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Writing the College Application Essay
As a student, you may soon have to write one of the most important essays of your life. No, this essay won’t be part of a final exam, and this essay won’t even be written for a particular course. Instead, this essay will be part of your college application.
If you decide to continue your education, your college application essay may well determine whether or not you are accepted at the college of your choice. Obviously, then, you want to do a good job. Here are four guidelines to keep in mind.
Start Early. Good writing takes time. The last thing you want to do is write your essay the day before your application has to be postmarked or received electronically. Ideally, you should begin the writing process at least a month ahead of your deadline. This will give you plenty of time to brainstorm ideas, gather thoughts, write a first draft, get feedback from others, revise your essay, and proofread the final version. If you’re really struggling to get started, you may want to look at sample application essays you can find on the Internet.
Write About Something You Love. Obviously, each college has its own essay guidelines, but most are general enough to give you some choice and some freedom to express yourself. So instead of pretending to be interested in a particular topic that you think will impress the admissions officer, choose a…
