Essay Writing Workshop Canyon Crest Academy Counseling Department

Why is the writing section valuable? A chance to share who you are and what matters to you. Provides context to your circumstances. Family background, challenges, successes, culture, interests… the more they know YOU, the better they can determine if you’re a good fit for their community. An opportunity to hear your “voice” since there are not often interview opportunities in campuses.

Number One Tip: Make it Personal! This is about YOU. Example from Common App: 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? Example: 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.

Common Mistakes Best Practices Have at least two other readers give you constructive feedback. PROOFREAD and ask for a reader specifically for grammar, spelling, and professionalism. Use specific examples. No topic sentence or thesis is needed. Dive right in! Don’t exaggerate. :) Acronyms What is EVA or SDSC? Quotations/Dialogue “Big Picture” Generalizations “Researched” or Flowery Language If you have to use a thesaurus for a word you’ve never used before - skip it! Scene Setting Don’t spend time on dates, places, descriptors. It should be as much about how it impacts YOU as possible. Jokes/Sarcasm Not everyone has the same sense of humor or would be able to appreciate yours. It can be a “friendly” voice, but sarcasm and jokes usually don’t read smoothly.

Supplemental Essays This is your chance to highlight specific interests about a school, its community, and its fit for you. Don’t tell them information they already know about their campus, but you can say how it would apply to you. Example: Why did you select your chosen major within University of ABC? NO: I selected University of ABC’s Journalism department because it is nationally recognized for its state of the art media production class in collaboration with 123 News in Boston. I have read that all freshmen media students take this class and am excited to be a part of it. YES: The Journalism program is an outstanding fit for me because I thrive in an experiential learning environment. I seek challenges outside of the traditional classroom and feel there is no more fitting place for an aspiring journalist than under the heat of live television deadlines. I am a firm believer of “trial by error” lessons and was drawn to U of ABC’s commitment to offering this alongside industry professionals. Don’t force one essay prompt into another. TIP: Many schools know their colleagues/competitors prompts.

Final Thoughts Don’t worry about showing off your historical knowledge, creativity, or philosophical statements. Tell your story with your voice. (No haikus needed.) Longer isn’t always better. Quality over quantity. Don’t use the wrong school name in the wrong essay. (It happens a lot!)