Getting Ready for College

College Admission Essays: What’s the Best Approach?                                                                                                                                  

By Carol DelPropost, Ohio Wesleyan University

So, you’ve done your research on colleges and maybe you have already visited a handful of campuses. After considering size, location, opportunities and other variables, you have narrowed your choices to a select few. Now it is time to apply, and that means writing the college application essay. Don’t underestimate its value – it is a great vehicle for showing who you are!
Because so much of the application is based on factual information such as high school curriculum, GPA, and standardized test scores, the essay is a prime opportunity to showcase your personality.

Here are some tips for writing an eye-catching, effective essay:

Be creative.  But stick to your true personality.
Admission counselors read hundreds or even thousands of application essays each year, so you want to grab their attention and show another dimension of yourself. You can use wit and humor, but keep in mind that tone is tough to decipher in written form. I’ve seen more than a few essays backfire when a student’s intention did not come across clearly in writing. If you have a great sense of humor and can communicate it well, go for it. If you’re normally a serious person, use that tactic to create something insightful.

Bring something new to the table.
By the time an admission counselor gets to your essay, she or he will have already read a detailed description of your accomplishments, your test scores, and how well you did in high school English. Make sure your essay brings a new element to the table. Did you overcome unusual circumstances to get to where you are now? Do you have a unique take on a classic movie and how it relates to the world? Were you raised in a foreign country, which has shaped your opinions of American culture? These are all interesting topics that allow you to expand on what you think. That’s what the essay is all about.

Address your imperfections head on.
You’re not perfect? No one is. And admission counselors don’t expect you to be. But if you feel a need to explain why your test scores are not a true reflection of your ability, or that you’re just not cut out for a career in quantum physics, now’s your chance to do so. Address your imperfections clearly and honestly, and explain how you have dealt with them. This will demonstrate that you are really ready for college. Finally, explain why this college is a perfect fit for you, and what you will bring to the community. 

When you have finished proofreading your essay, proofread it again.
Submit your essay only when you are certain that is has no grammatical errors or typos. Write a first draft of the essay and proofread it carefully. Then, ask a friend, a parent, or a teacher to take a look. Sometimes it’s difficult to recognize mistakes if you have been staring at your essay for hours. Getting a fresh perspective is helpful, and it can prevent you from submitting an essay with unnecessary mistakes. After all, you want the admission counselors to notice your creativity and insight, not your spelling mistakes or misuse of commas.

Have fun!  Consider the essay an opportunity, not an ordeal.
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Carol DelPropost is assistant vice president for admission and financial aid at Ohio Wesleyan University (www.owu.edu). She has more than 27 years of experience in the collegiate admission process and previously worked as an Advanced Placement English teacher. Featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” Ohio Wesleyan University is a private, undergraduate liberal arts college with 1,850 students from 40 states and 45 countries.