Keys to a Successful College Admission Essay

Kurt Vonnegut’s 7 Rules for Writing Well Find a subject you care about. Do not ramble, though. Keep it simple. Sound like yourself. Say what you mean to say. Have the guts to cut. Pity the readers.

Find a subject You care about Write about what matters to you, not them Think of things that have had a real impact on your life Book, Person, Event, Etc. Brainstorm these impactful things and why they impacted you

Do not ramble, though. Be specific and to the point. Only include new information not listed on your application Stay focused You don’t need to show every aspect of you Brainstorm traits you want others to know about you. Narrow it down to the most important 2-3 and stick to those.

Keep it simple. Don’t abuse the thesaurus. Write naturally If you can say it in less words, do Be descriptive without being wordy Don’t use “very” Only use words that add to the meaning Connect your impactful events, people, or books to your characteristics Which impactful item will show your characteristics best?

Say what you mean to say. Organize your thoughts logically What are the main points? What facts are needed? What details are necessary? How can you wrap all of it up? Outline your essay before you start writing Hook, thesis, main points, details, etc.

Sound Like Yourself Tell your story, not someone else’s Use your natural language Authentic>pompous I am honored to apply for the Master of Library Science program at the University of Okoboji because as long as I can remember I have had a love affair with books. Since I was eleven I have known I wanted to be a librarian. When I was eleven, my great-aunt Gretchen passed away and left me something that changed my life: a library of about five thousand books. Some of my best days were spent arranging and reading her books. Since then, I have wanted to be a librarian. Write your story in your own voice. They want to know you, not a generic “good student.” They want you.

Have the guts to cut. If it isn’t important to your point, cut it. If it is something they already know from your application, cut it. If it is confusing, cut it. If it isn’t true, cut it. If it isn’t you, cut it. Have edits and rewrites Show your friends, parents, teachers

Pity the readers. Make it actually interesting Include some humor If you can pull it off Colleges are really trying to see that you will be successful at their school Prove that you will be able to hit the ground running Take a risk Give the essay that no one else has ever done (it may pay off).

Relax This is not the end all be all of getting into the college of your dreams This can make a difference, but it’s not all they look at What you should worry about is not a bad essay, but a common one. Poor writing can be fixed, but being boring and unoriginal cannot