College Essay Dos & Donts

College Essay Dos & Don’ts By planning the layout of your essay ahead of time, you’ll avoid changing your writing style mid-story. Your college application essay needs to breathe life into your application. It should capture your genuine personality, explaining who you are beyond a series of grades, test scores, and after-school activities. But that’s not nearly as scary as it seems, because you get to choose what to share and how to share it. Try to pursue something related to your future interests. Some students may also choose to do an internship over the summer, and this can be a great addition to your extracurricular list. As I've already stated, colleges are very interested to hear about the activities of students who have to work to help support themselves and their families. But other students who are not financially strapped also choose to get jobs. While I won’t say you should never write about these topics, if you do decide to write about one of these topics, the degree of difficulty goes way up. Essentially you have to be one of the best “soccer” essays or “mission trip” essays among the hundreds the admission officer has likely read. If you’re writing a “Why I want to be an engineer” essay, for example, what 3-5 common “engineering” values might other students have mentioned in connection with engineering? If a student is still very much struggling through the challenges they describe, the admissions reader may wonder if the student is ready for college. Even if you don't need to work, it can be a good reflection of your personality if you choose to work in high school. Alternatively, if you're interested in pursuing education at a liberal arts school, check out our article on how to figure out what to go to college for. Many students think they know, but the truth is that there are a lot of myths out there about what you should include on your application. Note that you don't need to have assumed a leadership role in order to have made a positive impact through your service. That said, college admissions committees are often very big fans of students who show evidence of their budding leadership skills. Instead of flying like Sue, though, I'll opt for a nice performance automobile. College Essays That Made a Differenceâ€"This detailed guide from Princeton Review includes not only successful essays, but also interviews with admissions officers and full student profiles. In this case, your reader is an admissions officer who has read thousands of essays before yours and will read thousands after. Use interesting descriptions, stay away from clichés, include your own offbeat observationsâ€"anything that makes this essay sounds like you and not like anyone else. It’s particularly important when writing a piece about yourself that you write naturally. Rocio’s essay uses the tortilla-making story to introduce us to her sense of multiculturalism, an identity that is clearly important to her. By utilizing the example of struggling to cook well in the kitchen, the writer is able to effectively relate to readers of all ages and backgrounds. We believe that Rocio’s sense of perseverance will translate to her college experience as well. Most selective colleges require you to submit an essay or personal statement as part of your application. One of the single most important parts of your college application is what classes you choose to take in high school . Our team of PrepScholar admissions experts have compiled their knowledge into this single guide to planning out your high school course schedule. We'll advise you on how to balance your schedule between regular and honors/AP/IB courses, how to choose your extracurriculars, and what classes you can't afford not to take. Download four essays that got students into Cornell, the University of Chicago, and Smith to see how Story To College teaches students to find their unique stories and develop their authentic voices. They are looking for students who will make a difference in their classrooms, dorms, and communities. Where are the stories that reveal what you bring to the world? This is, after all, your last chance to persuade your readers to your point of view, to impress yourself upon them as a writer and thinker. And the impression you create in your conclusion will shape the impression that stays with your readers after they've finished the essay. But it occurred to me that, while my desired occupation was decided, my true goal in life was still to become a Fixer-Upper. So, maybe I'll be like Sue Storm and her alter-ego, the Invisible Woman. I'll do one thing during the day, then spend my off-hours helping people where I can. Many students assume that if they have one little flaw in their application, such as a below-average test score or slightly low grade in a class, their chances of getting admitted to college will be slim to none. Many students believe it's better to stick to the classes you know you'll get As in, but this piece of advice is misguided when it comes to college applications. Spikes are especially important at highly selective colleges and universities, such as Harvard, Yale, and other Ivy League-level schools. You can read more about how to develop a spike in our guide to getting into the Ivy League. Once you have a rough draft of your college essay, it's time to polish it up for submission. Lastly, make sure you're sufficiently answering the prompt and are abiding by all technical requirements . You can check a college's essay requirements by referring to its application requirements page or by reading the instructions on the Common App, Coalition App, or Universal College App websites . The 75th percentile means that 75% of admitted students at a particular school achieved this score or lower.