The College Essay

1. The College Essay What it is What it means How to nail it

2. What’s the point? “To know your enemy is to defeat your enemy.” –Sun Tzu • An essay takes a topic & examines it in personal terms • Earthshaking vs. Everyday • May be the last chance to tell your story • Let colleges know how you’re different than the other thousands of applicants • “What kind of person will you be on campus? • Shows how you think, not what you know • Howyou say it. Not what you say.

3. How to approach it • Perfect forum to display: • Individuality • Creativity • Ability to communicate • Displays you beyond the general application • Listen to your own voice • Take chances/compositional risks • Allow your personality to shine through • Express opinion/make a point • No right/wrong answer • BE SURE TO LET THE READER KNOW ASAP WHAT YOUR POINT IS!

4. Common Sense Plan ahead. Do not use the same responses for every application. Follow the essay format. STAY ON TOPIC! PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD!! • BE YOURSELF! • TRY TAKING CHANCES • BE OPEN & HONEST • SHOW YOUR POV ASAP! • STAY ON TOPIC • READ IT OUTLOUD • HAVE OTHERS READ IT TOO!

5. Word Count • Brevity is valued • 500 to 1,000 words to convey you • Some may request 300 words • Major obstacle

6. Word Count • Be economical • “I’m a good candidate for Rowan University. I’m a good candidate because I’m an excellent student, hardworking, and involved.” • “I am a good candidate for Rowan University because I am able to create and maintain a strong balance between academics and extracurricular activities.”

7. Word Count • Forces you to focus on what matters • Be aware of word count • A few words over won’t hurt you • A lot of words over needs revision

8. Technology • Applying by mail • Print essays on separate pages & submit as a packet • Include the question you’re answering at the top of the page • Many colleges offer choice • Number your pages • Include name & SS# at top of pages

9. Technology • Internet applications • Be careful to still treat your essay as if it’s been printed • Print them to edit • Convenience does not equal carelessness

10. Essential Strategies for Writing a Great Essay • Be yourself • Be original • Reveal something about yourself • Have a point • Spend as much time thinking as writing • Highlight growth • Keep your introductions brief • Create mystery at the forefront • Demand 100% from every sentence • Raise intriguing questions or dilemmas • Force yourself to analyze your motivations • Use original language • Be witty, but only if you can

11. 25 Mistakes to Avoid: Don’t… • Try to be someone else • Get stuck on intro • Write in clichés • Over quote • Cross the line between creativity & absurdity • Go thesaurus wild • Write a humorous essay if you’re not funny • Resort to gimmicks • Treat online applications like e-mail • Assume specific knowledge • Let your editors ruin your essay • End with a whimper • Write a sob story • Flex • Write a resume • Second guess what admissions wants to read • Wait until the last minute • Generalize • Say it. Show it. • Get lazy with sentences • Start the essay with ”my name is” • Use ghostwriters • Write a Hallmark card • Spill your guts • Turn anything in w/o proofreading

12. You Heard it Hear First… Real quotes from Real admission officers.

13. How Applications are Read • Regional or Random • Read applications one by one • Sometimes read 2nd, 3rd, 4th time • Things considered: • Grades • Difficulty of high school • SAT or ACT scores • Recommendations • Extracurricular • Essay

14. Continued… • Some look at essay first • Know John Smith person before John Smith scholar • Want a blank canvas without a score attached to a name

15. Why Require an Essay? • “Window into soul.” (Yale) • “Can’t interview every person.” (Lawrence University) • “Validate other information & achievements.” (Case Western Reserve University) • “Window into mind.” (Bryn Mawr College) • “Learn what is important & valued.” (Gettysburg College)

16. Qualities of Successful Essay • “Not looking to be entertained…done serious thinking and reflection.” • “Beginning, middle, end.” • “Edit their work.” • “Hear your voice… what matters to you.” • “Unique perspective on achievements.” • “A little humor.” • “Not a tell-all.”

17. Qualities of Successful Essay • “Understand what is being asked in the question.” • “Best essays use dramatic elements like dialogue & interesting narrative.”

18. Common Mistakes to Avoid • “Copied essays.” • “Two paged essays with no paragraphs.” • “Mind your editors.” • “Don’t let assumptions about the reader be the primary guide for your essay.” • “Not being original enough.” • “Grandmother character portrait.”

19. Students Might Be Surprised to Know… • “Truly interested in experiences, thoughts, values.” • “Good writing matters.” • “Dangerous to second guess what admissions wants to read.” • “Looking for someone to be a contributor, not the prototype.”

20. Advice from Admissions Officers • “Constantly rewrite.” • “Start with an oral draft.” • “Start early.” • “Think of the essay as a piece of your story and then tell it to us.”

21. Fill in the blank… • Focus on a quality of your mind or of your character. • “I am a very _________________ person.”

22. Timed Writing Warm-Up Pretend you’re taking an exam and respond to the question in the pink box using your fill-in-the-blank answer. You have 20 minutes. FORCE YOURSELF TO WRITE FOR THE FULL TIME! “Tell a story about an experience or time when you showed you were a very __________________ person.”

23. Brainstorm • Read questions first to have in back of mind • Write down everything that pops into your head • No topic is too silly, complex, or stupid • Take 15 minutes to complete the Brainstorm Packet.

24. The topic is: Sports and me—what a team My specific topic: Root for all Philly sports teams (not so much Sixers) and Notre Dame 5 minutes to jot down ideas:Phillies make it to postseason for 4th straight year; my postseason tix came in mail last week; Vick is hurt, so now the QB controversy continues; Flyers start this week; hope for another great run; ND won one for a change; f or as much as I love sports, I never really played; I need a big win in fantasy football this week; almost lost my suicide pool because ATL let SF get an early lead; love to visit different parks/stadiums across the country; haven’t done one of those trips in a while; would love to go to games in San Diego; Texas stadiums would be neat too; going to Wed.’s game! 5 minutes to draw inferences about myself based on jottings:sports fanatic; competitive; traveler; relaxing Sundays; passionate; knowledgeable

25. Your turn! • Choose one topic from the brainstorm packet. • Complete the chart based on yourself.

26. How can this help me? • List several broad contexts to consider • Challenge, triumph, fear, hope • Prepare yourself with all aspects of your choice • Actions, reactions, sights, sounds, people, places, emotions, etc. • Mold the information to fit the question • An academic lesson might evolve from a c

27. Topic = Dance • Mold the information to fit the question • An academic lesson might evolve from a choreographer’s direction • A social challenge in terms of an audition • Most treasured recreational moments = moving to music • Ethical goal might be to bring dance to underprivileged kids • Personal/spiritual triumph a difficult sequence you’ve mastered • An injury might force you to examine occupational goals