The College Entrance Essay

SHS

Advice from a Advice from a Director of AdmissionsDirector of Admissions

“Take a deep breath, relax, and believe in yourself” (Elizabeth DeLaHunt, Sarah Lawrence College Admissions Director).

““Be true to the person you’ve Be true to the person you’ve already become” (DeLaHunt).already become” (DeLaHunt).

Write about those things that are most important to you (DeLaHunt).

Goals and Objectives To write an interesting and effective

essay about yourself To flesh out the person behind the

grades, the scores, the accomplishments To demonstrate your abilities for To demonstrate your abilities for

insight, awareness, honesty, and self-insight, awareness, honesty, and self-evaluationevaluation

To distinguish yourself from 1000’s of other seniors

BEFORE YOU START TO WRITE

Begin thinking of topics early Send for actual applications early Write a time line of your life (note

special dates and events) Make a list of possible essay topics

and discuss them Pre-write the essay in your head Give yourself plenty of time

Be sincere, honest, straightforward, Be sincere, honest, straightforward, clear and SPECIFICclear and SPECIFIC

Discuss something of personal importance

Demonstrate your own style and voiceDemonstrate your own style and voice Address a talent, interest, passion, Address a talent, interest, passion,

observation, personal accomplishment, observation, personal accomplishment, extraordinary feelingextraordinary feeling

DO’s Read directions Read directions carefullycarefully

Answer the question clearly

Take it seriouslyTake it seriously Put in feeling, if

real Be honest and Be honest and

sensitivesensitive Show talents

Show why the Show why the college should want college should want youyou

Show you know Show you know that school & its that school & its programsprograms

Proofread carefully Be yourself, but not Be yourself, but not

too informaltoo informal Show organizationShow organization

STRONGSTRONG ESSAYS . . . ESSAYS . . .

Use specifics Include good examples Reveal personality Show direction early Employ transitions Demonstrate sincerity Extend examples to say how

they affected you

Exhibit honestyExhibit honesty Apply an informal, but a Apply an informal, but a

“polished” vocabulary“polished” vocabulary Answer the questionAnswer the question Include a strong thesis Take risksTake risks Use correctUse correct grammar &

spelling Include lessons learnedInclude lessons learned

The ESSAY SHOULD The ESSAY SHOULD NOTNOT

Describe anything phony, off-beat, in bad Describe anything phony, off-beat, in bad taste, or potentially insultingtaste, or potentially insulting

Use rude language, words not in your Use rude language, words not in your vocabularyvocabulary

Be pretentious or outrageous Deal with a questionable or controversial Deal with a questionable or controversial

topictopic State anything already described in other

parts of the application

DONT’sDONT’s Don’t Put It OffDon’t Put It Off Don’t list/repeat academic Don’t list/repeat academic

achievementsachievements Don’t repeat anything Don’t repeat anything

mentioned elsewhere in the mentioned elsewhere in the applicationapplication

Don’t talk down to your Don’t talk down to your readerreader

Do NOT be disrespectfulDo NOT be disrespectful Don’t be too casual in toneDon’t be too casual in tone Don’t be too general, too Don’t be too general, too

basicbasic Don’t use the Don’t use the same essay same essay

for allfor all your applications your applications

WEAK ESSAYS . . .WEAK ESSAYS . . . Lack specifics Lack insights Does not reveal the author’s Does not reveal the author’s

personalitypersonality Lack focus and direction Are too short or too long Do not answer the question

Before You Finalize and Mail It,

Double-Check for . . .

Grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes (Use the WP Grammar Check)

Wordiness—Be concise Neatness The YOU in the paper (Does it reflect

your personality and are you satisfied?) Required signatures and correct postage A second copy of the complete application

for your file

Okay, then . . .Let’s look at some

sample essays

Possible Topics

“How would you describe yourself as a human being? What quality do you like best in yourself and what do you like least? What quality would you most like to see flourish and which would you like to see wither?” (Bates College)

“Why is UVM college a good college choice for you?” (Univ of Vermont)

More Topics

“Do you believe there’s a generation gap? Describe the differences between your generation and others.” (Denison University)

“Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.” (Common App)

Recipe for an Essay Rough Draft

Step One: Think about yourself.

What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are your best qualities? Are you an intellect? A creative type? Curious? Adventurous? Passionate? Determined?

See the “Questions for Brainstorming “ sheet

Step Two:

Choose a positive quality you’d like to convey to the admission committee.

Do not pick an event or something you have done. President of the Environmental Club is not a personal quality. Focus on a quality of your mind or of your character.

Complete this sentence: “I am a very______

person.”

Step Three:

TELL A STORY!!!!

Set a timer for 20 minutes. Pretend you’re taking an exam and the question is, “Tell a story about an experience or time when you demonstrated that you were a very________ person.” Use the characteristic you identified in Step Two. Write or type non-stop for 20 minutes; force yourself to keep telling the story and what it reveals until the timer goes DING. (The College Application Essay by Sarah Meyers McGinty)

Begin Writing NOW!

Reveal yourself Be genuine Be thoughtful Relax