Do you know how to write a college application essay?
If not, read on! Your dedicated Prep scholastic advisor will create your perfect college application essay, from the ground up, right here on the web. We will learn your academic background and interests, explore essay themes,
and walk you through the essay writing process, step by step. By the time you are finished reading this article, you will know how to write a college application essay.
Why should you care about how to write a college application essay?
Well, it is imperative that you take your college application essay seriously. Since the admission process at many colleges is subjective and individualized, every student’s essay will be unique. That said, however, there are a number of general strategies that many students use when structuring their own essays. The first strategy that many students employ is to divide the essay into two separate sections – a personal essay and a college application essay. You must remember, however, that every admissions officer is only interested in one half of your complete college application essay.
Although it may seem tempting to divide the essay into two parts, this tactic will not help you obtain admittance to a prestigious college. To convince an admissions officer that you are worthy of admittance, the entire essay must be presented in order to “splash” over their pages. Including only a personal introduction will not persuade the admissions officer that you are a good candidate.
In addition to having a college application personal essay that focuses on your individual talents and achievements, you must construct an impressive, three-part college application essay that highlights the positives regarding your high school and college career as well as the positives that the admissions officer will see in you. The first part of this three-part essay should discuss why you are interested in the college of your choice. Include information about what types of
courses you took during your high school career, any awards or honors you received, or any special skills that you possess now as a student or a new adult. This will give the admissions officer reasons to believe that you will be a successful college student.
2nd part of your college application essay
In the second part of your college application essay, you must take a close look at the college in which you are applying. List the most attractive features of the college and how these attributes directly pertain to the position for which you are applying. You can draw on previous college and university essays that have been written about these exact subjects, or if you cannot locate any articles written about the college, you can conduct online research to find details about the faculty, student body, and student support services that are offered at each institution.
3rd part of your college application essay
Finally, the third part of your college application essay must take into consideration your test scores. Most college admission committees are very interested in an applicant’s test scores, even though they are not the only factor that they consider. The admissions officers realize that a prospective student who has performed well in his or her high school classes may not be ready for college-level academic work. They do, however, consider test scores highly indicative of a student’s academic ability, so you should spend time researching test scores carefully and
briefly mentioning why you are interested in taking the SAT or ACT.
Final part
The fourth and final part of your college essay is not nearly as exciting as the other three. That part involves giving some thought to other fields for which you might wish to seek a degree. This section will allow you to mention any extracurricular activities that you have participated in, any extracurricular activities that you feel could be useful to you in your studies, and even lists of honors you have received throughout your academic career. Colleges and universities are particularly intrigued by transfer students, so you should spend some time considering what types of transfer credits you may have received.
As you can see, there are many different components to great college essays. If you follow the suggestions outlined above, you should have no problem compiling an impressive list of your accomplishments. Just remember that you should always begin with a solid idea of how you want to present your case. The prompt will help you achieve this goal, as will your choice of words and your use of them in your writing. Stay organized and stay focused, and you should have no trouble creating a compelling essay that you will be proud to present to your future college admissions officer.