Admission Advice > The Application Process

Learn How To Shine In Your Application Essay

By Monica Wheeler Dorsey and Manya Chylinski

The classes you took, your activities, and your GPA may be set in stone, but you still have control over your essay. This is your chance to show your determination, your creativity, your passion—everything your school record does not illustrate.

A bit of time, preparation, and thoughtfulness: that’s all it takes to write an essay that will boost your chances of being accepted at your top-choice school.

Of course, students are rarely accepted or rejected solely on the power of the essay, and colleges weigh each component of the application differently. Still, this isn’t the time to slack off. A poorly written essay can move your application package from a counselor’s “undecided” bin to the “to be filed” pile faster than you can say “rejected.”

“An essay is great when an applicant can answer yes to the following two questions,” says Eric Maloof, Associate Director of Admissions at Trinity University. “Is the topic of the essay important to me? Am I the only person in the world who could have written this essay?”

Admission counselors want to hear your voice, and keeping this idea in mind can really be helpful as you contemplate what to write about.

“A great essay is a window into a person's life,” says Maloof. “I know we have a great student when I can read the essay and know the applicant without knowing anything else about them.”

Getting started
Preparation should begin in your junior year. Some colleges and universities use the Common Application, and you can take a look at the essay topics before you even apply. There are usually several essay choices ranging from discussing an issue of personal or international concern to describing a fictional character that has influenced you. Read them over, and think in broad terms about what your answers might include. Then try to tell an engaging story. Keep the reader in suspense by gradually revealing the answer, instead of stating your answer in the first paragraph.

One way to write a stand-out essay is to start with a simple self-evaluation. Ask yourself this: what three adjectives would my parents, friends, or teachers use to describe me? Then, actually speak to those people and ask them which qualities, talents, and personality traits they believe make you special. You’ll find there are one or two answers that the majority share, and those traits are often a good starting point for a college essay.

If your academic record is less than perfect, use your essay as an opportunity to explain why. But don’t make excuses—instead, focus on what you learned and how you overcame challenges to become a more mature, disciplined person.

Once you’ve identified what your strengths are, try experimenting with the following freewriting exercises to get your creative juices flowing. Write short stories to complete the following:
• The most valuable advice that I’ve ever been given is . . .
• My finest accomplishment or talent is . . .
• At least once, I think everyone should try . . .
• I’m a better person now that I have . . .

In the spring or summer of your junior year, start gathering applications for the colleges where you want to apply. You may have to be patient—some colleges do not make their applications available until late in the summer or very early in the fall.

Make sure your essays are edited, proofread, and finalized well before your application deadlines. A parent, guidance counselor, or English teacher can be a valuable proofreader.

Now you can write an essay that will reveal your true self. The perfect essay is already in you, just waiting to be revealed.

Writer Monica Wheeler Dorsey is based in Philadelphia. Manya Chylinski is a Boston-based freelance writer.

2009