Writing A College Essay

Writing A College Essay “The essay does not have to be about something huge, some life-changing event,” says Calvin Wise, director of recruitment at Johns Hopkins University. It’s acceptable to look at someone else’s essay as a sample and a creative tool. It is not OK to copy it or to excerpt anything without proper credit. And don’t even think about having someone else - parent, friend, tutor or writing service â€" create your essay for you. Big Future, run by the College Board, has sample essays and tips. The body of the essay is where you make the sale that your thesis is true. Not even famous writers get it right the first time. Get the College Application Blueprint for Ivy League experts' guidance to help you build a successful college application. It was then that I decided to no longer bite my tongue. There were numerous times when I opened up a Google doc and stared at a blank screen, only to inevitably get distracted by Facebook and not get anything accomplished. ” From there, I started cultivating this list of essay topics, character traits, experiences, and even some random sentences that I ended up using in my final essay. Varying your word choices keeps your copy fresh and holds the reader’s attention. Above all, look for words or phrases that can be cut out of your essay to leave just the very best of what you have to say. It is important to think deeply about the meaning of things in your life. Determine what about your experience is unique to you. That’s what will make your story different from the next essay in the pile. Ask someone to help you proofread for spelling and grammar. And be you follow the essay guidelines as far as word count and topic are concerned. Leave your reader with a takeaway or something to think about. Here’s the conclusion of the Skyline College essay sample. Your intro tells your reader what to expect from your essay. It combined parts of my initial drafts into something completely new. Other topics that I ultimately rejected for my Common App essay actually went to be the focal point of other essays. The college wants to know if you can follow directions and how creative you can be within set limitations. And pay close attention to your transitions from one section to the next. When you’re nearing the end of your essay, it’s time to put the finishing touches on it with a separate closing paragraph. The conclusion is where you bring together all of the elements you previously mentioned in the other sections. No, you don’t have to mention each one explicitly, but your conclusion should cover most of what you addressed in your essay, and make a good clean end to your narrative path. In a dramatic and powerful conclusion is where you want to spell out, in a bold manner, any ideas you’ve been hinting at throughout the essay. When you have a good hook in your introduction, you increase the chances that your essay will be effective. Transitions should give information, not just be links. Beware of words like “but” or “meanwhile” as transitions. The classic essay starts with an introductory statement that hooks the reader and continues with a strong topic sentence. It ends with a strong closing paragraph or summation. Think of it as a brief roadmap that begins with an intriguing opening line, includes a quick summary of the topic and ideas you’ll present, and concludes with a thesis statement. By the end of the research and planning process, you’ll feel energized and ready to write about all this interesting stuff your research has uncovered. My third essay draft started with the idea “I’m not afraid to speak up. I refuse to stay silent.” I brainstormed how I came to have this character trait and intersections of it with my Asian-American identity. I ultimately told the story of slam poetry night at Governor’s School, the first time that I really pushed myself out of my comfort zone to speak about a racial issue. My final draft is multifaceted, showing my personal growth in context of the frustration and empowerment rooted in my Asian-American identity.