Bam! The door is about to slam shut on students applying to college for fall 2014. If you are one of the thousands of stressed-out high school seniors trying to write, re-write and perfect college essays before the January deadlines, no one is more aware of this than you.
Nerve-wracked parents are not faring so well, either. While some families will enjoy the laughter and laziness of the holidays, others will be huddled anxiously, re-evaluating each word and phrase to construct the ultimate personal essay. Is it worth the worry?
Rick Clark, admissions director at Georgia Tech, says the essay is important because Tech’s high number of applicants means they can’t conduct personal interviews. Most of their applicants are outstanding in many ways, and winnowing the pile is difficult, so counselors look to the essay for hints about which students would be the best fit for Tech.
All things being equal with grades, scores and activities, the essay is the admission counselor’s chance to get to know the personal side of students, understand their experiences and perspectives, and imagine how well they would fit in classrooms and activities on campus.
“I know students are wondering what we would like to hear,” says Liz Phillips, assistant director of admissions at University of Georgia, “but we are looking for something so original and unique that we would never be able to tell you what it is.” Genuine answers to the essay questions reveal to her the applicant’s uniqueness, passions, what drives the student.
Emory University and Agnes Scott College do a holistic read of applications. If one criterion is not strong, like GPA or test scores, a strong, original essay can strengthen them.
“No single piece is the determining factor, so lower test scores could be balanced by a great story,” says Erica Engsberg, Emory’s assistant dean of admission. “We are always looking to create a class that has a variety of passions, interests and perspectives. Getting to know who a student is and how they could contribute to our community is important to us.”
Do you imagine a silver-haired, venerable professor, comfortable in a wing chair in front of the fire, reading your finely wrought prose? Many admissions counselors are in their 20s, single and female. Your essay is likely being read by someone not that much older than you are and who will probably recognize pretty quickly if you are faking it.
So how are you going to grab that counselor’s attention and get her interested in you? The essays that most grab Sarah Neal of Agnes Scott College “show, rather than tell.” The students write vividly, personalize and use examples.
“I’m reading the whole application at once,” says Engsberg, “so don’t use your essay to tell me about a mission trip, or about a game-winning experience that I read about earlier in the application. It is not about the topic. I read a whole essay that was just about a dinner, but it was awesome.”
“Start with action immediately,” says Phillips. “Don’t rewrite the question.”
The best essays give specific glimpses into motivations or experiences someone has had. Consider an “It’s a Wonderful Life” approach where you take yourself out of your environment with family and friends and think about what would have been different for them if you had not been there.
Finally, ask yourself: Could anyone have written this essay, or does it talk specifically about me? The best essays are ones in which the story is unique.
“Sure, we are looking for a student who is willing to achieve greatly,” says Clark. “We want to know if you are the U.S. under-17 gymnastics champion. But you can point to that in the resume. The essay has to do more.”
In a nutshell: You will be tempted to build yourself up to be super impressive, but don’t do it! Believe it or not, your authentic self is what these admissions counselors are looking for.
A few things to definitely keep in mind: The first question will be, “Does the student answer the question?” Even if your essay is well-written, that can sink you.
Don’t rush through the online app and finish the essay in one sitting. “Think and rewrite many times before you post your final essay,” says Phillips. One of her pet peeves? “Using the thesaurus to sound more grandiose and self-important. In the end, it is just confusing to read.”
“Generally students know what is appropriate and what is not, but sometimes they tackle mature topics and don’t handle them well,” says Neal. If you wouldn’t say it to Grandma, make sure the admissions committee knows you are talking about a past experience that you resolved, learned from and moved on.
Of course, you use spellcheck. But even spellcheck can mess you up when it’s something like Candy Striper vs. stripper. Have someone else read your essay to pick up on such errors.
Don’t forget to change the name of the college when you apply to several. “In conclusion, Georgia Tech is my No. 1 choice” sounds great on a Tech application, but not so good for UGA.
“Reflect,” says Engsberg. “If you were to tell me one thing I have to know about you, what would that be? As a student, you should be looking for a community you can be a part of and call home for four years or more, so your goal should be to express your true self so you can find that place.”
