Welcome to The Write Stuff
Why an essay?
Not just to make your life
miserable…..really!
Why would a college require an essay?
• Provides the “story” behind your life experiences
– Puts your academic record and accomplishments in
context
• Allows colleges to understand additional
information about you not already covered in the
application
• Serves as a sample of your writing so colleges can
see how adept you are at communicating
• Gives you the chance to show colleges what a
terrific candidate you are
Who reads these things, anyway????
Writing for your audience
• Knowing your audience:
– The average college admission officer is in his or her late twenties
– reads some 200 essays each season, and
– wants to like you!
– Understanding the context of the college is important: writing for a
small college may differ from writing for a larger school
– Essays for the University of Michigan are read by at least three
different, paid professionals
– Essays at the University of Illinois are read by one to two admission
officers and a dean from the college to which you are applying
• You want to impart
– why you are such a good match for your school(s)
– how bright you are (via your written expression, or voice)
The Process:
Develop your “short list of schools” - Assess the Work
Organize – Write – Revise – Proofread – Print Preview
Steps in the process: an overview
• Determine your “short” list of schools
- See exactly what these college require: if you need
an essay, what kind(s) and how many
• Organize your work
• Brainstorm topics and determine your perspective
• Compose a long first draft – don’t get hung up on
word count
• Review your draft with your “essay coach”
• Can be a teacher, a resource center professional, counselor,
maybe a college counselor
• Rewrite and refine, consulting with your coach
• Have the final draft proofread
• For Common App essays: Do a print preview to
ensure it’s all there
Determining your work: how many essays, what
kind of writing is required or will be beneficial to
your application?
• When you know where you will apply, check the
application information online to determine the essay
requirements
– Find supplemental Common App essays on college’s
website [new this year and kind of a pain…]
– In many cases you can use the same essay for more than
one application; this is perfectly acceptable!
• You may cut-and-paste the essay questions on one page to see
how similar or different they are from one another
– Look at the essay requirements in the context of the entire
application
– Begin with the easy questions to answer and move on to
the more demanding ones…every question is important!!!
Choosing your topic: what do you want colleges
to know about you?
• Brainstorming: a crucial step
– Requires a great deal of introspection
• Take the essay questions to trusted pals or family members
(or both!) Take notes on their comments
• Ask folks who know you well in different venues [friend,
teacher, boss, co-worker] to give you 3 adjectives that best
describe you—and write them down.
– Reflect on what these words tell you about how others see you.
• If you journal, review your previous writing for ideas
• Now is not the time to be humble!
• Colleges want to know about you as an emerging adult, not
as a second-grader …your topic must be current
No need to panic!
You’ve done this
before:
It’s familiar (introduction,
body, and conclusion)
It’s about YOU!
And…there is no wrong
answer
What do you want colleges to know
about you?
• It’s your job to determine what you want to tell colleges
about yourself – you know what the questions are, now
you determine/control how you respond
• Within the context of the questions asked, what do you wish to
share?
– What has become important as you have progressed in
life….relationships, the environment, your family, your future
hopes and dreams……
– What obstacles or challenges have you overcome?
– How has your academic record been affected by your particular
circumstances in life?
Beginning to write: composing a first draft
• Make a list of information appropriate to the question(s)
– Significant events, accomplishments, goals, dreams
• Do an informal response first; be silly, be open, just write
something to play with!
– Focus on creating your voice, not on impressing an admission dean
– That’s what rough drafts are for!
• Sometimes it’s easier to begin with the more objective writing
– the “what do you want to study” response
• Write much longer than required initially…as you edit, you can
determine what is important enough to keep
– It’s always easier to edit stuff out than put stuff in…
Sitting down to that blank computer
screen….
• Take twenty minutes to freestyle your
response to a question – do not worry about
the length, just tell the story or answer the
question
• Trust yourself – listen to your own writer’s
voice.
• Don’t worry about a clever introduction, an
amazing conclusion…
• Just write to answer the question!!
After your first, very rough and
informal draft….
• Take a night off. Giving yourself some distance
will allow you to return and review your writing
with fresh eyes
• Then, read your draft with the eye of an editor,
not the author
• Read it aloud to see if sounds like you.
• If the story comes across and you’ve answered
the question, continue to edit.
• If there’s no story there, you need to create
another draft. [sigh….]
Once you have an essay topic in place
and a first draft, rewrite!
It’s time to sharpen your focus
– What is your main point?
– How does each subsequent paragraph relate to
your assertion?
– How do you illustrate your idea?
– Does your writing ramble?
– Would more or less detail be helpful?
– How do your ideas flow?
– Did you really answer the question?
It’s a process – give yourself time to
revise your work
You may have to rewrite and refine your work a few
times…
so remember, this is a process and you have to be
satisfied with the outcome.
Your essay must also be your own, true and original
work….if your counselor can tell that a parent or
independent counselor wrote it, chances are that
the admission officer will, too.
Almost all colleges scan the essay through a
plagiarism website these days
How personal is personal?
• You determine how personal you wish to be in
your writing
• Your comfort level is most important
• If you have a learning style issue, you should
disclose that so colleges understand
• Any essay about hardship or overcoming
difficulties should focus most on how you have
grown in a positive way
• Colleges want to know you are fully recovered
and ready for the personal and intellectual
challenges independent living provides
The English Teacher In Us Says…
• Tone – informal but appropriately done
• Language – you are not writing to your pals…
• Typing – this is not an exercise in texting! No
abbreviations,
• Proofreading – I can’t find my own typos, but I can find
yours and you can find mine!
• Inspect for too many “I” statements….but,
• Does the essay indicate something about you?
• Over-used or risky topics…your essay coach or
counselor will help with this
• Most importantly, is it your own work?
Common issues to avoid
• Getting your carefully crafted essay cut off:
– The Common Application response must be between 250 and
650 words
– PRINT a print preview copy to make sure everything fits before
you submit!
• Make it memorable: college admission officers can read
twenty or more essays a day
• You may not be done yet: the Common Application
colleges typically have a supplemental essay or form
See each college’s website for these supplements
Essays should
•
•
•
•
Answer the question
Be clearly and logically written
Be personal and insightful
Show an appreciation for the university’s
values, as appropriate and possible
• Describe you as an emerging adult
• Be about YOU
Essays should not
• Be a list of activities – you’ve already entered those
• Be a failed attempt at humor
• Be more what you think the colleges want to hear, and
less about what you want them to know about you
• Describe experiences that have had no lasting impact
on you
• Sound like it could have been written by anyone
• Describe more about the significant event or person
than about why you grant it – or him or her –
significance! One-third of this writing should describe
the experience, two-thirds should describe its
significance to you.
DEAD.
ON.
ARRIVAL.
“In college I plan to continue to live a well-rounded life,
meeting and working with people from a variety of
backgrounds. I expect to prepare for a profession that
permits me to be closely related to children as well as
adults. I want to help people. I have gotten so much out
of life through the love and guidance of my family, I feel
that many individuals have not been as fortunate;
therefore, I would like to expand the lives of others.”
Specifically for Michigan, Illinois
and other universities that admit candidates to
specific programs
• Before you address the question about what you
want to study in college:
– Discuss your chances for admission to the various colleges
with your counselor
– If you are on the bubble, decide if you just want to get into
that university, or if you will only go in a specific major
– Look to see how your senior year courses compare with,
your intended major
University of Illinois
Essay #1
• “Explain your interest in the major you
selected. You may describe a related
experience you’ve had to that area of study
and/or your future career goals.” [300 words]
• Division of General Studies
– “Explain your academic interests and strengths or
your future career goals. You may include any
majors or areas of study you are currently
considering.” [300 words]
University of Illinois
Essay #2
• “Tell us about one interest or experience of yours
that allows us to get to know you better as an
individual.” [300 words]
• Also optional “Challenges/Academic Explanation”
questions if there is a disability, family/home
issue, passing of family member or friend, or
other personal issue you’d like to discuss. You can
also explain a low grade or a grade drop.
University of Wisconsin
Madison
• “Consider something in your life you think goes
unnoticed and write about why it’s important to you.”
• And
• “Tell us why you decided to apply to the University of
Wisconsin-Madison. In addition, share with us the
academic, extracurricular, or research opportunities
you would take advantage of as a student. If
applicable, provide details of any circumstances that
could have had an ipmact on your academic
performance and/or extracurricular involvement.”
• [100-500 words each]
Indiana University
NEW THIS YEAR!
• “Use the space below to provide a brief
personal statement [up to 300 words], sharing
information about your background or
experience that may not be readily available
from the application or supporting
documents. If there are any special
circumstances related to your academic
performance or to your reasons for your
interest in Indiana University Bloomington,
please share those here.”
Common App Essays
[Choose One—250-650 words]
• “Some students have a background or story that
is so central to their identity that they believe
their application would be incomplete without it.
If this sounds like you, then please share your
story.”
• “Recount an incident or time when you
experienced failure. How did it affect you, and
what lessons did you learn?”
• “Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief
or an idea. What prompted you to act? Would
you make the same decision again?”
More Common App Essays
[Choose One]
• “Describe a place or environment where you
are perfectly content. What do you do or
experience there and why is it meaningful to
you?”
• “Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal
or informal, that marked your transition from
childhood to adulthood within your culture,
community, or family.”
Really, Really Awful Writing—
Don’t Do This!!!