SECTION V

THE PERSONAL ESSAY

A. Importance of the college admissions essay

B. Tips on writing an autobiography

C. Sample essay questions asked by colleges

IMPORTANCE OF THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS ESSAY

• SIGNIFICANCE In our opinion, the personal essay is the most important part of your admissions portfolio. A well-written personal essay that captures your character—your energy, motivation, inspiration, adaptability, perseverance, passions, etc. can offset, if not overshadow, mediocre or average SAT or ACT results.

• STRATEGY

STANFORD’S ADVICE ON WRITING THE PERSONAL ESSAY

CONCISE - Focus your essay topic. Do not exceed requested essay length. Follow directions.

HONESTY - Do not feel the need to impress admissions officers with world record performances or exotic exploits. If telling the story of what happens around your family dinner table best reveals who you are, then go right ahead and tell that story.

INDIVIDUAL - Admissions officers want to know what makes you unique. If relevant, tell them about adversity you have faced—family losses or illnesses. Perhaps this aspect of your life will help explain an inconsistent academic record. Similarly, what are your passions? What drives you? Feel free to discuss political and/or religious beliefs as long as you avoid condemning others.

COHERENT - Avoid going off on tangents when you write. Keep your story focused.

ACCURATE - Proofread, proofread, proofread. Do not submit an essay with typing errors, grammar problems, or factual inaccuracies.

VIVID - Fill essay with concrete details and examples which bring the story to life. Your essay can contain both thinking and feeling.

OBNOXIOUS - Avoid blaming others for your shortcomings or adopting a condescending attitude toward your high school experience.

OBSCURE - Avoid writing about obscure events or honors unless you clearly explain their significance.

OBSCENE - Do not use profanity or discuss obscene situations. You can be funny and entertaining without resorting to these.

PLAGIARIZE - Do not copy someone else's essay or lift an essay out of a book.

Source: Adapted from "A Tip for, Getting Into Stanford: Be Sure to CHICAV-OOOP" in the 1992 September-October issue of the Stanford Observer.

TIPS ON WRITING AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

HOW DO I WRITE AN ESSAY ABOUT MYSELF? You have probably had experience writing about yourself in an English class. Often a college or university will have a specific question rather than a request for an autobiographical statement: "Please describe in detail a special interest, experience, or achievement you would like us to know about." "Please prepare an essay on a personal, local, or national issue that is of particular concern to you." "Jot a note to your future college roommate on what to expect from you in the coming year."

The essay you prepare may be the deciding factor in your admission as it presents you as a person rather than as a statistic. Consider the following statement from the Princeton University Admissions Office: "The essays make the facts in a folder come alive to us. We don't know the applicants personally. We haven't taught them, coached them or counseled them. All we have is the image presented in the portfolio, and the essays do much to shape our impression."

What makes a good impression? A good essay animates the candidate as a real person, conveys what you have accomplished, and fills in the gaps around the grades and test scores. Your essays present an honest insight into what is special about you. Do not forget that your essay is also a sample of your writing ability and should show your best possible effort.

A sparkling essay requires time and effort, for you must capture the reader's attention and, at the same time, must clearly express your ideas. Organizing your thoughts is the first step. Begin with the self- assessment you filled out.

SOME FINAL THOUGHTS

1. Writing takes time. DO NOT begin writing your essays at the last minute.

2. If possible, try to write about something that really matters to you. You will be more enthusiastic about the topic, and that quality will come across in your essay.

3. Think quality, not quantity. You need to write enough to get your point across thoroughly; anymore than that will test the patience of the admissions officer who is reading your folder.

4. Keep the audience in mind when you are writing your essay.

5. Check for spelling (and donrt just rely on your spell check in your computer because it does not know when you need to use their or there), grammatical, or typographical errors. Believe it or not admissions officers notice (and often underline) such mistakes!

7. Have a teacher, parent, friend or all three check your essay – another perspective regarding your essay is well worth your time.

WRITING YOUR COLLEGE ESSAY

Writing your college essay is one of the most important parts of completing your college application. Many colleges and universities now have multiple readers of your application. The essay gives the reader an opportunity to understand you as an individual. Your voice needs to be heard and to establish for the reader a reason to consider your application over other applicants. Some colleges and universities now have several essays that applicants are responsible for answering. Whenever you are given an opportunity to express yourself through writing, make sure that you complete the essay to the best of your ability. Colleges are truly interested in "what" you have to say as well as "how" you write in response to a prompt. Remember that many classes at the college level will require you to respond in writing to demonstrate your skills and knowledge.

•ANSWER THE QUESTION

Be sure to make the response speak to the question that is before you. If the question is generic in nature, personalize it for yourself. In other words, consider a personal experience that you can use to detail your qualities (such as work ethic, responsibility, maturity, and creativity).

•MAKE THE ESSAY A REFLECTION OF YOU, YOUR VOICE Do not write what you believe "they" (the admissions officers) want to read. When a student writes what he/she believes the admissions person(s) want to read, he/she writes a very generic response that does not reflect their unique qualities.

•AVOID QUALIFIERS SUCH AS “MIGHT”, “PERHAPS”, AND “COULD” These weaken your voice and your powerful expression of who you are. Take a stand on who you are and let people know that you are a person with academic, athletic, civic, social integrity (whatever it may be). This shows that you take a mature and undergrad-ready approach to your future.

•BE SUCCINCT Work at paring your essay down to its most essential details. Often, students will be repetitive in their essays, and a reader will feel as if the same idea or point is regurgitated several times. Remember that proofing/editing for the mechanics of the essay is distinct from reading for revision. A fine-tuned essay will be both mechanically strong and essentially detailed in terms of content. Do not be afraid to share your work with multiple readers (teachers, counselors, parents, siblings) for fresh perspectives on what you say and how you say it. Remember not to count on spell or grammar checks on word processing programs as the exclusive tool for your editing. Remember, too, that one of the most important mechanical corrections in a personal essay is to avoid sentence start repetition ("I..."I..."I..."). Take a reader into an experience. Show it, do not just tell it. That will help you to get to the essential details.

WRITING YOUR COLLEGE ESSAY

Within this general outline for writing the essay, there are some "do's" and "don'ts" which are

highlighted:

DO

- Do think "small" and write something that you know about.

- Do reveal yourself in your writing.

- Do show rather than tell. By giving examples and illustrating your topic, you help bring it to

life.

- Do write in your own "voice" and style.

- Do let your English teacher read your essay.

- Do write, rewrite and revise!

DON’TS

- Don't write what you think others want to read.

- Don't exaggerate or write to impress.

- Don't use a flowery, inflated, or pretentious style.

- Don't neglect the technical part of your essay (grammar, spelling, sentence structure).

- Don't ramble - say what you have to say and conclude.

Your college essay, along with your high school record, standardized test scores, and extracurricular involvement, will provide the basis upon which the college makes its admissions decision. A thoughtful, well-written essay can affect in a very positive way that final decision. Keep this in mind and take full advantage of the opportunity which the college essay affords you.

EXAMPLES OF ESSAY QUESTIONS

Visit http://essayedge.com for helpful hints in creating your college admissions essay.

1. What is it about you that would make you an asset to our school?

2. Choose a person, a character in fiction, an historical figure, or creative art work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on your life and explain the influence.

3. Choose a current controversial issue and explain your viewpoints on that topic.

4. Write a letter to your parents (twenty years from now) describing what your life is like.

5. Choose an academic area during your high school career. Compare that challenge to a non-academic challenge that occurred during that time.

6. If you could change an event in history, what would it be, and what would be the

consequences?

7. Write about a humorous incident in your life.

8. General biography.

9. Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken or ethical dilemma you have faced and discuss its impact on you.

10. Topic of your choice

COLLEGE ESSAY WORKSHEET

• What is the question?

• What information should you include to answer this question?

• Outline your thoughts regarding the question.

• Write a rough draft and walk away from your work for a few hours.

• Ask someone you trust to read through your rough draft indicating changes that

you might want to include in the final copy.

• What does this essay say about you to the reader?

• Does this essay portray you at your best?

• If you were the reader, what information would you gain about the writer?

• Develop a final draft and once again ask one or more individuals to proofread your

essay for content as well as mechanics.

• How does your answer to the essay question demonstrate your uniqueness and

originality?

• What information from the essay will the reader learn more about you as a person,

a student, or as an individual?

• Make any final corrections and submit your essay on line.

SAMPLE ESSAY QUESTIONS ASKED BY COLLEGES

• In what ways have you grown intellectually during your years in high school? Who or what has contributed to that growth?

• Please describe in detail a special interest, experience, or accomplishment that you consider significant. If you prefer, you may submit an essay on some topic of local or national importance about which you have a strong conviction.

• You are chosen to attend a conference on the problems and difficulties faced by youth in America. You are the sole student representative. What topic would you choose for your speech and why?

• An original essay, on any topic of your choice, will make your application more personal. Write about your life past and present or describe a significant experience. Be creative, witty, be serious, but most of all, be yourself. Our aim is to get to know you as well as possible.

• Briefly describe any scholastic distinctions you have achieved. Which one of these achievements are you most proud of?

• Where do you see yourself ten years after graduation?

• You have answered many questions on this form, all asked by someone else. If you were in a position to ask a provocative and revealing question of college applicants, what would that question be?

• Kalamazoo College is often described as having a strong sense of community. Describe the generosity of mind and spirit you feel is required for participation in such a community. What should the individual be prepared to give up? What should she hope to gain?

• Please describe what makes you a unique individual and how these qualities can benefit the University of Michigan community.

• Your personal values and strongly-held opinions are usually set at an early age. Describe how you have come to question some of these values and opinions. How did you change as a result of your shift in values?

• Describe the two or three inventions you think have made important differences in the course of human civilization and explain your choices. Then devise an invention you would like to see come into existence and explain why.

Other Possible Topics • Unusual circumstances in your life • Travel or living experiences in other countries