​YOUR COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAYS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY.  DON'T MISS IT.

ESSENCE & IMPORTANCE

Overuse of a topic doesn't make it a bad topic.
Whitney Soule, Dean of admissions, Bowdoin College, Maine

What's important is how the essay topic showcases who you are as a student and an individual.
Jennifer Gayles, director of admission, Sarah Lawrence College, New York.

You have 500 words. Your essay is an ad, not a movie.
Parke Muth, former University of Virginia associate dean of admissions

Buzz words on university websites offer clues to what the essay could focus on, to what the school is looking to find.
Jaconette, a former undergraduate admissions officer, Stanford University.
A good hook could be beginning with a brief anecdote that gives a deep, personal glimpse into who you are.
Nathan Kiehn, North Central College in Illinois.

Some colleges don't require an essay. Don't skip it. It helps schools understand the applicant better, his/her life and motivations. It gives the applicant a chances to tell a story.
Mitch Warren, Purdue University Director of Admissions 

For borderline cases, essays can often become a "tipper".
Susan Reznick, indepedent educational consultant 

Topics students often choose (and that's fine!)​
Sports injuries
Volunteer work
Immigrant experience
Death of a family member
Athletics
​Depression
​Influence of a pet
Trip to a foreign country ​

You think you have a topic you're passionate about, but is ridiculous for an application essay? 
​Well, the ridiculous might actually get attention.
​Read about   Carolina Williams' Papa John's essay. ​

Successful sample essays that worked for top colleges  

College Essays   Reflect  a Turbulent  Year   (read NY Times article, 2021)

With  Test Scores Out, Essays Count More (EdSource article 2021)

HELPFUL TIPS

  • The key is not how common a topic is. It's how you personalize it. Colleges get anywhere from 40,000-75,000 applications every year.
  • Don't trivialize misdemeanors.
  • Don't wait till the last minute to work on your essay. Take time to draft so that your voice shines through.
  • Essays could be tie-breakers between students with similar academic records.
  • If you used the same essay in another application, don't forget to change the school name.
  • Don't digress from the prompt.
  • By the time you get to your essay, your academic numbers are usually set and cannot be controlled. So take charge of your essay.
  • Try to connect your experiences to chosen career paths.
  • Don't cut random lines just to pull the essay to within given word limit. Reformat instead.
  • Say something that the rest of your application has not already said.  
  • Don't rant about colleges, especially the one you're applying to.
  • Even the best essay cannot compensate for below par academic credentials.
  • Avoid too many graphic details.
  • Do not justify poor academic scores in your essay. 
  • Make sure your essay tells the admission officer you're going to be an asset on campus. 
  • Proof read every essay. Admission officers have often found incomplete essays (copy-paste error?).
  • Politics might not the best topic to indulge in, unless its your area to showcase having, say, interned for a renowned newspaper.
  • Don't present a self-centered you. Colleges like team players.