The Essay Is An Extension of You
Embrace
Yourself!
Article by: Tal Aviezer,
Inside Track Writing Consultant
How Not to Write Your College Application Essay
It’s no secret that college essays can be one of the most daunting
aspects of the application process for some students. What topic should I
choose? What questions should I answer? What kind of tone should I take? Is it
okay to be funny? What do I want to say
about myself, my accomplishments, and my future goals?
It’s also important to keep in mind that editing is a big part of
the creation of your essay. The process doesn’t end when you write the last
sentence. Your first draft is like a “rough cut” of a film. As an editor, it’s
time for you to review your work, and decide what is valuable in telling your
story, and what should be left on the cutting room floor.
Here are five general guidelines
to use and pitfalls to avoid:
- Details and specificity are better than broad generalities.
College admissions staff read a lot
of essays. The inclusion of a few choice details can lend your essay
specificity and help you stand out from the pack. For example, instead of
broadly stating that you “Enjoy volunteer work and love to help others,”
include mention of specific work you have done and specific situations:
“On Saturdays during the fall of my freshman year, I volunteered at the
Parkville Senior Center and became close with Mrs. Frankenhoffer, one of
the residents. She taught me how to play bridge and I taught her how to
use Facebook.” The details included in the second version help make a
stronger impression.
- Demonstrate your maturity. Your readers appreciate wisdom
and a sense of perspective. Look for ways to demonstrate emotional and
intellectual growth and lessons learned. Avoid describing events such as
losing a JV soccer game as “the worst pain and misery I have ever felt in
my life.” Avoid blanket unrealistic pronouncements such as, “I have
determined that from now on, for the rest of my life, I will never lose at
anything, no matter what.” Statements like these demonstrate a lack of
life experience, maturity, perspective, and acquired wisdom. Instead, you
may want to focus on drawing wisdom from defeat. Maybe it turned out you
didn’t need the affirmation of
being part of the Homecoming
Court in order to appreciate your self-worth.
Perhaps in losing that debate you gained insight into areas where you can
improve your skills. Although it was very difficult when your relative
passed away, maybe you discovered your gift of lending comfort and council
to others in grief.
- Avoid hyperbole and clichés. Did
your redesign of the fashion page of your school’s yearbook really make it
“a thousand times better”? Really? A thousand
times? It might be better to talk about how fashion is an important
form of self-expression for high school students struggling to define
themselves, and your layout redesign helped to capture the key looks and
styles of your graduating class. And about that solo you sang at the big
concert? Instead of saying you “reached out and melted the hearts of the
audience”, talk about exactly why you chose that song, or quote a specific
compliment you received about your performance.
- Don’t be afraid to be funny.
Everybody appreciates humor, and wit can greatly enhance your essay. Just
make sure not to sacrifice the essential substance of your piece for the
sake of excessive jokes.
- Share your work with others. You
don’t have to work in a vacuum! Show your essay to others whose opinions
you value. You may or may not agree with all of their feedback. As a
general rule, if you hear a piece of criticism from one person that
doesn’t seem correct to you, you may be safe in dismissing it. But if the
same or similar comment is made about your essay by three or four different people, it’s certainly
worth considering the consensus opinion and deciding whether a change
might be warranted.
