Up until a few years ago, students wrote their college essays in the fall of their senior year. A few very motivated students started their essays in the summer, but the vast majority of seniors began and finished their college essays between September and December. These days, college essays are diligently worked on year round. Gaining entrance to college has gotten harder as more and more qualified applicants compete for a limited number of spaces, so the importance of the essay has grown. The truth is that a well-crafted essay, written in a clear and compelling voice, can mean the difference between acceptance and rejection. But when you read what college admissions experts have to say about writing the essay, your eyes will cross. Most experts agree that it must provide a sense of “who you are ”–intellectually and personally. But you should convey “who you are” without writing about academic, athletic or extracurricular achievements already noted in the general application. The experts offer advise on what to write about (choose a topic that “says something about you”) and how to write it (show your preferences, values and thought processes concisely and without striving to be humorous…but don’t be dull). They recommend revealing something of your personality as it relates to a particular school, but not to tell the admissions officers what you think they want to hear.
So how do you take all that advice and turn it into a winning college application essay? For many students, it can be an intimidating task. You need to find a good topic. You need to structure the essay and draft it in a voice that rings true for you. And you need to revise it until you feel it reflects something authentic and unique about yourself, in a way that will capture the reader’s attention.
If all that seems daunting, I can help.
I work with students as they navigate the college essay process – from brainstorming ideas with them to helping them organize, draft, revise, edit and polish their essays. Students I have worked with have been accepted to a long list of colleges and universities including: Bowdoin College, Columbia University, Drexel University, George Washington University, McGill University, New York University, Reed College, Rutgers University (Honors program), Tulane University, University of Maryland, University of Michigan, University of Vermont, and Wesleyan College.
I am a published author and illustrator (www.irenekellybooks.com), a Writing Consultant at Columbia University, and a personal Writing Coach. I look forward to telling you more about how I can help your student as he or she confronts that pesky college essay.
Email: irenekelly@verizon.net
