College Admission Essay Samples

College Admission Essay Samples A good college essay is one that stays with the reader after he or she finishes reading it, maybe even thinking about it later that day, or the next day. When possible, select a topic that engages you and is one you are interested in addressing. It is important that your voice comes through and that the reader feels he or she has had an opportunity to experience a more personal facet of your character and your unique perspective. Avoid cliches at all cost and never write what you think someone wants to hear. When you are finished with the essay, read it out loud and carefully listen to the content, grammar, and pay attention to spelling or word glitches. If you seem genuinely passionate about the college, then they can assume you’re more likely to matriculate if offered a spot in the freshman class. College admissions committees are looking to build a student body that will contribute to and sustain the community. They want to attract students and eventual alumni who are innovators and creators, and they want to have a hand in shaping those minds. When you’re responding to the “Why Us” prompt, you’re telling them exactly how an education there will shape your intellectual and professional journey. This essay isn’t just about the college; it’s about you, too. So if you’ve been biting your nails or tearing your hair out even a little, you’re not alone. Writing the College Essay can be one of the most intimidating aspects of the college application process. Free writing, ideally done with pen and paper instead of on the computer, is an exercise in opening the creative mind and letting ideas flow. A great college essay is an essay that is interesting, pithy and well written. You want both to keep the reader’s attention and to make the reader want you to be a member of the next freshman class at the reader’s college. This is your chance to make your application stand out and your one opportunity to have a real voice appear in the file. Tell the reader something about yourself that might not be included in the rest of the application. A great college essay is one in which the student’s voice and though process comes through clearly. We read essays about the most mundane things - solving a crossword puzzle, taking a walk with a sibling, collecting zany socks - but the way the applicant writes the piece makes it effective. When we begin evaluating your application, everything can seem pretty standard - grades, test scores, activities, lists of AP classes. Yes, your letters of recommendation tell us about you, but they’re written from someone else’s perspective. Many college admissions counselors have said that the more unique your essay â€" the content and writing style â€" the more captivating it is to read. Reveal the “invisible you.” So much of what you have accomplished in school and in life is data that will be found in the body of your applicationâ€"it’s there for the world to see. The true evidence of your character, personality and sense of compassion, however, lies within you. The power of a good essay is often found in its ability to give the reader this insight. Don’t just write what you think the admissions office wants to hear. Very often they are inundated with essays that cater to “what they want to hear,” making such essays exactly what they don’t want to hear. A more concrete reason for this prompt is that colleges want to have a high yield, the ratio of accepted students who end up attending. News and World Report and contribute to the overall reputation of the school. This essay is one way for them to gauge how likely you are to attend and help them attain a high yield. If you find yourself in this situation, you’re not alone. Writing a compelling essay is not an easy task given the high-stakes nature of college admissionâ€"nor should it be. In fact, few practiced writers are able to do it on demand. That said, if you can pull it offâ€"if you can produce essays that complement your other credentialsâ€"you will be able to introduce an effective “hook” into your applications. It should be consistent with the rest of the application and showcase an aspect of the student not highlighted in the rest of the application. It is also well written and grammatically correct. It’s okay if you haven’t won the Nobel Peace Prize. Or built a school brick by brick, with your bare hands. Let’s take a look, then, at why colleges require essays in the first place. To the college essay admissions process I bring skills honed as a television writer, a screenwriter, and a journalist. Entering my ninth year, I have worked with nearly 400 bright, motivated, and exceptional applicants who each year are accepted to T10 colleges and universities. I love what I do and am immeasurably proud of every applicant I work with and their results. Over the years, students who tell me they absolutely love to write have said they struggle with the application essay. Knowing this, you will be more relaxed and inspired as you write. Whether you’re prompted to write about a formative experience, why you think you’d be a good fit for the university or about a person who has influenced you greatly, answer the question honestly.