1. College Admission Essays
A Quick How To Guide

2. Types of Essays The Personal Experience
The “My Coach…” or “My Parents/Granparents…” Essay
The Humor Essay
The “Sitting Under a Tree” Essay
The Transformative Experience

3. The Personal/Tragic Experience
Can be very powerful but don’t invent an experience or dramatize just to make the essay work

4. The “My Coach…” Essay Very common
Danger is they want to know you; sometimes these essays focus more on the coach or parent

5. The Humorous Essay
Rare and risky
Can show how talented a writer is

6. The “Sitting Under a Tree” Essay
Describe moments of profound realization
Key is not to use clichés (sunsets, rain- storms, starry nights, etc.

7. The Transformative Experience
The “I went to France and grew as a person” essay
Common, but can be successful if they are specific and well written

8. Common App questions 2013
Here are the schools that use the Common Application Essay Questions

9. Five Secrets 1. Reveal Your Self
2. Explain any Glitches that Appear in your Application
3. Limit Yourself
4. Don’t put the Reader to Sleep
5. Know your audience

10. Reveal Yourself Colleges don’t expect you to be wiser than your years
Write in a straightforward, interesting way which says something honest about yourself
Pick a topic that is unique to you

11. Explain any Glitches
Is there anything in your application that would mislead admission officers?
Don’t have to defend yourself, but provide correct context for what the officers have seen.
Did you have a bad semester which brought your gpa down?
Tell your side of the story

12. Limit Yourself to One Strong Point
Focus on one aspect of who your are that is specific
Pick between 1 and 3 examples that are colorful, unique, and support the claim you are making about yourself.

13. Don’t Put the Reader to Sleep
The best writing is direct and to the point.
Use big words, but don’t use more than you would in an average conversation.
Keep it organized.

14. Know your Audience Real people
Nice, smart admission officers who will read thousands of essays
Tina Fey stars as an admission officer in an upcoming move called “Admission”

15. Helpful Websites
Helpful tips for UW schools
Helpful tips, general information
your essay and get a letter back offering criticism and suggestions ($75)