A favorite college admissions adage is: “A good essay can heal the sick, but can’t raise the dead.” A strong essay has the power to move a teetering applicant into the “yes” pile, but it’s not a miracle drug that will assure an acceptance letter for a less-than-qualified student.
The essay has taken center stage in the application process for a variety of reasons. With so many students applying to many more colleges than in the past, the essays are really the best way for students to set themselves apart.
Since interviews are no longer standard, the essay introduces the student and helps the admissions committee get to know them. The growing importance of the essay has increased the stress students feel as they begin the application process. What’s worse is that the advice from colleges is so general that it’s hard for students to know how to respond.
Here are some of the do’s and don’ts that colleges often suggest:
Do:
• “Be authentic; show us who you really are.”
• “Share your passion; write about what’s important to you.”
• “Make it memorable.”
Don’t
• “Write what you think we want to hear.”
• “Tell us what we already know about you.”
• “Forget to proofread.”
Was that helpful? Maybe, but what most students really want to know is, how do I pick my topic? How do I figure out what to write about that shares something about me and is still interesting and insightful?
Spring of junior year is a great time to begin thinking about the essays you will want to submit with your college applications. When brainstorming essays, ask yourself a variety of questions to tease out the best potential topics. Here are a few:
• What are your favorite subjects? Why?
• What are your greatest strengths/talents?
• What are your weaknesses?
• How are you different than most of your friends?
• What are your relationships like with your family (siblings, parents and grandparents)?
• What is important to you/what do you most care about?
• How do you spend your time outside of school?
• What is your greatest achievement/most unusual thing you’ve ever done?
• Have you learned any “life lessons”? What? From whom?
• How would someone that knows you well describe you?
After answering these and some other questions, the topic typically, and almost magically, begins to reveal itself. And best of all, your chosen topic is likely to fit the prompts supplied by most colleges, including those on the common application
