1 ADMISSIONS AND SCHOLARSHIPS WRITING FOR COLLEGE

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ROBERTS’S RULES (FROM “HOW TO SAY NOTHING…” Avoid obvious content and take the less expected approach, even if it means the more difficult one. Avoid abstractions and padding. Avoid hedging, euphemisms, jargon, colorless words, and clichés. 3

TO ENLIVEN YOUR WRITING, FOCUS ON… 4

SUBJECT / THESIS IN PERSONAL ESSAYS The prompt you’re given to write about is a SUBJECT, not a THESIS. Draw meaning from your experience, and you’ll have a thesis and not just a story. Remember, as Baker said, to “ Generalize your private feelings, and you’ll change from subject to thesis.” Be sure your admission / scholarship essays answer the SO WHAT question! The Danilo example… 5

THE “SO WHAT ?” TEST 6

REMEMBER, “THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE RISKY” Risky essays … Have unique start or hook Show the confidence of the writer Have a strong, practiced voice Might be a little offensive, especially at the start Good essays… Include specific, concrete details Have a clear voice Show rather than tell Appeal to readers’ senses Bad essays — the “McEssays”… Are written to formula (the five paragraph “ideal”) Are full of abstractions Contain clichés Show poor word choice with thesaurus overload Have no voice Are boring 7