Lesson 5: The College Application
Nitty Gritty of Writing an Application
First, the good news is that many colleges now accept electronic applications. It's comforting to know that you can spell-check and sometimes even check your punctuation and sentence structure from your home computer!
Many schools are now participating in the "Common application". This is a generic application, which once completed, can be sent to several schools of your choice. Check them out at www.commonapp.org and make sure to find out if the schools you are interested in participate in this program.
Here are some tips from admissions' counselors which will aid you with writing the perfect essay. No, it does not have to be a literary masterpiece, but it does have to show your strengths, and explain your weaknesses, and impress the person reading it.
1) The weakest essays are the generic essays. It could have been written by anyone, describing a mundane existence in any town. Example: My goal is to attend college. I attend High School X in town Y. I will graduate in June, 2005. I have one brother and 2 parents. (So do 10,000 other graduates)
2) The next step up is the essay which is basically a laundry list of your accomplishments. Details and dates are given, but the important factors are left out. Example: You hosted a fundraiser for breast cancer and raised $2,000. You fail to explain what gave you the idea, or your connection to cancer, or how you got others involved and why you wanted to do this event.
3) Another serious essay flaw is omitting events, or pertinent explanations. It is necessary to explain weaknesses in your transcript or variations from the norm. Example: If you are a B+ student and have a C- in Music History, mention it ! Don't hope that they won't notice one poor grade - explain it. "Music is my weak area. Although I enjoyed the class, it is not my strength and I was heavily involved in the State track finals that semester. I recognize my limitations, and plan to expand my knowledge in this area by listening to a wide variety of recordings, such as classical and jazz, to broaden my listening abilities." Admit your flaws and tell them how you will overcome them.
4) Vision is the key. The admission counselor wants to get a sense of who you are when they are done reading your essay. Don't offer stock answers; let them see inside you. They want to take a peek into your dreams and aspirations. Don't be afraid to share part of yourself. Make yourself stand out - don't just be a name on a computer-generated page.
5) Finally, your essay should be polished and as professional as it can be. Use spell-check. Review the grammar and word usage. Have several people read it before you submit it - your friends, your parents and respected teachers or guidance counselors.
Homework: The Fiske Guide has some suggestions about essay writing - read those sections before beginning your essay. Just for the fun of it, check out this website which boasts the worst application first lines: http://world.std.com/~edit/ouch.htm
