Not sure how to get started writing your college application essays? Read through our biggest tips:
Rachel's Advice:
Edit your essays multiple times. Have your friends, family, and Study Hall College Consulting read your essays! The biggest mistake is writing only one draft and then submitting it. Through editing and rewriting, you can get the best final essay possible that is written on a topic which truly demonstrates who you are. The essays of your college application will help you stand out as an applicant, so you need to spend a lot of time on these.
Edit your essays multiple times. Have your friends, family, and Study Hall College Consulting read your essays! The biggest mistake is writing only one draft and then submitting it. Through editing and rewriting, you can get the best final essay possible that is written on a topic which truly demonstrates who you are. The essays of your college application will help you stand out as an applicant, so you need to spend a lot of time on these.
Prianka's Advice:
Pick a consistent tone of voice and writing style, and stick with it. College essays don’t have to be written completely formally! If humor is part of your personality and comes naturally, don’t be afraid to use it in an essay. Also, not every essay needs to be related to your major/program. If you have a compelling topic that has nothing to do with your major, feel free to pick it, but make sure it has meaningful takeaways and contributes to the school’s understanding of you. Lastly, read as many examples as you can find before you begin. It’ll give you an idea of what to put down before you start.
Pick a consistent tone of voice and writing style, and stick with it. College essays don’t have to be written completely formally! If humor is part of your personality and comes naturally, don’t be afraid to use it in an essay. Also, not every essay needs to be related to your major/program. If you have a compelling topic that has nothing to do with your major, feel free to pick it, but make sure it has meaningful takeaways and contributes to the school’s understanding of you. Lastly, read as many examples as you can find before you begin. It’ll give you an idea of what to put down before you start.
Kevin's Advice:
Be confident in yourself and your own story. School application writing is a very niche style, but the most important thing is letting your personality shine through while sharing your experiences, passions, and academic goals. Above keeping your responses clear and concise, always show off your true, authentic self.
Be confident in yourself and your own story. School application writing is a very niche style, but the most important thing is letting your personality shine through while sharing your experiences, passions, and academic goals. Above keeping your responses clear and concise, always show off your true, authentic self.
Sarah's Advice:
Writing is an incredibly powerful tool for finding your voice, and a well-told story can be one of the most effective ways to not only showcase who you are, but to learn to believe in yourself and develop confidence in your own experiences. I believe that college essays are opportunities for self-reflection: you learn who you are all over again in the process of trying to explain yourself to someone else, and you take the first steps towards figuring out your true passions. Writing can be a way to tell your story clearly and concisely, but also to let your personality shine through the words you choose to use, the humor you choose to include, or the stylistic quirks that make you unique. Writing should be creative and exciting, and your college essay should be something that makes you feel proud and confident in the person you’ve become!
Writing is an incredibly powerful tool for finding your voice, and a well-told story can be one of the most effective ways to not only showcase who you are, but to learn to believe in yourself and develop confidence in your own experiences. I believe that college essays are opportunities for self-reflection: you learn who you are all over again in the process of trying to explain yourself to someone else, and you take the first steps towards figuring out your true passions. Writing can be a way to tell your story clearly and concisely, but also to let your personality shine through the words you choose to use, the humor you choose to include, or the stylistic quirks that make you unique. Writing should be creative and exciting, and your college essay should be something that makes you feel proud and confident in the person you’ve become!
Nina's Advice:
Start thinking about ways to answer your essay prompts early! Don’t wait until the month before they’re due to start brainstorming ideas. Spend a lot of time thinking about yourself and the experiences you’ve gone through. How has an event, a person, or a goal inspired you to become the person you are today? What motivates you to further your education? Write how you feel, and the words will flow and connect. It doesn’t have to be some spectacular achievement or life-changing story; just write something that shows who you are. Take what you know about yourself and think deeper!
Start thinking about ways to answer your essay prompts early! Don’t wait until the month before they’re due to start brainstorming ideas. Spend a lot of time thinking about yourself and the experiences you’ve gone through. How has an event, a person, or a goal inspired you to become the person you are today? What motivates you to further your education? Write how you feel, and the words will flow and connect. It doesn’t have to be some spectacular achievement or life-changing story; just write something that shows who you are. Take what you know about yourself and think deeper!