Writing A Powerful College Essay

Good-quality college admissions essays are critical to getting into the schools of your choice as well as winning merit-based scholarships and grants.  The essay and the interview, unlike your GPA and test scores at this point, are things that you have some level of control over.  In fact, the essay you submit to colleges and universities just might be the extra leverage you need to surpass other highly qualified candidates. A college essay showcases your unique personality, passions, and writing skills. It is important to view your essay as an opportunity rather than another assignment. This is your chance to compel a busy admissions officer to accept you.

What are admissions officers looking for when they evaluate your essay?
It is evident that each admission officer's critique of your essay will vary. However, it is safe to assume that each admission officer wants your essay to prove two things to them.

• First, they are looking to see if you can write at a collegiate level, which essentially means that you must demonstrate control and proper usage of the English language, and that you can use it to construct a coherent written document. Admission officers are also interested in seeing that you understand sentence and paragraph structure so that you can pace a narrative. Your story should be concise, flow logically from one event to the next, and provide a convincing conclusion.
• Second, admissions officers want to learn about you! They want to know about your character, your personality and your interests. Will you be successful in their school? Will you fit in?  Will you be a valued, contributing member of their community?  Why should they admit you?  What is so special, so unique about you that will make you stand out from other applicants?

Don't overuse a thesaurus. It is important to not get “caught up” in using a thesaurus as they are not interested in your vocabulary skills. Instead, you can write your essay, as you normally would, without using flowery language that you don’t understand. Many admissions officers are aware that applicants use these resources to enhance their vocabulary, but you should steer away from these and focus more on your own natural ability.

Pick a topic that is unique to you.  Your subject doesn't have to be earth-shattering, just something that shows your unique perspective. Your views on world politics are great, but if someone who really knows you knows that you're at your happiest when you're doing origami, then it's origami that you should be writing about.

Use humor when possible.  The essay is an important part of your application, but it really is OK to lighten up a bit. Getting playful with your topic will make the essay more fun for you to write and much more fun for the admissions officer to read. You don't have to be fabulously witty or stick in a bunch of jokes (doing so could actually be detrimental to your essay), but just show that you can see the humor in life.

Use self-effacement (poke fun at yourself).  A big shiny essay about how unrelentingly terrific you are may ring false with admissions officers. They often prefer applicants who admit that they are less than perfect and who can find humor in their imperfections.

Do not exceed the word limit (typically 500 words).  Most schools put a word limit on essays and it is your best interest to stick to it. Writing an overly lengthy essay may feel like going the extra mile to you, but to the admissions officer who still has hundreds of essays to get through, it just seems inconsiderate. The longer your essay is, the more chance it won't be read completely.

Be (slightly) informal.  The admissions officer wants to get to know the real you, not read a carefully crafted glossy press release or hear your imitation of how an important professional should sound. Keep your own style and voice.

Do not copy an essay.  Don't even think about copying an essay from a collection or ripping one from the Internet. If you've seen it, so have the admissions officers—dozens of times. No school will admit a known plagiarist.

Take the revision process seriously.  After you write your essay, you’ll want a few different sets of eyes to take a look.  Ask your parents, your English teacher, and/or your guidance counselor.  You’ll want someone to proofread your essay for spelling, punctuation, grammar and overall flow as well as for style.  Again, admissions officers are looking to see if you can write at a collegiate level, so the revision process is essential.  It probably wouldn’t be smart to start and finish your college essay the night before the deadline without revision.

Any additional tips to share?  Leave your comments!

About Smart Track™ Toolkit: The toolkit is a web based service that assists families with everything from admissions and test prep, to student athletics and financial aid. Our intuitive software and on-demand workshops are key components to making sure students find their top choice colleges, and families can afford to send them there.

About the author: Laura Guarino is the Student Services Coordinator with College Planning Strategies, LLC. Laura has a degree in Human Development from Boston College and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in School Guidance Counseling.  She is also enrolled in a certificate program in College Admissions Counseling.  Laura is at the forefront of the college admissions process for the families of CPS and The Smart Track™ Toolkit.

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