Lesson 5: The College Application
The Bottom Line
Most college-bound students find the essay portion of the application the most frustrating. The entire application process is stressful. Don't make yourself crazy over this! Do the best you can - be honest, be sincere, don't exaggerate. Let them get to know the real you.
After you have given your heart and soul to the essay, don't forget to go over the basics: spelling, punctuation et al. Have several people read it. Put it down for a few days. Come back to it and re-read it. Does it capture the essence of who you are? Are you happy with it? If you read this essay would you be touched by it? Is it the best work you can submit at this point in your life?
Note to parents: Your expectations of the application may not be your child's. Be supportive, but be realistic. While you might think your child's piano debut at age 6 is worthy of inclusion in the application, your child may feel strongly that the change from bench-warmer to starter in senior year was his greatest achievement. Let him/her go with his inclinations. This is the student's application; the counselor wants to get to know him/her and what is important to this young adult.
Note to students: While the essay is important, it is not the only thing that will make/break your college acceptance. Don't sweat it. Do the best you can. Be honest. Be real. Be you. And then, go on with your life. Life is full of difficult decisions and choices. This is just one of many. Learn to adjust, regroup and adapt to the situation at hand.
