Essay WritingGloria Mueller

Why the Essay?Your Voice, Your Story, Your Skills

What’s Most Important?• Courses, Grades, Transcript• Talent, Recommendations, Activities• Testing, Special Circumstances• Portfolio, Supplemental Materials• Audition, Interview

Do Colleges Look At Essays the Same Way?

What Are Colleges Looking For?

Don’t Sweat Over Things You Can’t Change

• Transcript is what it is• Work on what you can

change - the essay• Colleges want the essay to

show:

a) your writing ability and thought process

b) a sense of who you are

c) your values, preferences and style

Can You Write?

• Tell your own story

• Get feedback

• Polish, spell check and proofread

Can You Think?

• Application can be flat without essay• Can help judge a student’s

understanding of social/intellectual issues

• Did he take it seriously or did the essay look predictable?• Did he take risks?• Did he buy it off the Internet?

• Personalizes your self-presentation

• Shows your personality and writing ability

• Conveys your personal style under less pressure

• Should convey information not found elsewhere in the application

What Can the Essay Do for You?

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

The ProcessBrainstorm |Organize | Write | Rewrite | Edit

Defined by Our ChoicesHow you write - reveals your ability

What you write about - reveals you

Look at the list of questions required

The “You” Question

The “Why Us” Question

The “Creative” Question

Three Kinds of Questions

The “You” Question

Advantages: •It is direct•Open opportunity to speak for yourself

Disadvantages:•Extremely open-ended•Temptation to tell everything instead of focus•Try to hard to sound academic and scholarly

The “Why Us” Question

Advantages•It is directly about you and your choices

Disadvantages•Might not know your subject •Tone can be a problem

The “Creative” Question

Advantages•Form is provided•It can be fun!

Disadvantages•Essay without substance•Essay without sense

Other Essay Problems

Only two inches of space

Sending writing samples

Start strong

Start fast

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.”

Why Do Essays Fail?Too comprehensiveToo general

Start By BrainstormingMake a list | Ask questions | Focus | Prove

Editing is Your FriendFocus and prove | Reread | Support | Reread | Rewrite/Revise

Making the Essay Yours

• All writers get help• No live-in editors• Don’t misrepresent yourself• Believe in yourself and tell

your story

Last Minute Tips for Procrastinators

• Pick 3 things in your room • Family photo album• Talk to parents, coaches,

teachers• Think about something

you used to believe in but don’t anymore

Tips to Remember

• “Tell us about yourself”• Familiar format with “you” as subject• Chance to add to application

Five Myths

• Must write about something no one has ever written about

• There’s a right answer to every question

• Be funny, clever or wacky• You have to write this essay

alone• Your essay can get you in

5 Myths:

Common Mistakes• Thinking of admissions

committee as stuffy old people you need to impress

• Trying too hard to be memorable

• Writing a predictable or generic essay

• Forgetting that counselors/teachers/parents are your allies in this process

Parent “Can’t Do” List

• Make guidance office your own personal support system

• Write essays• Shield him from rejection• Let inertia teach its lesson here

Parent “Can Do” List

• Frame conversation about college selection • Talk about essay, but not about essay

questions• Be there to lend a sympathetic ear• Stay on the sidelines once the writing begins