Education: Writing the Perfect College Admission Essay
A retired college professor, and now a college admissions counselor, provides valuable insights for high school seniors on perhaps the most important 650 words they will write.
Over 1.2 million high school seniors will begin compiling their college admission applications in the coming weeks. Most of them will use the Common App portal, completing anywhere from zero to eight essays and short-answer questions for each school they apply to. A crucial component of their application will be the 650-word “Common App Essay.”
Selective schools, particularly those with acceptance rates of under 10 percent, choose their students through a process of elimination. Typically, 40-60 percent of the applicants are rejected based on academic markers such as unweighted GPA, curriculum rigor, class rank, test scores, etc. Students who advance past this stage undergo a holistic review of their application by up to three readers. Only those who make it past these screening rounds and reach the admissions committee are deemed academically admissible.
However, due to class-size limitations, not all admissible students make it. This is where the all-important Common App Essay comes into play. It allows students to provide a cohesive narrative that ties together their interests, experiences, and extracurriculars. This essay, along with responses to short-answer questions, helps students stand out and secure a coveted spot in the incoming freshman class.
College essays are an interesting beast. In just 150-650 words, you must make a lasting impression on the initial readers and then the admissions committee, all of whom you have never met. It is a daunting but worthwhile task!
Starting Your Essay: Self-Reflection
The process of writing an essay starts with some self-reflection, where you answer a few questions about yourself:
- What makes you unique?
- What are you passionate about?
- What are your strengths?
- What are your core values?
- Which values would you like to highlight?
- How do you interact with others around you?
The idea is to focus on your unique traits, experiences, and core strengths. Your college essays should convey who you are, what drives you, and why you would be a valuable addition to the college’s campus community.
Moving Forward: Choosing a Theme
Once your attributes are written down, you should start brainstorming themes for your essay. Here are some suggestions:
- An interesting experience.
- Your family dynamics.
- Challenges that you have overcome.
- A turning point in your life.
- A second chance that you received.
Reflecting on these themes will take time. As a teenager, self-reflection and articulating your experiences, feelings, and beliefs do not come naturally. You will have to work at it.
The Hardest Part: Writing and Revising
Your story, centered on a particular theme and highlighting your unique attributes in your voice, will eventually become your essay. Once you have an initial draft that you are satisfied with, have professionals and others you trust review your essay and be prepared to start over. Re-writing your draft several times is not uncommon.
Students, please do not use ChatGPT to write your essays and responses. This often results in something that does not sound like you at all! It is important to remember that authenticity is the key here, and it cannot be faked.
The Real Gift: Your Journey of Self- Discovery
Writing college essays while juggling a full load of APs in the senior year and everything else will be a frustrating experience. You will blame everyone who is trying to help you in the process. (Parents, beware! This is normal.) But one fine day, you will have that twinkle in your eye because the essay will be complete, everyone will be satisfied, and it will be within the specified word limit. Most importantly, you will have discovered so much more about yourself in the process. That is the real gift.
Anoop Dhingra is a Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin and a principal at Achievement Consulting, which provides college admissions counseling. He can be reached at ach.consulting.ga@gmail.com.
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