeare. Original topics can be more interesting, but it is more important that the writing be refreshing.

Q: What emotions should essays include?

Easley: Sincerity. The student doesn’t need to go overboard. Just speak about what is important to him.

Przekop: Be honest. Paint a picture on a day-to-day basis and how it affects you.

Wagner: Tell your story. An analytical essay gives an applicant the opportunity to showcase their ability to think, synthesize sources, make connections, draw conclusions, assert cogent  arguments and take intellectual risks.

Q: How much does a college admission essay count toward college admissions?

Easley: The essay is one of the main components we look at in a student. The others, of course, are grades, types of classes, test scores and leadership activity. If there’s a really good essay, that student will stand out. Of course, a really poor essay can stand out as well.

Przekop: I try to formulate a picture of that student on our campus, to tell if the student is a good fit. The essays are part of the overall picture of the student.

Wagner: At Hampshire and other small private liberal arts colleges, essays are a very significant component of the admission process. As writing and analytical thinking are necessary to successfully navigate a Hampshire education, essays are evaluated for sophistication, confidence, critical thought and originality.

The admissions committee also evaluates essays for evidence of initiative, self-direction, imagination and passion.

Q: What essay advice can you offer to students?

Easley: Pick a topic that you feel passionate about, and this enthusiasm will come across in the essay. Don’t try to impress the reader. It isn’t necessary. But watch out for grammar mistakes.

It is too easy to crank out essays online, without reviewing them carefully.

Przekop: Understand that total strangers are reading the essay. Someone that doesn’t know them well. This is the place for you to brag about yourself—the more specifics, the better.

Wagner: Write naturally. Use the vocabulary and writing skills you already have. Allow the creative writing process to happen. Don’t try too hard. Be “real,” and you’ll be fine. Your essays should reflect the time, thought and care of a student who is serious about spending four years in an intellectual learning community. The admissions committee cares deeply about your writing. You should, too.

Word challenge
The following BOLD words appear in this column. Try matching the words to their meanings.

1. assuage     a. enlightenment
2. cogent       b. to soothe or pacify
3.  entity        c. something that exists
4. epiphany   d. convincing or relevant
5. plethora     e. an excess

Answers: (1) b (2) d (3) c (4) a (5) e

Scholarship Essay

Free money. How much do you want: $500, $2,000, $5,000 or more? College scholarship money is available, but it won't land in your mailbox if you don’t apply for it.

How do you write a college admissions or scholarship essay that makes your application a winner? We asked the experts. Our panel included Dan F. Thornton, senior assistant director for scholarships at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Connie J. Gores, vice president for enrolment at Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Vermont; and Thomas Nesbitt, director of admissions at SUNY College at Potsdam.

Here’s what they said about how to write a scholarship essay that stands out from the crowd.

Be yourself

You can't fool the judges into thinking you're someone you're not. "When applicants speak from the heart, it is apparent. It is also obvious when applicants say only what they think the judges want to hear," Gores says. "Sincerity is critical."

Don't be so stuffy and formal that the judges won't be able to recognize you in your scholarship essay answer." Thornton says: "I think the biggest mistake students make is trying to be too wordy or overly scholarly in writing essays for scholarship applications. I tell students to put away the thesaurus and write something on the level that reveals something unique about themselves to the reader."

Let your personality shine through. Nesbitt says that the student who is creative and having fun with the essay question has a better chance of being remembered than the student who uses "the standard, traditional, textbook answer." Gores agrees. She says if you have a great sense of humour, use it to your advantage. But, she cautions, if you are more on the serious side, "now is not the time to become a comedian."

Judges are looking for essay answers that are genuine, so relax and write from your unique experiences. "Essays should reflect the 'real' applicant, not the person the applicant wishes to be," says Gores.

Creativity counts

The  college admissions/scholarship essay is your opportunity to introduce yourself. Are you portraying your true self to the judges or simply throwing out vague ideas? Illustrate your ideas by writing directly from your personal experiences.

"Any time a student can give someone a piece of their life and show how it will link to success, it tends to make that individual more than an application," says Nesbitt.

Don't be afraid to respond to the question in an interesting, thought-provoking way. "I have seen students who have compared themselves to an Oreo cookie, wrote poetry about how they felt about a college, placed themselves at a certain time in history to prove a point and used current events to prove success in their lifetime," Nesbitt says.

Do the judges learn about you as an individual by reading your scholarship essay? Your positive characteristics should be reflected in your answer. "Curiosity about how/why things are or work a certain way is something the committee values highly," says Thornton. "It is also appealing when the applicant shows a desire to find ways to share his/her intellectual gifts or goals with the greater community," he adds.

The judges want to know what you think. Make sure your essay is not a boring recitation of worn-out media topics. Thornton says to "avoid writing about the most obvious things." He says to be very careful that your essay reflects your opinions and not your parents' views.

How to write a scholarship essay that answers the question

One size does not fit all. Essay questions are designed to draw out specific answers. Study the question before answering it. Does it ask you to highlight your achievements? Prove your problem-solving skills? Determine your motivation? If you are planning to submit several scholarship applications, write a separate essay for each entry.

"Make sure you answer the question asked," says Gores. "Don't use another essay just because you liked it." Your answers should reflect your background. Describe specific events in your life that drive your opinions.

"Applicants should tailor their responses to the question at hand, but should find ways to let their response reflect something about themselves and how they think about the world around them," says Thornton. Brainstorm several possible answers and focus on your most imaginative response. "There is no problem being creative as long as the question is answered,” Nesbitt says. "Also important," adds Thornton, "unless you are applying for a scholarship at a university with a distinct religious affiliation, avoid writing about God or supplying a Biblical reference in response to an essay question."

Check grammar and spelling

Don't be disqualified because of careless spelling errors and bad grammar. "Essays must be typewritten, neat and free of typos," says Gores. "Applications are the paper version of the applicant," she explains. "To be received well, they must be presented well."

Our experts listed many common grammar mistakes, including sentences with plural subjects and singular verbs or vice versa. Watch your punctuation, too. Run-on and fragmented sentences also made the list. Another problem is tense shifting, which gives the written piece an appearance of uncertainty. "

Write the essay, revise it, and revise it again if necessary. Invest the time now for a bigger pay off later," says Gores. After you have double-checked for errors, ask your teachers, parents and friends to proofread your application. Nesbitt suggests at least five people look at your essay before you mail it.

All of the experts agree: Students who turn in sloppy scholarship applications are not taken seriously and often are disqualified outright. Neatness and attention to grammar and spelling are the best ways to make it through the first round of decisions.

Scholarships exist to reward students just like you. Don't be left out because the essay question stopped you from turning in your application. Write, reflect, re-write and refine. A winning essay takes a little time to prepare, but free money for college is an excellent reward.

Look over this list of sample questions, provided by our experts, and brainstorm answers from your unique history.

1. How would this scholarship impact your education?

2. If your education had no limits, you could stay as long as you wanted and money were no object, what would you hope to get out of your time at college?

3. You have just retired. What would people say about you at your going-away party?

4. What legacy do you hope to leave with your life?

5. Who is your hero and why?

6. Describe a personal experience that has profoundly changed your perspective on an issue of regional, national or international importance. In what way has this event impacted your previous perspective? How will it change your approach to this issue (or similar issues) in the future?

7. Describe how a work of art, music, dance, theatre or literature has inspired you.

8. Who speaks for your generation, and what are they saying? If you answer “no one,” why? What needs to be said?

9. Pearl S. Buck once said, "You cannot make yourself feel something you do not feel, but you can make yourself do right in spite of your feelings." Tell us about an experience where you felt that you did the right thing in spite of your feelings.

Example of a winning college essay

It took time and many drafts, but eventually my college application essay came together. The most challenging part of the essay was saying all that I could and getting my point across in one page. That’s the key to college essays: one page that makes you stand out from the rest.

What a frightening challenge!

College application essay writing requires a lot of thought and a lot of creativity. An easy way to capture the attention of the recruiter reviewing your essay is to open your essay with an intriguing sentence, and to reveal yourself and why you fit with the school you’re applying to. Use an anecdote or a metaphor to describe who you are and why you fit into the college.

I changed the name of the college in this essay to be generic, but you’ll get the point. Read on for an excerpt of the essay that helped me get into my first-choice college. This is an example of a winning college essay. May it be an inspiration to you as you start thinking about how you’ll portray yourself to colleges next year.

I could lie to you and tell you that I’m surrounded by miraculous people who have changed and influenced my life. Or, I could tempt you with a story about a wonderful role model I’ve had. However, neither of those story lines would be true. I’m not influenced easily. I don’t have a wonderful role model, and people have definitely not changed my life. Experiences have changed my life and challenged me; however, that doesn’t make me unique. Everyone’s had to overcome adversity in her life. Only I’ve conquered mine with a hat.

There’s this hat I have. It’s a bucket hat, a creamy brown corduroy. It’s my shield from the world and the opening to my mind. The hat has no special history; it came from the shelves of Old Navy. But it’s my partner in thinking. Whenever I’ve surrendered to frustration over something, I find my hat, slip the smoothly lined corduroy over my head, and let it embrace my mind.

With the hat wrapping my head, I feel insightful, confident, and comfortable with myself. That’s the thing I tend to struggle with, feeling like I belong with the rest of the crowd. While I appear to be comfortable in groups, on the inside, I’m in a panic. When I wear my hat out, I feel invisible to criticisms and superior enough to think my own thoughts, untouched by others’ opinions. My hat allows my cool confidence.

…I’m glad that my hat is always there for me, to hide my insecurities and restore my confidence. But, as glad as I am, I realize that I cannot hide under my hat forever. There should be a time for me to step out of my shell, suck it up and dive into the world without armor on.

I’m looking to step out into the world without my corduroy armor on, to find the confidence and comfort in this world that I so crave. I believe that college will be the place for me to step into without armor. The goal of most colleges is to prepare you for the workplace and the real world, end of story. However, at State University, I began to feel that the school is personal and dedicated to holistic education.

The professors seem encouraging and stimulating; the students are all very outgoing and friendly. When I toured campus, I felt confident without a corduroy hat in sight. State University is a small college, with mountains of experiences waiting to challenge me. I feel your college would provide for me the comfort I need to find in myself within an educational community. Your university will provide me with the supportive family I need to face the world without armor.

I hope you have enjoyed my example of a winning college essay. Good luck writing your own!

Writing a College Essay? Here’s How:

You might be surprised to learn that the college application essay could make all the difference. In fact, it could be the deciding factor in getting into a competitive college. Nearly all colleges rate application essays as important in their admission process. The college application essay is your opportunity to show admission committees what makes you unique and stand out from other applicants. It allows you to connect with the admissions committee beyond the standard application questions. Not high school student knows how to write a college essay.

Why your essay must be outstanding

According to Marty O’Connell, executive director of Colleges That Change Lives (www.ctcl.org) says, “Students who are willing to share who they are — as a person distinct from their academic record and test scores — are the students who will stand out during the admission process.” She adds, “The essay will never be used as a stand-alone criterion for admission. However, it will provide the additional insight needed to help admissions officers choose from equally talented students as they admit the class.” Learning how to write a college essay can tip the scales in your favor.

Peter Van Buskirk, author of “The Admission Game” and former dean of admissions agrees and adds, “Some essays provide valuable insights into the student’s academic or life experience. Others might reveal qualities such as leadership, problem solving, risk taking or social consciousness that are highly valued by given institutions.” He says, “The essay can be the “mortar” in a student’s application that fills in informational gaps and/or strengthens key messages that are being conveyed. While it can be the “hook” or deciding factor for some students, most fail to fully capitalize on the opportunity provided by the essay. Instead of taking the time to develop an essay that is truly insightful, they tend to produce something that is good enough to satisfy the requirement. In the competitive admission process, good enough won’t cut it.”

Making it memorable

Van Buskirk advises putting together a phenomenal college essay; an essay that can provide a hook for you requires a serious investment. He says it always helps to step “outside the box.” Students often feel the urge to write standard, academic essays. Boring! There is not much room for creativity or risk taking there. Students need to give energy and depth to their presentations.

“Experiment with literary devices (metaphors, narratives, etc.) and organizational tricks to engage the reader.” He adds, “A good essay will have at least two qualities: it could not have been written by anyone else and it takes the reader into some part of the student’s life experience that doesn’t appear anywhere else on the application.”

O’Connell says the essays she remembers most over 30 years allowed her to visualize a real person and their background, why they wanted to continue to learn at her college and how they would interact within the community of learners.

Learning how to write a college essay for application may seem daunting, but if you follow this process, it’s likely your application essay will be a winner and you will impress the admissions committee with your command of the written word.

Here are ten tips on how to write a college essay for application:

1. Prewriting

Give yourself the gift of time; start early and avoid procrastinating.

2. Get started

Do a self-assessment to identify who you are, what you have accomplished and where you are headed. During this prewriting, list your strengths, your unusual life experiences, how you spend your time, what are your goals are and what gets you excited.

3. Brainstorm

Take time to jot down your ideas and hone in on what makes you unique.

4. Outline

Make a rough outline after a brainstorming session where you list the points you want to make (in order) and the literary devices you will use to communicate them.

5. Be decisive

Choose a topic, issue or theme and your structure while keeping in mind the application guidelines. Decide on a single idea, focus or point of view. What is it that you want or need to get across to your audience?

6. Write

Write your essay about what you know. Keep it meaningful, introduce yourself and try to reveal your personality and character. The most compelling essays tell a story, use lots of detail, have a clear focus and are written in a conversational style.

7. Edit

Pay attention not only to what you say, but how you say it. No matter how good  your story is, if it is poorly executed, you won’t connect with your reader. Check for grammatical errors, punctuation and spelling. (Whatever you do, don’t rely on your spell check!)

8. Evaluate

Ask yourself, is it interesting, readable, original? Does it have a compelling opening, solid middle and strong ending? Be sure every word counts and that you answer the question you are being asked.

9. Revise

Refine and polish your essay until you feel you have written the best piece you are capable of.

10. Take a break

When you think you are finished, set it aside for awhile and go back to your essay with fresh eyes. Try reading it aloud to catch awkward phrasing. Once it’s polished, ask a favorite teacher, friend or your parent to proofread it and offer an honest critique.

Between books, courses, room and board, and (of course) a social life, college expenses can definitely add up! If money is on your list of stressors, you’re not alone.

“It’s the worst,” says Mike Van Munster, a student at the Berklee School of Music (www.berklee.edu). “I felt like a lot of the time I was barely making ends meet. Sometimes you don’t realize how expensive it can be. There’s a lot of unexpected costs. I’m paying for school by myself, so between books, rent, food and classes, it’s hard to scrape enough together to pay for everything, let alone save anything.”

To try and ease some of the struggle, many schools will offer financial aid as a means for deserving students to make it through the semesters.

“Financial Aid is any grant or scholarship, loan, or paid employment offered to help a student meet his/her college expenses,” says the New York State Financial Aid Association (NYSFAA). The amount of money students are eligible for is determined through federal, state and institutional guidelines.

But that’s not all- if you’re interested in applying for a scholarship, some universities also require students to write an essay. This is so students can explain why they are applying for financial aid and how it will benefit them. So what’s that all about? How do essays affect student aid? And most importantly, what should students do to make sure they are submitting a standout college essay?

We asked Brenda Major, director of admissions at Eastern Illinois University (www.eiu.edu), to fill us in on what she looks for in an exceptional financial aid essay.

Q: What should students do in order to have a standout college essay?
The applicant should thoroughly review the criteria, including recommended length (or number of words) and, most importantly, be sure to respond to the exact question or topic. Always ask someone to review the essay before submitting it. It is also helpful to read the essay aloud.

Q: What resources can students use?
Students should seek assistance from a guidance counselor, English teacher, parent, or even a good friend who will be honest and objective.  Sometimes it is helpful to review the application with someone who can ask the applicant to explain in their own words, what is required.  If you can articulate what you plan to write, it makes the writing flow more smoothly.  

Q: Is there anything students should avoid?
Students should be wary of brief responses that do not give the reader insight into the applicant. This may be the applicant’s only opportunity to expound on their passions, goals, etc. However, the applicant should also be careful to address what is being asked.  Avoid going off the subject,
i.e. writing on and on about something that becomes illogical or uninteresting to the reader.  

Q: After students submit college essays, what exactly are they used for?
We require them for both admission and scholarship consideration. The essay can tip the scales in favor of one student over another. Many scholarships have specific criteria, based on the donors’ background or passion. The donor may wish to provide support to a student with similar interests.

Q: What advice do you have for students about to write their essays?
Adhere to deadlines, and don’t procrastinate.  Apply early for optimum consideration and seek multiple sources of financial assistance.  

Van Munster agrees with Major’s suggestions, and adds that it’s “similar to high school English classes…the writing process is important in creating a standout essay for both admissions and aid.” As a music performance major, Van Munster understands how difficult it can be to get the motivation to put together a quality essay.

“It’s not easy by any means, but it’s worth it. You have to remember that you are your greatest advocate, and that the officials reading your essay will have no idea who you are. This means that how you present yourself in writing will directly impact their first impression of you, and that makes all the difference.”

That’s why making multiple drafts, asking for peer reviews and discussing the criteria with an Admissions Counselor will increase your chances of hitting all the right notes. It’s a lot of work, but if you cover your bases, you’re more likely to be considered for additional financial aid. This means less stress, more money and more fun. Happy writing!

Sarah Girouard is working toward a master’s degree in inclusive adolescent education at Nazareth College (www.naz.edu).

Don’t stress over putting pen or pencil to paper (likely keyboard to monitor). Writing university admissions essays can be as easy as ABC. Actually, it might include D, E and F as you take steps cited in The Adams College Admissions Essay Handbook that my daughter, Jordan, and I wrote. 

• Assess personal characteristics, achievements and visions of the future. College and university admissions essays are not submissions to a contest, with admissions the prize. They are reflections of actions, attitudes as well as aspirations. Before you begin, think about qualities to share. List what you are most proud of and thoughts of college and beyond. 

• Brainstorm topics. A Google search of “college/university admissions essay topics” uncovered 80,400 results. Don’t be intimidated by quantity of hits, but do review some to uncover themes. And, most schools reveal past questions, so topics are easy to identify.

• Choose a topic or two. Focus on what you want to write; what will yield words from heart as well as head. Link topics to your assessment of actions, attitudes as well as aspirations you will reveal to readers.

• Draft two essays. Each should include an introductory paragraph, two or three supporting paragraphs and a concluding paragraph. Follow lessons taught by many in the past. While creative pieces can be submitted, develop traditional pieces as well. Creating two will provide choices and you might need both.

• Edit drafts. No matter the required length, fewer words are best. Write a 500 and 1,000 word version of each essay. While your work must be yours, seek support, insights and feedback of teachers, counselors and others (maybe a NextStepU columnist); as well as proofreading and spell checking abilities of software and humans. 

• Finalize one, and adapt if needed. When appropriate, in school-specific and final versions, include references to the institution. Perhaps describe walking from one building to another, insert a faculty member’s name, course title or a residence hall. 

• G, you’re done! Am I going too far with the alphabet thing? Hopefully, if you follow the above, your essay will be you-nique, and stand out! No more letters from me, now start writing or typing those that will compose your essay. 

Through books, articles and counseling, Burt Nadler, a career services professional, inspires high school students, college students and others to clarify, articulate and to attain career, academic and personal goals. 

“I would rather learn from one bird how to sing than to teach 10,000 stars how not to dance.”

Quick, identify the grammatical error in the sentence above. 

Sorry, that was a trick question. The sentence is really a quote from e.e. cummings, the second most widely read poet in the U.S. Everyone knows he’s a genius who went to Harvard, and geniuses never make errors, especially errors like using only lower case letters all the time. Right? Wrong. 

e. e. cummings became famous and respected precisely because of his errors; he made them all the time. The difference between his errors and the ones that hurt your GPA is that his work had a system that became known as his signature style. But you’re facing a stack of college essays and have no idea why I’m going on about this oddball poet. I’m bringing up e. e. cummings because I want to make a point to you—think a little bit out of the box when you sit down to plan your college essay. 

Create a signature style, or voice, that works for you and gain some attention by submitting something unique to the admissions office. 

What do admissions advisors want to read? I recently surveyed close to 60 colleges and universities across the U.S., small to large in size, public and private, with top academic programs ranging from business to engineering to (yes) English and communications. 

First of all, 100 percent of them rated strong writing skills as at least an “important” contributor to academic success; 54 percent said writing skills were “critical” to success. Your essay is your first chance to convince them that you’ve got the tools and the talent to get the job done on their campus. No surprise that 93 percent rank your transcript as the most important factor in your application review. But what good does that do you when you’re sitting here facing your senior year with only one semester’s worth of opportunity left to prove yourself? One more discouraging nugget of data, 35 percent reported not using interviews in their admissions process. The increased number of applications and the economic burden that an interview can place upon a student who might not have the resources to travel to a campus, are reasons why the interview is getting dropped from the application process. The essay is your story in your voice. Take time for essay planning!

Jeff Williams, assistant director of admissions for Boston University, where they received more than 37,000 applications last year alone, said it best when he was speaking with my students, “Your essay is your interview.”

So what are they hoping to learn about you? In my survey, more than 80 percent of the admissions counselors rated learning about your character and personality as their top priorities when reading an essay. Only 8 percent want to hear about your accomplishments, so leave the list of activities to the application. And the No. 1 hallmark of a strong essay: ‘honest and genuine’ came in at almost 90 percent. 

Where do you start? Cummings relies on patterns in his poems that can become more familiar to a reader. These patterns became his signature style—his voice. You have a voice, too, use it when essay planning. All of us use predictable speech patterns depending on who we are, where we’re from and probably most importantly who we’re talking to. (See I did it just there – I said ‘who’ when I should have said ‘whom’; but hey, who talks like that anyway?)

Now, with all that being said, don’t forget that a lot of people still have a heck of a time understanding the poetry of e. e. cummings. The lesson for you: be true to your voice but make sure your message is clear and that you exhibit good grammar and strong writing in your essay, as well.

Have a clear message. Unlike cummings, don’t leave the admissions counselors struggling through literary analysis to get to the meaning; provide enough of a structure surrounding your voice to help the admissions counselors along. If you talk one way to your English teacher and another way to your grandmother and another to your best friend, you probably also wear different clothes to church and to school and while hanging out on the sofa. In your college essay, try to think about talking to your grandma and wearing a comfortable pair of good jeans. You don’t want to be wearing sweatpants, but don’t be so uptight that you can hardly breathe in that prom dress, OK?

And I’m going to close with one last quote from cummings: “We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us something is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit.” 

Believe in yourself! 

Clare Trow is the associate director of college counseling at St. Catherine’s School in Richmond, Va. 

College essay tips

College admissions officers recruit students who demonstrate sincere interest in attending their college. Your essay about the college must include details that convey your passion about the school.

When admissions officers decide who best fits into the on-campus community, they ask themselves, “Would I want to be this person’s roommate?” or “Would I want to sit in the dining hall and eat dinner with this person?” and “What will this student offer to classroom discussions?”

Make your intellectual curiosity shine through. Share facts about yourself that they cannot know from other parts of your application.

Here are some other tips for preparing a stellar college essay.

Show (don’t tell) your story
Everyone loves a good story. If you want to tell about a compelling experience, focus on the moment that made the difference.

By delving into your soul and revealing who you are, the admissions officers will get to know you better. A good storyteller can make even a mundane or simple situation seem exciting and thought provoking. The heart of the essay resides in the details. Bring the reader along with you on the journey your essay depicts.

Make every sentence count
Edit, edit, edit. Say what you want to say and that’s it. Admissions officers will stop reading a boring, redundant or off-topic essay.

The “perfect essay” does not exist
Do not choose a topic you think admissions officers expect or one you think will impress them. You do not need to tell the readers how you plan to change the world.

Remember that no one is perfect—and college admissions officers know this.
Some applicants avoid sharing their challenges for fear that admissions officers will perceive them as weak. But, admissions officers want to read your story. Your experiences and reaction to them tell the admissions officers so much more than test scores or grades every can. Take a risk and be honest.

Use evidence and avoid generalizations
When you reference any adjective that describes you or mentions an experience, offer anecdotes as support.

Abide by the word limit
Do not choose your college application as the opportunity to rebel. Ignoring the word limit could send the admissions officers the wrong message.

Perfect your grammar
Use active voice throughout the essay. Avoid spelling and grammatical mistakes. Have a grammar expert pick apart your essay before you submit it.

Do it yourself
Write your own essay. Parents, independent counselors or friends should not write your essay for you. Admissions officers know the grades you received in English and they can download your SAT and ACT essays and compare them with your application essay. Do not try to deceive admissions officers.

Try to make the reader laugh or cry
College admissions officers will attest to the fact that most college admissions essays do not stand out. However, essays that compel them to laugh or cry rank among the most noteworthy; if an essay conveys your genuine feelings, then that will shine through and affect the reader.

We hope you have enjoyed these college essay tips!

Ellen Richards, of Ellen Richards Educational Services, Inc. (EllenEd.com) specializes in private academic tutoring, test preparation and admissions support.

When it comes to applying for colleges, most admissions experts will tell you that your admission essay is the most important part of your application.

Yes, your GPA and SAT scores matter, but no other element can so easily separate you from the rest than a  good well-written essay.

Here are five ways to make your good essay stand out from the crowd.

1. Develop a theme.
Instead of listing every extracurricular activity you have done or all the things you have participated in throughout high school, write one consistent theme that embodies who you are as a student and individual.

If you are an athlete but enjoy studying biology, write an essay about what it is like being a student scholar on your team, and how people perceive you as a scholar athlete. Incorporate specific examples of your science research and ways that this research could some day help society. Admissions officers love seeing tangible examples of student work.

2. Proofread, proofread, proofread.
Nothing looks worse on an admissions essay than grammar or spelling errors. Proofread your essay, correct the errors and then do it again. Read it out loud, read it backwards, and ensure that all mistakes are removed.

3. Think critically.
As you proofread your essay, think about every sentence and every paragraph critically. Could you write something differently to make a bigger impact? Is your word usage correct? How can you improve upon what you have written to make it even better?

4. Ask for editing help.
Your friends, your teachers or your school counselor may have ideas that can help your admissions essay become that one element that pushes you over the top and gets you into the college of your choice.

5. Revise accordingly.
As you work through these first three steps, revise your good essay accordingly. Each time you do, go right back to step number one and edit your essay again. If you work through these steps a few times, you will get to the point where you feel your essay can’t be improved any more.

Ross Blankenship is the president and director of TopTestPrep.com. He is an admissions expert who has helped students get into top prep schools, colleges and graduate schools.

Before you get started on your essays, read a few of the following persuasive essay writing tips. It's a good idea to review them from time to time while you are writing. Also, don't forget to read the Essay-Writing Absolute Don'ts and Totally Dumb Topics sections in Chapter 5 of Get Into Any College: Secrets Of Harvard Students before you start writing your persuasive essay.

Be Yourself. It is important to show the admissions officers the real you. You want to show why you think or act the way you do, what drives you, or what has moved you. As we said before, choose only the topics that are truly meaningful to you. Speak in your own voice. If you felt secretly happy that your evil opponent lost the quiz bowl, say so. By explaining how you really felt and not how you think the admissions committee would like for you to have felt, you will not only be truthful but will also help to insure that your essay is original.

Razzle, Dazzle, And Captivate Your Audience. When you begin writing, keep in mind that you need to write a truly memorable and persuasive essay. You want your essay to razzle, dazzle, and captivate your audience. To do this, you need to draw the admissions officers into your essay with a quick, catchy, and creative introduction. You want to pique their curiosity by posing questions they will want the answers to and dilemmas they too have faced. Most important, you want the admissions officers to be able to relate to your essay (not necessarily to the actual events but to the feelings involved).

How you write is just as important as what you write. You should constantly ask yourself if you would be interested in your essay if you were the reader. Imagine yourself as the admissions officer as you read the first few paragraphs and ask yourself what makes you want to finish it? Do not just rely on your opinion. Seek the opinions of others. If your essay does not captivate, does not compel the reader to finish, you will need to rework it.

Create Some Mystery At The Forefront. Start your essay with an introduction that surprises the readers and makes them want to read past the first sentence. For example, you could start your essay with a description of your fear of the sounds of heavy artillery and roaring rapids when you are talking not about your latest trek to the firing range or your summer trip down the Colorado River but actually about your phobia of visiting the dentist. Keep in mind, however, that you have a limited space and therefore your introduction will have to be fairly brief. Do not get too carried away with your own creativity.

Raise Intriguing Questions Or Dilemmas. Ponder questions to which you think the admissions officers would be interested in finding the answers. If you raise a question or a dilemma you faced, ask yourself if the reader would be interested in knowing the results of your decision.

Use Original Language. Try to describe people, places, and events in a unique--but not awkward--style. Appeal to the different senses. What can the reader see from your essay? Hear? Smell? (Hopefully nothing rotten.) By adding rich detail you can often turn an ordinary topic into a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. The more you can bring the reader into your essay by using description the better. Try to think of language as a toy, and play with it. Just make sure that if you use unfamiliar words, you use them correctly. It is better to use ordinary language correctly than to use roller coaster-exciting language incorrectly.

Be Witty, But Only If You Can. Showing your sense of humor will help to make your essay memorable. If you can make the admissions officers laugh or giggle, it will be a definite plus for your application. But, do not go overboard with the humor and remember to have someone else check to make sure that what you think is funny really is funny. Admissions officers love essays that make them laugh. However, admissions officers also despise essays that intentionally try to be funny but are not or that use humor that is simply silly or immature. Our advice is to forget about trying to be funny and just tell an interesting story. If your story is well told and interesting, chances are that any inherent humor in it will show through.

By keeping these points in mind, you should be able to write a decent first draft toward your ultimate goal of creating that irresistible essay. Remember that an irresistible essay is an original that employs a unique angle, addresses a meaningful question or dilemma, and is crafted with thoughtful language.
 

For more information: Learn all the tips, tricks, and strategies to creating that winning essay in Chapters 5 – 7 of Get Into Any College: Secrets Of Harvard Students.