One of the most misunderstood elements of the college application is the essay. What’s its purpose, anyway? To hear about all the amazing things you did that (you hope) your classmates didn’t? To see how well you can apply the rules English grammar? To demonstrate that you can write like a college scholar?
The answer is both “none of the above” and “all of the above” at the same time. Allow me to explain.
The college application provides ample opportunity for students to build a profile of themselves: lists of coursework they have completed, grades and test scores they have acquired, milestones they have achieved, and activities they have undertaken. Those lists provide a snapshot of what a student has done but don’t really tell the application reader who the student is. That’s where the essay comes into play.
The essay gives the applicant an opportunity to bring themselves to life. What are their values, what is their personality like, what are the big (or small) challenges they have overcome or grapple with on a daily basis? It gives them the chance to talk about their passions, their unique way of viewing the world, what they find funny or sad or interesting or infuriating. They can do this by chronicling a trip through Costco (famous essay from a few years ago — google it) or simply by telling a story from their lives. They can be serious or humorous or contemplative or creative. In other words, the applicant should be themselves; there is no right or wrong way to write about their lives.
But, at the same time, there is. “What?” you’re thinking. “You just said there wasn’t.” Again, allow me to explain. Students should write in their own style in a voice that reflects who they are, not like a a PhD student writing a dissertation. However, rules of grammar and punctuation still apply, and a student should sound like someone ready to enter college.
Essays should be clear and well organized and insightful and full of all those wonderful rhetorical devices your English teachers always told you to use: similes, metaphors, analogies, symbolism, verisimilitude (that is my new favorite word, by the way. Look that up after you read the Costco essay), dialog, anecdotes, the list goes on. And, while the Activities and Awards sections of the application can capture all the amazing things you did as a high school student, your essay should demonstrate how you are different from your peers.
Not sure how to go about doing this? Sign up for one of my virtual essay workshops happening July 14-15 and 21-22. I’ll walk you through typical essay formats, sample essays, brainstorming exercises and how to create an outline. You’ll leave with a blueprint for an essay that shows you can both stand out and fit in at college.
