How to Write a Standout Private School Application Essay
The first thing to know about writing a winning private school application essay is that yes, you can do it! This application component might seem daunting, but considering two critical strategies can shift your student’s perspective and evade writer’s block.
With that said, grades and SSAT (or HSPT) test scores are important, but the personal essay is your student’s best opportunity to demonstrate maturity, intellectual curiosity, and a unique perspective. Here is where a strong voice and a vision make them memorable!
How does your student write this fantastic essay? They need to tell their own story with their own voice. Here’s how.
Your Own Story
It is common—and good!—advice to write the application essay in the style of a story, but most elementary and middle school students don’t comprehend what a story entails beyond a straightforward narrative with a beginning, middle, and end. What, exactly, is a beginning, middle, and an end? Consider these two points.
First, Aristotle advised that the best stories involve change, a character arc that culminates in the protagonist experiencing growth.
Second, professional story writers widely acknowledge that a good story is satisfying because the character grows and changes from the beginning of the story to the end of the story. Simply think of your favorite movies and reflect on how the story starts and how it ends. You’ll notice that through conflict and resolution, our heroes take shape!
With these observations in mind, use these tips to help your student find their own story:
Look for lessons learned from obstacles overcome;
Think of a time they turned a weakness into a strength; and
Describe how they persevered through conflict.
Good stories put their characters through conflict. The reader wants to feel the character’s growth through concrete, sensory details, like sound and taste. If your student can convey how they are a thinking, feeling, and growing person, they will earn sympathy from admissions readers and stand out.
Your Own Voice
Remember your audience. Admissions readers read countless application essays. They often encounter formulaic regurgitations of student achievements, but really what they want is authenticity. And it is your student’s job as a writer to provide it!
The best, most tried-and-true way to get writing is to start off with low-stakes prompts and activities. Sitting down and trying to take on the immensity of the entire application essay is a sure-fire way to cause stress and writer's block. Instead, think of the initial writing as doodling. First, get your student to focus on getting words down on paper. Afterward, review their writing and search for themes. This will take time, so make sure to schedule it out.
Parents can help with brainstorming, proofreading, and with encouragement, but should stay out of the actual writing process. This is because the student’s voice needs to be unmistakably their own.
Another Pair of Eyes
With your own story and your own voice, you will stand out as a fascinating individual against the backdrop of faceless strong applicants. Writing a strong application essay takes time and support, however, so don’t be afraid to reach out to professional writers and teachers who are committed to helping you discover your voice and your story. Drop us a line and we’d be happy to help!
