Writing Effective Essays and Other Tips about the College Process By Alicia “Leash” Menard Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admission The University of Southern Maine 18 May 2009 1

Why Colleges Ask For Essays It allows college admission officers to evaluate your written communication skills. It enables college admission officers to learn more about YOU. It is important for them to know who you are as a person, beyond what your grades and test scores will tell about you. This is an invitation you should graciously accept and take very seriously! Show the reader you would be an asset to their university. 2

Essay Goals Demonstrate that you’ve mastered the English language! Good writing is a strong indicator of college success. Personalize your application – give the inside view of you. Ensure that the admission staff get to know you a bit by telling a story that only you could tell. Show something else about you and/or how you see yourself, your aspirations and values, how you think, etc. Present a vivid portrait of you that will help you stand out and be unique. What will you contribute to the college? Show what is important to you, what has impacted you – in other words, what makes you YOU. 3

General Advice Give yourself plenty of time to develop your essay(s) – weeks, not days. Read examples of successful college admission essay found in books or on the internet. Be mindful of essay length requirements and other specific instructions. Remember, the goal is to tell the admissions office something about who you are through the essay. 4

General Advice (Cont’d) Don’t try to do too much. Keep your focus narrow and personal – be specific. Use your own voice. Don’t try to say what you think they want to hear and don’t try to be someone you aren’t. Be cautious if you are trying something risky – poems, gimmicks and taboo topics don’t often work. Use humor only if you can pull it off! Do the work yourself. Others can help by proofreading and critiquing.

The Personal Statement Two Types of Essays The Personal Statement This is the general “Tell us about yourself…” type of essay Specific Topic or Prompt Respond to a quote or write about an individual, event, situation etc. Sometimes you are given choices, which makes it easier. 6

Brainstorming or Pre-Writing Rough Drafting Editing and Critiquing The Four Steps Writing a college essay can be boiled down to a four-step process. Each step is important! Brainstorming or Pre-Writing Rough Drafting Editing and Critiquing Polishing 7

The 4 Step Cycle 1. BRAINSTORMING 2. DRAFTING 3. EDITING 4. POLISHING 8

Step 1: Brainstorming or Pre-Writing (for a Personal Statement) Make a list of your strengths and positive personality or character traits – not what you’ve done but what you are. Time this for 15 minutes if you wish – that works for some, but is not required. You can use “Post-It” notes if you wish – one idea or thought per note. Get input on your list from others who know you well. Next to each trait, list several things that you’ve done that illustrate that trait. Organize, sort and group your list(s). Look for threads or stories that tie your list together. Develop a theme if one hasn’t already emerged. 9

More General Brainstorming Still not satisfied? Try a different approach – ask yourself these questions and jot down whatever comes to mind: What am I passionate about? What are my hobbies and interests? What sets me apart from others? How do I view the world? What are my goals and aspirations? What major life lesson(s) have I learned and how? From whom? How have I grown and from what life experience(s)? Where or when have I made a difference? What were the circumstances? Did I overcome a hardship? (Don’t just say what happened – show how it felt and what it taught you.)‏ Do I need to explain something about my academic record? (like a dip in grades)‏ 10

Brainstorming for a Specific Topic Read the quote or question MANY times. Jot down whatever comes to mind as you read it – let your mind flow freely. Review your general brainstorming. Are there any ties to this specific quote or question? Can you tell a story or show the reader something about yourself while answering the question? 11

Step 2: The Rough Draft For all but the very short type of essay, the following structure works well: Look at your theme and use a couple of sentences as an introduction that grabs the reader – make them want to read on. Try to state or allude to your theme. Capture their interest. Develop supporting paragraphs that are well organized and develop your theme or support your points. Generally there might be 3-5 paragraphs depending on the essay length. Use strong transitions and concrete examples. Develop a concluding paragraph that circles back to your theme and provides a strong wrap-up. Demonstrate that you learned, you changed, you grew – whatever your theme implies. Tie everything up nicely. 12

Step 3: Editing & Critiquing When done with your rough draft, you may wish to set it aside for a day or two. In any case, the next step is to critique it looking for the common pitfalls. Here is a good list of things to avoid: Don’t use the essay to list accomplishments. There are other places for that on the application. Don’t use slang or “I” too much. Don’t write like you text or e-mail! Don’t repeat yourself and don’t include extraneous (non-useful) words. Be clear and concise. Be sure the essay flows logically and with proper grammar. Does it sound contrived or superficial? Boring? Try to demonstrate depth and intellectual curiosity. Make sure it’s not just a laundry list of accomplishments. Be sure it SHOWS the reader something about you rather than just telling it. Demonstrate with vivid and specific examples, quotes, facts, events etc. Make it appeal to all the reader’s senses. Don’t stress the “what” but rather the “how” and “why”. Demonstrate what impact the person, event etc. had on you. How did you grow? How did you change? Be mindful if there is a strict word count – have you checked? Make adjustments as needed. 13

Showing vs. Telling Telling (the bad)‏ Last summer I was fortunate enough to go to Costa Rica on a community service project where we helped rescue the nearly extinct Lora Sea Turtles. However, the trip had some unexpected results, for the late night hiking caused me to get horrible blisters all over my feet…. Showing (the good)‏ The pain was excruciating and I could barely walk. Mosquitoes found their way in, penetrating the netting surrounding my thin mattress. The air was motionless, exaggerating the oppressive heat and humidity in our open-air shack. As I watched the sun go down, I knew it would soon be time to make a decision about my last night in Costa Rica. Which one grabs you? Which one evokes feelings or sensations? 14

Step 4: Polishing Your Essay Give it a break. Put the essay away for a few days and come back to it. Look it over again and make adjustments. Remove excess words that don’t add value. Give it the “So what?” test. Read your essay as if you are an admissions officer trying to learn more about you. Would they finish your essay and say “So what?” Be sure you have shown that you will make a unique and valuable contribution to their school. Does the real YOU come through? If not, refine until it does. Ask someone you trust to read your essay, if you haven’t already, and determine if your intended message/theme comes across. Consider a parent, teacher, counselor or adult friend. Discuss improvements with them. Proofread again and again looking for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Don’t rely only on spell-checkers! 15

Do’s and Don’ts: DO Allow weeks, not days, to work on your essay. Find a topic that is not too broad and narrow it further. Find an angle, use a theme. Do some research if necessary. Show, don’t tell. Use specific examples such as how you felt, how you changed, etc. Provide the evidence for your point or thesis. Avoid unsupported generalizations and clichés. Be yourself! Focus on you. Write in your voice, your style. The essay needs to sound comfortable. Have a strong first sentence or paragraph. Whether you write it first or last, just be sure the first part of your essay grabs attention. Follow all the instructions. Answer the question, if applicable. Be accurate. Watch spelling, grammar and punctuation. Don’t just use spell check! Take the essay seriously - the admissions committee will. 16

Do’s and Don’ts: DON’T Don’t be intimidated by the task or procrastinate– just start. That’s the hardest part. Don’t repeat information that is elsewhere on the application. Don’t pick trite, risky, or controversial topics unless you are very sure you can pull them off. Use humor with caution. Don’t use excess words – be concise and succinct. Remember - sharp, focused detail. Don’t use big, “impressive” words straight from your word processor’s on- line synonym or thesaurus function. Don’t try to be someone you’re not! Don’t use videos, poems or other gimmicks. Don’t create a “McEssay” – like fast food, it’s predictable and often boring. Too many essays use the same tired themes. Be original! Don’t have someone else do your essay. It will show. 17

A Note about Ethics Remember, the essay is intended to be a reflection of who you are. Purchasing an essay on line or having someone else write it for you certainly makes a statement about you – but is it the one you want to make? Like any other form of cheating, it will generally be discovered and is never worth the price. Some colleges ask you to sign a statement indicating that the work is yours. As with the rest of your application, falsifying information is grounds for denial. Do your own work and don’t make things up. It’s about doing the right thing. 18

The Five Things You Need to Apply to College Application and Supplements College Essay SAT or ACT Scores Transcripts Recommendations

Other Tips about the College Process Start early! Use the resources available to you to explore different schools. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Remember to visit your guidance counselor and the College and Career Center at your school. Work with your guidance counselor to make sure you are taking the right courseload to get you into the schools you want to attend. If at all possible, visit the schools you are considering in person. Keep your grades up! Your junior and senior year are both extremely important! Check application deadlines! Don’t miss them. Ask early for people to write your recommendations. Leave them plenty of time to complete them for you! It’s a good idea to ask before you leave for summer vacation your junior year. Plan now for financial aid. Talk to your parents/family, the college Financial Aid offices, etc. Fill out the FAFSA early!!

Good Luck! You Can Do It! 21

References http://www.quintcareers.com/college_application_essay.html http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/essay-skills/index.html http://www.rdhs.org/pdfs/Writing_the_College_Essay.pdf http://www.scribd.com/doc/5193289/Writing-Effective-Essays http://pages.framingham.k12.ma.us/fhsguid/pdf%20files/College%20Night%20Powerpoint%20Presentation.pdf http://www.lacashforcollege.org/Writing_the_college_Essay__2_.pdf