Counseling Corner: The beginning of the school year means college application time
While senior students are getting back into the swing of school, it’s time for them to begin thinking about post-secondary plans and to start their college applications.
In the fall, seniors will meet with their counselors and complete a Senior Interview. During that meeting, counselors will discuss specific post-secondary plans with students and will guide them through the application process. Below are some tips for writing a college application essay.
Do’s and Don’ts on writing the college application essay
Do’s
- Keep your focus narrow and personal
Your essay must prove a single point or thesis. The reader should be able to find your main idea and follow it from beginning to end. Ask someone to read just your introduction to see what he or she thinks your essay is about.
- Prove it
Develop your main idea with vivid, specific facts, events, quotations, examples and reasons. There’s a big difference between simply stating a point of view and letting an idea unfold in the details.
- Be Specific
To avoid clichéd, generic and predictable writing, use vivid, specific details.
Don’ts
- Don’t tell your readers what you think they want to hear
Bring something new to the table – not just what you think admissions officers want to hear.
- Don’t write a résumé
Don’t include information found elsewhere in the application. Your essay will end up sounding like an autobiography, travelogue or laundry list.
- Don’t use 50 words when five will do
Eliminate unnecessary words.
- Don’t forget to proofread
Typos and spelling or grammatical errors can be interpreted as carelessness or just bad writing. Don’t rely on your computer to catch your mistakes.
Source: College Counseling Sourcebook, 4th Edition