I gave a presentation on College Essay Writing Tips last night and thought it might be helpful to put up on my blog! After working at Lehigh for over ten years, I've read hundreds, if not thousands of essays and have some tips to share with prospective students. Here goes!
1. Don't worry so much about WHAT the topic is, worry about HOW the essay is written. Too many times students get hung up on what the college admissions office might want to hear,and they lose sight of things like grammar! You wouldn't believe how many errors we see. One of the "best" ones in our office is the student that talked about going hunting with his grandfather. It was an important part of his life, and a great bonding experience for both of them. Well, he talked about shooting peasants. He meant to say PHEASANTS! Don't let that happen to you! Make sure to write a draft, just like in English class. Write it, review it, sleep on it --- then draft again. and again, and again. Have your peers read it, have a family member read it. Don't just trust spellcheck!!!
2. Be yourself and make your essay personal. Tell a story about your favorite high school experience, an achievement for which you're especially proud or an event that had an impact on who you are. Admissions Offices want to know what you bring to their community and the essay is your opportunity to bring your application to life.
3. Stick to the topic and answer the question. You'd be surprised to see how many students write an essay that reads like a resume and then ultimately don't answer what's asked of them.
These are just a few tips that I thought would be helpful. Happy writing!
Friday, September 18, 2009
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