As school starts up again for high school seniors, conversations about college essays are sure to start up with it. The college essay is often misunderstood, with many students and parents under the impression that it should be a high school resume in prose form– little more than a list of achievements and honors lumped into paragraphs.

In reality, what colleges are looking for is a story– a narrative that reveals interesting and important personal qualities about the applicant that may not be evident in their academic transcript or list of extracurricular activities and achievements; a story that provides additional details about those activities or the context in which they occurred; or a tale about the way they have faced and handled a situation, ultimately demonstrating who they are at their core and what they value.

Some of my former students have chosen to focus on seemingly insignificant moments to communicate broader messages about their character and accomplishments — riding the bus to school, flipping houses with their family, or working up the courage to ride a roller coaster for the first time. Some are poignant with details of difficult situations experienced, like the loss of a parent or declining health of a loved one. But others are humorous, light-hearted and at times even self-deprecating. Helping my students discover their unique stories and write their personal statements is one of my favorite parts of my job, and it’s what I spend most of my summer doing.

Sometimes students will ask me early on in their high school experience what they should write about in their college essay. My answer is always, “We’ll figure that out once you have finished your junior year.” But I will follow that statement with this one, “The best thing you can do right now is make experiences to write about.” Some essays come from things that happen to students– circumstances over which they seemingly have no control. But the way they react to those circumstances, whether they be challenges or opportunities, is what the college admissions office is most interested in seeing. On the other hand, many essays come things that students make happen– opportunities they intentionally seek out, situations they knowingly take advantage of, or personal values they purposely hone.

And, of course, the college essay is just part of a student’s larger high school story. The rest is told through their transcripts, extracurricular activities list and teacher recommendations. My overriding message to my freshmen and sophomores and juniors is, “You write a part of your college application every day of high school.”

on’t wait for your story to happen to you. Create your story by being engaged inside and outside the classroom and seeking out interesting experiences that feed your passions.