College Essay

College Essay In some cases though, the school may emphasize the supplemental essay as a top priority. That’s the case at St. John’s College, which has campuses in Maryland and New Mexico, says Benjamin Baum, vice president of enrollment for the St. John’s system. “It’s more about the voice than anything else,” Inzer says, noting an essay that is too clinical can mute a student’s personality. Experts say the essay should give the school a sample of his or her personality. How to create a college application list that doesn't suck. But be as specific as you can when it comes to your needs. I know, I know â€" you’re thinking, nah, that sounds too hard, or too expensive â€" I don’t want to Google-stalk a professor, or haunt an internet forum, or network on LinkedIn to meet alums from a school â€" I’m busy! And you might fool your parents, or even a peer reviewer or two. But you won’t fool the experts, who have to read literally THOUSANDS of these things. They know their own programs, and if you think you can generalize your way around campus â€" sorry, no. People with dreams need help making their dreams come true. Your goal and your past experience dictate what you need from the school. Your school may ask you “why us” but may not ask specifically about your goals. Use one or two sentences to tell them about your goals for college. Because if you don’t, how are you going to show that you are a good fit on campus? By better defining your growth areas, you can focus more precisely on what the school has to offer you. The same thing applies to every discipline you wish to develop â€" precise thinking and precise language will set you apart. Every early draft of a why school essay shares the same pernicious flaw â€" blanket statements made without evidence or context . Watch the following bland comment transform into a great point â€" through action. However, make sure you write about your hardships in a way that showcases inner traits such as courage, strength, empathy, optimism, or patience. Let’s say, for argument’s sake, you want to master leadership in college. What aspect of leadership are you looking to develop? Show a college the key ways in which your difficulties have helped you grow and mature. In his conclusion, readers can see how Daniel has turned a negative experience into a positive and how this has made him a stronger person. He also writes about how being a Bboy has given him the opportunity to accept his father and their relationship with new perspective. The supplement is a short response but can still give us valuable insights into who you are, what you care about, and what you strive to be. Each year, our admissions staff puts a great deal of thought and effort into determining which questions to include in our writing supplement. The essay is the place to make a great first impression on the reader. They’ll be looking at that before the test scores. You don’t want to address your weaknesses, unless it’s a challenge you’ve overcome that reveals something powerful about your character. The diversity of Washington’s schools and its communities is profoundly interesting â€" but use it as a backdrop to write about you. Richardson says that the appeal of an essay on an atypical topic such as origami showed that the writer was willing to take risks.