Essays play a crucial role in college admission process
Iris Uriegas and Gaby Fernandez are top-notch students at Simon Rivera High School. They are the two highest-ranked seniors in their graduating class, are taking all advanced placement and dual credit courses and have done their share of extracurricular activities.
Getting into a good university should be a sure shot, their counselors said. But perhaps the most time—and thought—in the whirl of the college application process has been spent on their essays, they said. The two began thinking about their topics in September and are not quite through with them yet. And with good reason.
Competitive schools typically have about 30,000 students apply, but only have spots for 2,000, said Pilar Janis, higher education counselor for the Brownsville Independent School District. The college essay then becomes the most crucial component of the application process—the place for a student to stand out and gain an edge over their competitors, Janis said.
And for students who might not be the most well rounded— or the type colleges usually look for—the essay or personal statement is the place to make up for that.
So how to score a winning essay? Well, "there is no magic formula," as high school teacher Julie Puckett put it. But here are a few tips to follow.
First and foremost, the essay is about YOU, high school counselors and college admissions officers said. Even when the questions ask you to identify the most influential person in your life or your favorite historical figure—the trick is to talk about how those people have shaped your values and who you are.
If an essay asks you to talk about a moral or ethical dilemma you have faced or questions your views on a current event—do some research and provide some background but always come back to YOU.
"The main don’t when writing a college essay is to talk about anything other than yourself," said Gianna Filomeo, a recruitment officer at the University of California, Berkeley. "As much as (students) are willing to give us, we are willing to read."
Not focusing on you constitutes what Filomeo calls a "missed opportunity" because the college essay personalizes your application and gives recruitment officers a window into your life more than any of the other paperwork you have to fill out for the university.
Therefore, don’t repeat information already listed elsewhere on the application or on your resume, Janis said. A list of activities won’t do it—and do not write what you think the college wants to hear.
"The best essays tell a story that captures the heart of the reader," she said. "Your words need to show your personality and character."
Catching the theme here — write about you. But many times "that can be hard for students because — having been guided by friends and family for so long — many (teens) do not have a good idea of who they are," said Sandy Sierra, a guidance counselor at Rivera.
Brainstorming ideas can be difficult. So start early and talk to your friends, teachers and family members — anyone who knows you well — before sitting down to write, recommends Puckett, who teaches an ACT prep course at Rivera.
Try not to pick a topic overused, Fernandez said. But don’t think you have to come up with the greatest subject ever, either.
Whether the essay is a winner depends on "the effort you put into it and how you make it sound," Uriegas said.
And as Puckett added, "the best essay topics often come from very simple places."
Janis has a whole binder full of essays from students admitted into top state universities and Ivy League schools, such as Harvard and Princeton. In one, a student recounts her experience of learning how to ride a bicycle, and in another, a young woman tells a story about her "cochita," a baby blanket that provided her comfort during stressful times.
"Simple ideas written with great effort," Janis said."
Finally, putting together a well-written essay takes time. Give yourself plenty of it. Once you start the essay, put it down for a few days and then reread it to see if you can word your ideas in a better way. Great essays usually take anywhere from two weeks to a month to complete — sometimes longer.
And when you are finished — proofread, proofread, proofread and have your English teacher read it. The best essays can be completely knocked out of the competition by simple spelling and grammar mistakes. After all your hard work, don’t let that be yours.
Write a Better Essay:
*Start brainstorming early
*Look for simple ideas
*Talk to friends and family for suggestions
*Don’t repeat what is on your resume or application
*Tell a story about you—what are your values and who you are
*Don’t wait until the night before to start writing it
*Give yourself a lot of time to write
*Put it down for a few days and start again
*Proofread, proofread, proofread
*Have your teacher read it
