Discovering the Essay Topic
Roger’s parents were determined he would write a college application essay that stood out. So they got him essay tutors, sent him to essay workshops, could not get through a family meal without peppering Roger with suggestions for his essay topic. But one day, Roger finally had enough. His mother burst into his room (always […]
HOW TO MAKE YOUR COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAY THE BEST WRITING YOU’VE EVER DONE (#24 OF 25)
In truth, there are probably a hundred ways to make your college application essay the best writing you’ve ever done. And perhaps next year I’ll add another seventy five. But for now, here’s the next to last one for 2015. #24. Avoid being too general, or too complicated. The too general essay speaks in broad […]
HOW TO MAKE YOUR COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAY THE BEST WRITING YOU’VE EVER DONE (23 of 25)
Number Twenty Three of the twenty five ways to make your college application essay the best writing you’ve ever done might seem merely technical, but it can contribute mightily to your chances for acceptance. #23. Respect the word count. As it relates to the Common Application essay, this one is easy, as the application will […]
How to Make Your College Application Essay the Best Writing You’ve Ever Done (#14 of 25)
As both teacher and college application essay tutor, I have found that while nearly all students are familiar with the writing axiom “show, don’t tell,” many of them still don’t employ it. I thought it would be worthwhile, therefore, to include this concept in my twenty five ways to make your college application essay the […]
How to Make Your College Application Essay the Best Writing You’ve Ever Done (#4 of 25)
Here’s the fourth of my twenty five ways to make your college application essay the best writing you’ve ever done. #4. Answer the Prompt While this may seem obvious, many students veer away from fully answering the essay prompt, and wind up hurting their chances for acceptance. Admissions Directors are expecting all aspects of an […]
How to Make Your College Application Essay the Best Writing You’ve Ever Done (#1 of 25)
This is the first in a series of twenty five blogs I will be posting in the months ahead, all under the title, “How to Make Your College Application Essay the Best Writing You’ve Ever Done.” The blogs are based on a workshop I developed for high school and community presentations and represent a synthesis […]
Writing the College Application Essay: Guidelines for Writing Emotionally
Many of the best college application essays have a strong emotional content. They express and reveal the emotions of the writer – the applicant – and they stimulate emotion in the reader – the college Admissions Director. This fact is one reason many students find writing the essay so challenging. Throughout high school, students are […]