Writing the College Essay

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Writing the College Essay

• Compiled for Pope John XXIII High School by
• Christopher D. Stuck
• College Counselor

2
Types of College Essays

• In general, there are 2 types of essays.
• Type 1 Open ended
• Promotes creative writing
• Ex Step outside and describe how you would
  change what you see. Why?
• Type 2 The personal statement
• Usually encourages self description
• May ask to explain academic deficiencies
• Why did you apply here?
• Why should we admit you?

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Purposes of the Essay

• Provides a portrait of the applicant beyond what
  is evident on academic record
• May be used in lieu of a resume to describe
  extracurricular activities and service
• Helps the college assess critical thinking,
  writing abilities, interests, experiences,
  values, attitudes, and expectations
• Can help determine how creative and resourceful a
  student can be when confronted with a difficult
  topic

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Tip From Mr. Stuck

• Colleges are increasingly asking for graded
  writing samples in addition to or in the place of
  an essay.
• These are assignments that you have completed for
  a class and have been turned in to your teacher,
  graded and returned.
• The writing sample shows the students ability to
  write in an academic setting, as well as the
  teachers assessment of that writing.

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Tips from the College Board

• Provide reasonable straightforward responses
• Demonstrate your best writing abilities
• Provide vivid, clear impressions of yourself
• Avoid broad, unsupported statements about
  yourself
• Allow the reader to draw his or her own conclusion

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College Essay Dos and Donts

• Do keep your focus narrow
• Prove a single point the reader should be able
  to follow your main idea from beginning to end
• Do provide proof
• Supplement your main idea with facts, quotes,
  examples and reasons
• Do be specific
• Rather than tell the reader that you had a life
  changing event, describe the event and how it
  changed you

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College Essay Dos and Donts

• Do NOT tell the readers what you think they want
  to hear
• Be original, and be YOURSELF
• Do NOT forget to proofread
• Typos and grammatical errors reflect poorly on
  the writer, and can be interpreted as
  carelessness.
• Do not trust your computers spell check. Ask
  someone to look over your essay.

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What are Colleges looking for?

• Writing Ability
• Want to see if you can write at the college level
• Avoid using words that you dont understand
• Understand sentence and paragraph structure
• Keep a good pace flow logically and have a good
  conclusion
• Make it believable
• Keep it relatively brief and coherent

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What are Colleges looking for?

• Insight into who you are
• Do not make it sound like a marketing piece
• Make it sound like how you talk (but with good
  grammar)
• Again, be yourself, not someone you think the
  college wants to see
• Write about something you actually care about
• Essay should provide why you love what you love,
  believe what you believe, and are what you are
• This shows that you know how to reflect and
  analyze

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Things to Avoid

• Sex, drugs, violence
• Travelogues
• The News
• Swearing
• Humor/ sarcasm