Writing a College Admission Essay
How to Write a Personal Statement for College Application
Aug 19, 2009
For years college admission counselors have had to determine which students should be admitted to the college. Many applications look the same: high grade point average, involvement in extracurricular activities, and outstanding ACT or SAT scores. To individualize the application admission offices now require a college admission essay or personal statement essay.
The Personal College Admission Essay Format
One aspect that admission offices look for in the college admission essays is proper essay format. High school English teachers spend numerous hours teaching this process. Each essay needs to have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The introduction and conclusion usually are a paragraph long while the body can be many paragraphs. Remember that each paragraph needs to have three to four complete sentences.
Correct Usage of the English Language
Grammatical errors complicate the flow of the essay. Readers become side tracked by the errors instead of understanding for the main concept of the essay. Also, the use of slang words can also detract the reader. Be sure to have at least two people read the essay for grammatical errors.
Create an Essay Using the Prompt
Colleges will choose an essay prompt to allow the student to differentiate themselves from other applicants. Some prompts may be to write a personal statement, and others may be a variation of it like asking applicants to describe themselves using calculus terms. Whatever the prompt, the college is trying to get the applicant to express who they are and why that specific college is for that student.
The college admission essay should take on the feel of the student’s own personality and/or individual experiences. Remember the admission office wants a diverse student body, so students who express individuality will be more likely to gain admission. Be sure to specifically answer the essay prompt within the essay.
Brainstorm the Contents to Add to the Essay
Students should read the prompt/question and immediately begin to write down any words or phrases that come to mind. Taking twenty minutes to complete this activity will provide enough time to fully think of examples. Then students should re-read the words/phrases one at a time. After each word/phrase they can continue to write down more ideas or examples associated with word/phrase.
Here is an example. The college admission essay prompt is to tell the committee why the student would be a good match for the college. The student can immediately begin to write down individual traits they possess (German Club President, work with the elderly, dedicated to studying, have a goal to become a teacher, etc.). Additionally, the student can record elements of the college that interests them. This can be done by reviewing the college’s website and noting all elements that interest them (Student Council, community service within the city, student teaching in urban areas, studying abroad, etc.)
Upon brainstorming the initial words/phrases, students can begin to marry the individual traits to the school offerings. Here is an example statement. Currently, I am the German Club President at ABC High School. Through this experience our club has taken two trips to Germany and lived with host families. The German Language is a passion of mine, and I would like to continue to studying it at XYZ College. Additionally, I would also like to participate in the semester study abroad option to Germany to study the language and culture to open my mind further to other cultures. Also, I noticed that XYZ does not offer a German Club, so I would be very interested in taking the steps to begin a club with other students who have my same interest in the German Language.
Overall, the college admission essay is a heavy factor for college admission. Students need to create an essay that is both structurally sound and expressive of individuality. A second pair of eyes is needed to review the essay for errors and critique. Once the essay has gone through a few revisions and has been proofread, then the essay is ready to be submitted.
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