So then... want makes a good college essay? How can you write about something that you enjoy that comes naturally in such a high-stress and deadline-orientated process? After all, this is one of your only chances to give me, the Admission staff member, some insight into who you are aside from just the ACT and AP Calculus. Let me see if I can help you all out a bit by offering three pieces of advice. One, stick to the basics. Two, be yourself. And three, spellcheck.
Lets start with the first piece of advice, which may be the toughest one to follow. This essay doesn't not need to be complex. It does not need to solve world hunger nor does it need to be the next great American novel. To be honest, some of the best essays I get are on the most simple topics. I find many students really try to dig for a tragedy in their life or find these incredibly deep and introspective topics to wow me with. Sometimes, simple is better. The best essays I read last year were about the all-star baseball player spending every day after practice teaching this one elementary school kid in the lower income neighborhood how to pitch. Or the girl who wrote about the family dinners she had growing up in a half black and half Chinese household (fried chicken and fried rice... chuckle, chuckle). You know that old adage, KISS? Keep It Simple, Stupid! Well, guys, KISS this essay. Write about your house growing up. Your first Green Day concert. Your Dad. Its up to you. I think writing about a noun is a good idea- an object or thing that's played a big role in your life.
Second. Be yourself. Sounds easy, but its really not. You will feel like you are bragging or feel weird writing this expose on yourself. Don't feel that way- just let it flow. The best tip I saw was from this article in Atlanta paper where Dean Jordan at Emory says that the writer should be "less concerned about what we want and more concerned about what you want us to know about you." I agree. This should be your voice and your passion. Don't fluff this up with extravagant vocabulary. Write in your own voice about your own passions. Keep a journal for a few weeks and see how you write. That should be how this essay is written. My colleague Ffiona Reese from UCLA once told a group of students on a panel that we were on that if a student left their essay in a classroom without their name on it, and a classmate picked it up, would that classmate know exactly who the essay was about by reading it? If the answer is yes, you're on the right track.
Lastly, spell check. This is your best-foot-forward essay. Now I know I said keep it casual, simple and be yourself, but this should still be a well structure and error-free writing sample. We know not everyone's an English major and we aren't expecting you to be, but we are expecting an essay that has been well reviewed and edited.
One more thing; I just wanted to let you know about a few topics that I get frequently. A lot. I'm not saying these are bad topics, I am merely suggesting that if you write on these topics in a way that does not relate them back to you, then you will be a dime a dozen. Grandmas, summer camp, mission trips, Harry Potter and vacations. None of them are BAD topics, per se, just... overused.
Now break out that laptop. Find a good writing spot, keep things simple and write in your own voice. Then spellcheck that voice. Good luck!
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