August 23, 2013 Dr. Meredith A. Miller Mr. Trey Broussard

The College Application Essay So what makes it so important? The ONE part of a college application completely within your control The living, breathing part of your application to college Authentic self-revelation Fundamentally different from academic essays; it is about risk-taking rather than conforming to a predetermined structure. It is about writing from one’s personal voice about one’s own, often intimate, experiences while expressing one’s values and philosophy For a student on the admissions margin, it can be a deciding factor in the admissions equation One of the keys of writing a successful essay is that you must write the essay that ONLY YOU COULD WRITE

Tips Consider it a WORK IN PROGRESS! – Plan and allow time for multiple revisions – Use humor carefully – Beware in writing a poem or song unless you’re applying to a specialized school that encourages such a submission – Honor code rules are in effect – do your own work and don’t make things up – Students often have the mistaken notion that they must take on an “important” topic or recall an experience “worthy” of an admissions essay. Yet sometimes the most idiosyncratic and unconventional topics often result in the most compelling essays. Rather than trying to be dramatic, be interesting. STAND OUT BY BEING YOU.

Before You Begin Brainstorm: BE REFLECTIVE how do you view the world? what do you care about deeply? what experiences and people have been important in shaping you as a person? what are your aspirations in life? Free write! Try a stream of consciousness

Choosing a Topic Hobbies, non-school pursuits that excite you and engage your heart and mind Social cause about which you feel passionate An event that has touched you in a personal way Academic subject that sparks your interest: why does the subject engage you? Has it led to experiences or study outside of school? Experience or person that has had a significant impact on you For all of these, GO BEYOND THE WHAT AND DIG INTO THE HOW AND WHY

DO’s Answer the question directly Use your own personal voice & style; let the true YOU come through Beware of the 3 D’s: death, divorce, disaster. If you do use one, focus less on the event and more on how it affected you Use a hook for an opening sentence and paragraph: grab your reader! Follow all instructions given Make a point and stick to it: develop your argument or narrative Check all your facts: do you mention a date, place, or event? Make sure it is correct! Be as specific and illustrative as possible; show rather than tell -- details, details, details! Use figurative language when possible and appropriate Strong essays focus on the use of nouns and verbs; weak ones overuse adjectives Proofread carefully! The wrong name of the school is the kiss of death! Use correct grammar, punctuation, & spelling

DON’Ts Choose topics that you think the admissions office wants to hear Use clichés Use an essay for another school that is inappropriate Waste words by repeating info somewhere else in the essay Generalize Submit a glorified listing of awards and honors Blame others for your circumstances Exaggerate or write to impress Use a flowery, inflated, or pretentious style Ramble

A great essay is… About YOU Show your sense of humor, values, initiative, etc. Interesting Detailed Use anecdotes and observations Reflective Show your ability to see the “big” picture About nothing (think Seinfeld) Focus on the small things

On writing the essay: The opening paragraph NEEDS to hook the reader. Anecdotes, Zingers, Straightforward statements The body paragraphs need to display a balance between the experience and reflecting on the experience. Dialogue Kickers are equally important. Your last thoughts should stick with the reader Edit, Edit, Edit!!!!!

Edit for: Lack of a main idea Weak verbs– avoid “to be” verbs Passive voice Overused and ordinary adjectives Sentence variety Wordiness Tenses – avoid past tense when possible Spelling – don’t rely on spell check Additional note: Use “I”– First Person, this is a personal essay