November 1, 2012
Started working on the short essay on the Common App. “Elaborate on my extra curricular?” Okay, not only am I on the volleyball team but I look really hot in my uniform. Uhm, that’s probably not it. Okay… more brainstorming. I guess I could talk about how I am absolutely sure that I’m going to keep horseback riding for my entire life. Because, sitting in that saddle, preparing for a jump, I get so completely focused and alert, the whole world slows down and it’s just me, the horse and that bar in front of us. And, sure, every little girl says she wants a horse for her birthday but I’m really going to get one when I get older. There is no doubt in mind and I’m not going to wait for someone to give it to me, either. I’m going to buy it for myself.
Whoa… Did I just write the essay? Could be. Well, started to write the essay, at least. I am so-o-o good!
November 5, 2012
Common Application just about complete, essays totally under control. Except… Many of the schools I’m applying to want supplemental essays. More writing, but at least they’re shorter.
Some schools want to know, “why you want to go there” like it’s not obvious enough that it’s a good school and maybe you’ll take me. But you can’t say that because, well, like I said, it’s obvious. And I’m really getting the idea that in every essay the important thing is to be …me… an individual. Put a little Judy dust on it. So, here’s what I’m doing. Every time a school wants to know why I want to go there, I’m closing my eyes and seeing myself walking across the campus, in my senior year of college. And I’m imagining who I am at that point, all the good things I’ve learned and done and then I’m trying to figure out how the school helped me get there. And that’s why I want to go there.
Another thing I’m doing with the supplementals is getting really specific about the school. Hitting their website, checking out the campus map, special buildings or programs or professors, seeing a course I like, trying to work all that stuff into the essay. That way, I figure, they know I’ve done some research, I’m not just writing the same essay for every school. If I’m them, it makes a difference.
November 11, 2012
Just want to say that I am living for next semester, when all these applications will be done and I can finally enjoy being a senior.