I may be a little behind, as a lot of you have probably already submitted applications for college, but for those of you graduating next year and those of you who are running a tad late with the whole process, these are ten tips from a current, very happy college student about how to write the best application essay you can.
1. Be honest. I know it’s tempting to build yourself up, and you’re definitely gonna want to focus on the good parts of yourself, but make sure you’re honest in your essay. Application readers can smell a lie from a mile away, and besides, being honest will be a nice change for them. My essay started with how I sucked at everything for most of my life and how my brother was the golden, successful child. Honesty doesn’t have to make you look bad; in fact, it can actually make you look better if you admit to some of your shortcomings.
2. Pick a prompt you have a lot to say about. Most colleges have a bunch of prompts for essays and you only have to pick one, so pick wisely. If you can’t think of one moment in your life that changed you irrevocably, don’t choose that prompt. Trust me, it’s easier to cut things out of an essay than to try and add stuff in.
3. Write several essays and pick the best. If you’re not sure which prompt will suit you best, write an essay draft for each, or for a couple that seem good. Then, send those essays off to counselors and teachers and friends and see which one(s) they like best, then refine/focus on that one. I wrote four or five completely different essays before deciding on one, and it was really helpful to see all my choices. I also ended up using elements from essays I didn’t end up submitting in my final draft.
4. Be funny. You want your essay to stand out, so don’t be afraid to show a little personality. Maybe avoid toilet humor, but a little sarcasm might be just what your essay needs to push you over the edge. Most people write really dry, boring, self-congratulatory essays that probably make application readers want to bore their eyes out; be different. Don’t fall into those same paradigms.
5. Be unpredictable. On the same vein as #4, don’t stick to conventional topics. If the prompt is about a person who has influenced you and your future plans, don’t just pick some impressive-sounding 19th century poet simply for the fact that they’ll make you sound smart. Write about the protagonist from your favorite book and how their bravery/wit/etc has pushed you to succeed. Write about the one-armed varsity volleyball player you once saw and how her determination completely floored you (true story). Maybe it’s not as immediately “impressive” as your 500 word rant about how awesome Edgar Allen Poe is, but it’s more honest, it’s probably a little funny, and it’s definitely unpredictable. Remember what I said about standing out? Yeah. Exactly.
6. Have a strong, interesting introduction. One of my personal rules for writing an essay is to never start it with the exact subject I’m talking about, and definitely don’t start with the prompt. As an example, don’t do this: “The most important person in my life is Edgar Allen Poe, and these are three reasons blah blah blah.” Instead, try “Edgar Allen Poe was considered, by some, the most insane person ever. However, despite his near debilitating insanity, he became one of the most successful writers of his time.” or “Sometimes, the most insane among us are the most brilliant. In my opinion, Edgar Allen Poe is a perfect example.” See how much better that is? Ease readers into your essay, don’t just whap them in the face with the prompt. Essay writing is an art, so treat it as such.
7. Balance “voice” and personality with actual information. With all of that said about being unpredictable and funny, don’t overdo it. Make sure you balance your quirky stylistic choices with actually answering the prompt and trying to look appealing to colleges. You could have the admissions people laughing their butts off, but if you don’t actually say anything to convince them you’d be a good addition to the academic community at their college, then you’ve kind of missed the point.
8. Be modest but impressive. Earlier I mentioned the self-congratulatory jerks that admissions people probably hate. While you don’t want to sound like you’re your own soul mate, you also don’t want to underwhelm them. This is another balance tip; don’t be afraid to sell how awesome you are, but do it in a way that doesn’t make you sound like a pretentious jerk.
9. Research the school and be prepared to appeal directly to them. If a school you’re applying to has very specific conduct rules (like BYU) or likes to stress its diversity, maybe gear your essay to specifically appeal to what they’re looking for. You don’t have to write the whole essay like an eHarmony email to the school, but it never hurts to fulfill their needs a little.
10. Be yourself. Above all, no matter what college you’re applying to, be true to who you are. After all, it’s YOU that wants to go to their school, and YOU who think you’d be a good addition to campus, and YOU who will hopefully be walking the corridors soon. It’s pretty obvious, in general, to detect whether an applicant is being genuine or just being tricky. YOU are awesome, so don’t be afraid let people know.
Good luck!
