The College Essay
and the Application Process
When you app ly to a selective college or universi ty the admissions olilce collecls a fi le of Informalton about you thal will be used to make the admission decision
Just the Facts - Much of the information collected on the application form is factual you r name high school and contact Infor shymation for example Themiddotapplrcalron file also will incl ude details of your academic experience including your high school transcripts (wh ich include all courses taken and t he grades earned in each) and co llege entrance exam scores (SAT ACT TOEFL etc) Many applications also ask for details about extracurricular activ ities you enjoy Th ese could include clubs sports commushyni ly service or part-time jobs
The Big Picture - The tacts and figures of you r high school experience can provide lhe admissions offi ce with an indication of your read iness fo r college But how can you show the admiss ions office your personality How can you explain what makes you lick How can you express why you are interested in studying at a particular college Or univerSity The answer is the co llege essay
The college essay allows the adm issions office not only to lea rn more about you as a person bUl also t ~ep how wel l you th ink and write about y) Ir eperiences This brochure Includes helpful hints on cratt ing college essays that capture your persona lity and express your abilities
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Tips on Writing a College Essay
(-llege Escay 11lIows You to
bull Give the admissions staff a better undershystanding - beyond yOUI transcript test scores and list of actiVities - of who you are as an individual and how you may contribute to the campus community
bull Show the depth of interest and passion you have in an area
bull Expla in someth ing significant about yoursel f the admissions office wouldnt otherwise know
bull Show your reader tha t you can think logical ly and analytically
bull Set yourself apart from the many other applican ts who will apply With equally good academiC histories scores and recommenda tions
Its Jus Common Sense to
bull Answer the question
bull Comply with the requests of the applicat ion (essay length format etc) If you donl understand ask l
bull Do your own work
bull Type your essay double-spaced Make it tasy lor lhE reader
bull Se nd the correct essay with the correct application
Rememb
bull This IS the portion of your appl icat ion that IS lot ally under your immediate control
bull You r personality and charader should be I-eflected
Essay rt-gtecknst
Getti ng Started
U Gather the appropriate forms and read the instructions If you are unclear abou t the essay questions or instruct ions contact the school for clarification
G Begin the process well before deadlines to allow time for several drafts and proofshyreading You wan t to have Lime to do your best work
IJ Take some time to think Identity your interests and passions Think about your strengths and goa ls
l Spend some time journa llng or writing spontaneously on a va riety of topics This exerc ise will help you think about the aspects of your life that are important to you and tha t make you the person you are See Brainstorming Ideas for Your College Essay for several journaling topics
Writing the Essay
l Choose an appropriate topic Choose something real to write about shysometh ing you fee l strongly about and some thing you know well
J Remember your aud ience
lJ Focus on the ch osen tOpiC Reflect on whal you have to say so you exhib it depth
lJ Feel free to be provocative or funny if that IS who you t rulv are
J If fOCUSing on another person be sure to indicate in deta il and In a reflective way how that person has influenced your life
u If you choose to focus on an event in your past make sure it has relevance to who you are now Make the connection for your Ieader ae to how and why this past event may haVE bNn a turning point
After t he Essay Is Written
Cl Proofread Do not rely on a spell-checker to catch errors of syntax and homonyms Be sure your essay makes sense answers the question and provides the admisshysions office with a better understanding of who you are
ll Read your essay aloud Does it sound like you
J Make sure your essay is your own work
J Submit the essay and appli cation on time
IJ Keep a copy of all submitted materia ls for your files
Brainstorming Ideas
for Yur College Essay
bull Spend three minutes finishing the following sentence My best fr iend always says I
bull List four adjectives to describe yourself Now pick one and spend three minutes writing aboul thiS aspect of yourself
bull Introduce yourself to yo ur Ilew co ll ege roommate Think about the most meaningful ways 10 describe yo urself
GiWashingtonUniversity inStlDuis BRAINSTORMING IDEAS FOR YOUR COLLEGE ESSAY
Spend three minutes fmishing the following sentence
My best friend always says 1
List four adjectives to describe yourself 1________________________________________________________________
2________________________________________________________________
3________________________________________________________________
4________________________________________________________________
Now pick one of the above and spend three minutes writing about this aspect of
yourself
Introduce yourself to your new college roommate Think about the most meaningful
ways to describe yourself
For more information contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions Washington University Campus Box 1089 One Brookings Drive St Loui MO 63130-4899 _~~O_O) _38_-gggJ~J~~ ~35~~Oqq_~dJ~i_s~~o_n_S(i~~t~~~~ ~ctmJ~s5ons vu_s_tl ~ct~ ____ _
~WashingtonUniversity inStlouis
NOTES ON WRITING A COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAY
I F~~ ~~~i~i~~ti~~~-~~-tt-th~- Oifrc-e-r-u~d~~g~~ci~~te A~s~i~s-w~s-hi~gto-n- University Campus Box 1089 One Brookings Drive St Louis MO 63130-4 99 s~OL6_3_8__ Q0_C3J~J ~~~O~C _~d_ni_s~~o_n_s~~~edu admi~~lltI2~middot~_s~l~~c~ _ _
Tips on Writing a College Essay
(-llege Escay 11lIows You to
bull Give the admissions staff a better undershystanding - beyond yOUI transcript test scores and list of actiVities - of who you are as an individual and how you may contribute to the campus community
bull Show the depth of interest and passion you have in an area
bull Expla in someth ing significant about yoursel f the admissions office wouldnt otherwise know
bull Show your reader tha t you can think logical ly and analytically
bull Set yourself apart from the many other applican ts who will apply With equally good academiC histories scores and recommenda tions
Its Jus Common Sense to
bull Answer the question
bull Comply with the requests of the applicat ion (essay length format etc) If you donl understand ask l
bull Do your own work
bull Type your essay double-spaced Make it tasy lor lhE reader
bull Se nd the correct essay with the correct application
Rememb
bull This IS the portion of your appl icat ion that IS lot ally under your immediate control
bull You r personality and charader should be I-eflected
Essay rt-gtecknst
Getti ng Started
U Gather the appropriate forms and read the instructions If you are unclear abou t the essay questions or instruct ions contact the school for clarification
G Begin the process well before deadlines to allow time for several drafts and proofshyreading You wan t to have Lime to do your best work
IJ Take some time to think Identity your interests and passions Think about your strengths and goa ls
l Spend some time journa llng or writing spontaneously on a va riety of topics This exerc ise will help you think about the aspects of your life that are important to you and tha t make you the person you are See Brainstorming Ideas for Your College Essay for several journaling topics
Writing the Essay
l Choose an appropriate topic Choose something real to write about shysometh ing you fee l strongly about and some thing you know well
J Remember your aud ience
lJ Focus on the ch osen tOpiC Reflect on whal you have to say so you exhib it depth
lJ Feel free to be provocative or funny if that IS who you t rulv are
J If fOCUSing on another person be sure to indicate in deta il and In a reflective way how that person has influenced your life
u If you choose to focus on an event in your past make sure it has relevance to who you are now Make the connection for your Ieader ae to how and why this past event may haVE bNn a turning point
After t he Essay Is Written
Cl Proofread Do not rely on a spell-checker to catch errors of syntax and homonyms Be sure your essay makes sense answers the question and provides the admisshysions office with a better understanding of who you are
ll Read your essay aloud Does it sound like you
J Make sure your essay is your own work
J Submit the essay and appli cation on time
IJ Keep a copy of all submitted materia ls for your files
Brainstorming Ideas
for Yur College Essay
bull Spend three minutes finishing the following sentence My best fr iend always says I
bull List four adjectives to describe yourself Now pick one and spend three minutes writing aboul thiS aspect of yourself
bull Introduce yourself to yo ur Ilew co ll ege roommate Think about the most meaningful ways 10 describe yo urself
GiWashingtonUniversity inStlDuis BRAINSTORMING IDEAS FOR YOUR COLLEGE ESSAY
Spend three minutes fmishing the following sentence
My best friend always says 1
List four adjectives to describe yourself 1________________________________________________________________
2________________________________________________________________
3________________________________________________________________
4________________________________________________________________
Now pick one of the above and spend three minutes writing about this aspect of
yourself
Introduce yourself to your new college roommate Think about the most meaningful
ways to describe yourself
For more information contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions Washington University Campus Box 1089 One Brookings Drive St Loui MO 63130-4899 _~~O_O) _38_-gggJ~J~~ ~35~~Oqq_~dJ~i_s~~o_n_S(i~~t~~~~ ~ctmJ~s5ons vu_s_tl ~ct~ ____ _
~WashingtonUniversity inStlouis
NOTES ON WRITING A COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAY
I F~~ ~~~i~i~~ti~~~-~~-tt-th~- Oifrc-e-r-u~d~~g~~ci~~te A~s~i~s-w~s-hi~gto-n- University Campus Box 1089 One Brookings Drive St Louis MO 63130-4 99 s~OL6_3_8__ Q0_C3J~J ~~~O~C _~d_ni_s~~o_n_s~~~edu admi~~lltI2~middot~_s~l~~c~ _ _
GiWashingtonUniversity inStlDuis BRAINSTORMING IDEAS FOR YOUR COLLEGE ESSAY
Spend three minutes fmishing the following sentence
My best friend always says 1
List four adjectives to describe yourself 1________________________________________________________________
2________________________________________________________________
3________________________________________________________________
4________________________________________________________________
Now pick one of the above and spend three minutes writing about this aspect of
yourself
Introduce yourself to your new college roommate Think about the most meaningful
ways to describe yourself
For more information contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions Washington University Campus Box 1089 One Brookings Drive St Loui MO 63130-4899 _~~O_O) _38_-gggJ~J~~ ~35~~Oqq_~dJ~i_s~~o_n_S(i~~t~~~~ ~ctmJ~s5ons vu_s_tl ~ct~ ____ _
~WashingtonUniversity inStlouis
NOTES ON WRITING A COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAY
I F~~ ~~~i~i~~ti~~~-~~-tt-th~- Oifrc-e-r-u~d~~g~~ci~~te A~s~i~s-w~s-hi~gto-n- University Campus Box 1089 One Brookings Drive St Louis MO 63130-4 99 s~OL6_3_8__ Q0_C3J~J ~~~O~C _~d_ni_s~~o_n_s~~~edu admi~~lltI2~middot~_s~l~~c~ _ _
~WashingtonUniversity inStlouis
NOTES ON WRITING A COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAY
I F~~ ~~~i~i~~ti~~~-~~-tt-th~- Oifrc-e-r-u~d~~g~~ci~~te A~s~i~s-w~s-hi~gto-n- University Campus Box 1089 One Brookings Drive St Louis MO 63130-4 99 s~OL6_3_8__ Q0_C3J~J ~~~O~C _~d_ni_s~~o_n_s~~~edu admi~~lltI2~middot~_s~l~~c~ _ _
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