The Most Effective Strategies to Master Your College Essay
The college essay, or personal statement, is your opportunity to share the real you with admissions officers. It is the only opportunity on your application when you will be able to communicate in your own voice and reflect on the meaning of your experiences up to this point in your life. As such, it is a key component in your application because it distinguishes you from other applicants who likely have similar academic profiles, extracurricular activities, and desires for their future.
What is the Purpose of College Essays?
The personal statement, in addition to giving you an opportunity to share yourself with the admissions office, allows them to get a better sense of who will be haunting the halls of their campus. Many high school students conceive of attending college as an abstract goal: something that you should want to do, but that is hard to picture yourself doing. If admitted, you will be attending college in a very real way. College admissions officers want to know what kind of person they will be inviting to join their community.
Strategies to Craft the Best College Essay
1. Be yourself!
We know that you have heard this one before, but it’s really true! The main thing to keep in mind here is that the personal statement is one of the rare moments in life where you are given a structured opportunity to reflect on your emotions, your inner life, and your sense of self. Be curious about it, and try not to define yourself in relation to others.
2. Show, don’t sell.
The college essay is not a sales pitch. The goal is for you to craft a narrative that allows admissions officers to infer who you are. If you tell the reader you are great, or smart, or motivated, they won’t be as persuaded as they would be if you told a story that shows you exhibiting those qualities.
3. Don’t repeat.
Repetition is one cardinal sin that will get your application sent right to the “no” pile. Only include information in your personal statement that is communicated elsewhere in your application if it is absolutely necessary.
4. Don’t focus on “big events”
While the “big events” and “defining moments” of your life so far likely were meaningful, a lot of other people have also experienced these instances of revelation. Instead, try to focus inward and look out for small, formative times in your life that changed the way you view the world.
College Essay Example
Here is an example of a successful essay that focused on a smaller, more evocative moment. The student who wrote this essay was admitted to Fordham College in the regular decision admissions pool as a member of the class of 2026. She was awarded merit scholarships totaling $96,000.
I rub my eyes wearily as dust is kicked up from the person in front of me. My hands fall. I look up, surrounded by an oxymoronic Moroccan landscape of vibrant greens and muted desert ranges. Inhale, exhale. The dry air enters my nostrils with ease. The pastoral moment is soon interrupted by a cacophony of donkeys and mules eager to get to the campsite.
At mile eleven, my feet feel heavier. The pain of my blister deepens; the moleskin must have fallen off a few miles back. As I trudge forward, I can almost hear my sister’s voice, calm and slow like honey being poured out of a jar. “Nothing is permanent,” Bryn reassures me. I lift my head up and continue to walk, her words circulating through my brain.
After arriving at the campsite, I crawl into the two-person tent the three of us will be sharing. My shoes are caked in dust as I gingerly peel away my sock to inspect today’s damage. There, I see two shimmering red blisters, one on top of the other, leering at me as my right arm reaches desperately for my first aid kit. I gently dab Neosporin on before quickly placing a Wonder Woman Band-Aid over them, averting my eyes from the unsettling image of my unsightly foot.
Tenderness inverted, leading to intense medical complications and a new relationship with my body, one of distrust and resentment. Seven months ago, I was tightly tucked into the hundred thread count hospital sheets, people looking over me and caring for me, as I was no longer able to. The white hospital walls and linoleum floors eyed and judged me as I lost hope and motivation. When I would stand for vitals, as I did five times a day, the walls began shifting, my legs teetering back and forth, unable to hold me above the floor. When I needed it most, I received a FaceTime call from Bryn. IV’s running through my arms and a pale, withered demeanor on my face, I cried to her: “I hate it here. I want to leave.”
Three words were delicately pronounced: “Nothing is permanent.” The words ricocheted as I was wheeled back and forth through the eighth floor. The ricochet transformed into more of a cradle, gently soothing me during the ambiguity.
The sound of a zipper amplifies as I reluctantly put my shoes back on over my flourishing blisters. I duck under the tent flap as the sun setting over the Atlas Mountains blinds me. I take a small detour before dinner. I sit on a rock, letting myself be still and patient. The trust for my body cultivates each time I breathe; I’m satisfied knowing my heart is doing everything it needs to and more. Teardrops gracefully brush my face as I thank myself for today. I was terrified to trust my body after the hospital, terrified it would shatter like a vase. However, that was me seven months ago. Today, I am strong, independent, and confident. I am able to be here completely for myself. Despite my natural instinct to nurture others, I realize that I deserve this. Being alone used to be my biggest fear, and now I’ve never felt so comfortable with solitude. I wipe the tears from my face as I stand, my body holding me above the dirt, yet remaining grounded to the earth.
I walk to the dinner tent, but something feels off; my blisters, they don’t hurt. The Wonder Woman band aids worked their magic. Elation dances through my body as the dewy breeze kisses my cheek. The panoramic view of mountains followed by valleys growing in endless designs and patterns reminds me of the impermanence of what the future holds. I realize we are hiking 12 miles tomorrow, and I know the blisters will make their return. Nothing is permanent.
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The above information are general recommendations for writing a successful college application essay. If you or someone you know is applying to college and would appreciate more specific advice on what to write, or how to begin writing, please contact our team of expert tutors.