What do college admission officers expect to see from an essay?
In my 3rd year English class, my teacher has been focusing on college essays for quite a while. My teacher however, doesn't focus specifically on the format or layout. Rather, he wants my essay to be 'unconventional' and simply out of the ordinary. What is expected of a standard college essay? What can be interpreted as unique? #college #college-admissions #college-bound #college-selection
8 answers
Meighan Middleton
Meighan’s Answer
It is much easier to stand out negatively with your admissions essay than it is to stand out positively.
Before you get creative, make sure you check you basics.
1. Proofread, proofread, proofread-be sure your essay is grammatically sound and you have no spelling errors. Also, be wary of the thesaurus function in Word. Most college admissions can tell if you selected a word from the dropdown menu, that doesn't quite fit with the rest of your essay. I second the recommendation to have a family member, teacher, or trusted mentor read your essay before you submit it.
2. Make sure you answer the essay question. We read some great essays that were clearly answering other admissions prompts than our own. Unfortunately, this was often viewed negatively, as each college admissions team sets their specific essay prompt for a simple reason. We want to know your answer to OUR question (*excluding common application essays).
3. Write your essay in the first person! This essay is about you. First person writing is likely different from much of the academic writing you have done throughout high school, but necessary for the college admissions essay.
4. Your essay is not a resume! Admissions officials have access to your grades, coursework, transcript, extracurricular activities, teacher's comments via their letters of recommendation, and often you resume (if you submit one). We use the essay to find out about you in a new way that's not already covered by any of the documentation above. It is a waste of an essay space to simply reiterate your accomplishments, however strong they may be. The one exception to this may be to tell us about a formative experience in your development that occurred during one of your extracurriculars, internships or work experiences, but do so with caution and make sure you are telling us something new.
Once you have these basics covered, now you can use your full creatively to write a compelling essay that stands out in a good way. Good luck!
Rachel’s Answer
Simeon’s Answer
Samantha’s Answer
Be yourself. That's a pretty cliche and overused phrase but it fits this situation well. Don't worry about specific formatting if the college does not provide any guidelines for you to follow. They want to see what you come up on your own that will impress them and make them feel good about choosing you to attend their school. Be sure to point out your desirable traits like persistence and good work-ethic and follow this general structure: 1) get my attention 2) tell me what you are going to tell me 3) tell me 4) tell me what you told me 5) wrap it up in a bow
Take that and run with it!
Eleanor’s Answer
I think they expect to see a well-written essay that describes your interest in getting a degree and why; why you want to attend their school, how it will contribute to your educational and vocational goals, and how you will use the tools you receive to contribute to your community or society in general.
Eleanor recommends the following next steps:
Matthew’s Answer
Nicholas, thanks for posting this question. It's definitely a good idea to explore as the next season of life approaches for you. Yes, your English teacher is right on the mark - make your essay about you, not about what you've done in terms of accomplishments and various awards, but more about your character. If I'm a college admissions office, I want to see who you are in the best way, even if you've made some mistakes. How did you learn from them? What prompted you to get where you are now? What obstacles did you face along the way? Give me an example of something you did that surprised others. When you provide a deeper narrative about a specific moment in your life that changed or affirmed who you are and what you're capable of doing, I'm very interested in what else you can do!
Best of luck!
Matt
Kayla’s Answer
Diversity! They want to see what sets you apart and makes you unique from other applicants. Whether that be your job experience, extra curricular, or even frame of mind. Write about something that is important to you that will let your voice come through. Try to come up with something that is unique and interesting. These people read hundreds of essays so if you can get yours to stand apart from others and stick in the mind of the admissions officer, you will diversify yourself from the crowd and have a better chance at being chosen.
Alexander’s Answer
I would focus on content and a style of writing that articulates your passions, creativity and style. Not everyone has a unique upbringing or a heartwarming story, but the skills, passions, and viewpoints that you bring to bear are. Use that to your advantage! Your sense of humor here is definitely one of the best tools you can use.
Alexander recommends the following next steps: