College Entrance Essay Pre-Writing Strategies Tips and Reminders

Common Application prompts 2017: Instructions. The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don’t feel obligated to do so.

2017-18 Common Application Essay Prompts 1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. 2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Common Application Essays (continued) 4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution. 5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.  6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?  7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design. 

ApplyTexas Essay Prompts A, B and C For U. S ApplyTexas Essay Prompts A, B and C For U.S. Freshman and International Freshman Applications (Fall 2017) Essay A: What was the environment in which you were raised? Describe your family, home, neighborhood, or community, and explain how it has shaped you as a person. Essay B: Most students have an identity, an interest, or a talent that defines them in an essential way. Tell us about yourself. Essay C: You’ve got a ticket in your hand – Where will you go? What will you do? What will happen when you get there?

[let’s practice] Dissect the Prompt (Common App #2)The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? Pick out key words, ideas, concepts—define anything that is unfamiliar—and focus on the main point(s).

. Once you have selected a topic [or two], try one of the following. . . .

The “Old Stand-by” of the sunburst or the spider web: Put the topic (a shortened version) in the middle of a page and see how many ideas burst forth or radiate out from the middle. Add details to these ideas—becoming more and more specific as you continue. Would this make a good essay? Does it answer the prompt?

Lessons from Failure

Listing Listing: Create a list of the ideas that come to mind when you read through the topics. Cross-Reference this list to see which ideas or concepts appear more than once Select one [or more] of these listed topics and see how many details [who, what, when, where, why, how] you can recall. Would this make a good essay? Does it answer the prompt?

Identity, Interest or Talent Amateur Magician: What is an interesting introduction End [thesis] with how / why / what about this defines [shapes / focuses] me? Offer two or three examples to support the thesis Support with details Tone Voice

Free Writing Free Writing: Literally set a timer for 3-5 minutes [or you can do this to your favorite song] and sit down with pen/paper or at the computer and write/type continuously until the time expires. Don’t over think this—just try to get your ideas on the page Don’t stop to check your work or ponder what you should write Don’t stop to check your text messages, either! After the time ends, examine your work What should your keep? What should you “move” to another section or put aside for another topic? What should you add / or detract to fully and concisely answer the topic? Have you included all the details needed to make this piece real and interesting? Is your essay lacking voice? In other words, does it sound too generic or fake?  

Remember *Ultimately, the 250-500 word count is designed to make a good, concise essay. Many colleges will ask students to upload responses, and when the essay is too long, it will be rejected or cut short. **You may be asked to recall a specific event or story, BUT most college essays insists that you have grown, developed, changed, or continued to process the experience. It is not JUST the moment, the person, or the event that concerns the reader; your growth is the focus.

If you typed your practice / pre-writing pieces, submit these to turnitin.com. If you wrote out your responses by hand, be sure to put your name on the paper and give it to me before you leave. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA