College application essays: in order to stand out, you must look in.
“When people ask me where I get my ideas, I laugh. How strange- we’re so busy looking out, to find ways and means, we forget to look in.”
-Ray Bradbury
It strikes me as odd (now that I have the benefit of 20 year’s hindsight) that so much pressure is put on us when we are but mere high school seniors. We exist in a strange purgatory between child and adulthood, hardly having lived 18 years on this planet. Then the time comes when we are expected to bare our souls to a college admissions board full of respected-yet-unfamiliar adults who don’t really know us. Our GPA and SAT scores hold hands with the dreaded admissions essay- completing our dossier and taking the leap toward securing a coveted spot at the university of our dreams- which may legit change our lives. No big deal.
We are given a topic and a roughly 650-word-limit and from that, the aforementioned board will judge us and decide our fate like a round table full of shadowy boogeymen from an Edgar Allen Poe story.
Now that I have a child myself (who will be writing his own essay by the time I’ve blinked), I’m thinking it’s time to take the pressure off once and for all. Let’s examine a few key elements to help students feel much more at ease about this stage of their application process.
You already have what you need: your personality and your experiences. Never stop being an individual- the less you try to fit a mold, the better.
As research for another project, I’ve looked at a few job applications within different service industries recently (barista and receptionist, for example). These are forward-facing positions which require a lot of teamwork, focus, attention to detail, and a kind attitude. The most common trend I’ve noticed is that the questions are more like short-answer exercises in self-reflection (i.e., “what are your hobbies outside of work?” or “what helps you handle stressful situations in a productive manner?”). What does this have to do with your essay? Well, think of a job application as great practice for how you want to present yourself to the school- they’re looking for first-years who will add value to their class- and not just on the basis of perfect grades. Students who will work well with others, be able to manage the stress of multiple assignments due at once, and who will find something they enjoy within the extracurricular structure the university offers. Trust me, a college admissions officer reads countless essays each week. They are not looking for the writer who sounds the smartest or appears to be good at everything; they’re looking for the writer who shows that they have character and are motivated to grow. Just as you want to prove to a potential employer that you’d be an asset to their team, you want to do the same with your (hopefully) future alma mater.
I cannot reiterate it enough: BE GENUINE. Whichever snapshot into your life you choose to put on paper, make sure it’s actually important and meaningful to you. I don’t use the word “snapshot” lightly, either; it’s a great idea to narrow your topic down and really focus on a piece of the experience which made an impact. You may never forget scoring the winning touchdown during the last 5 seconds of the championship game your senior year, but what about that day do you remember most vividly? What was the pinnacle moment within that broad experience? Was it later on in your room, when you took off your jersey and inhaled the grass and the sweat for the very last time? In the moments you stood there and realized the gravity of all those half-time pep talks -they’d steered you toward that one glorious moment- and how you can’t wait to bring that motivation and energy into your new school? You see? You thought the touchdown was “The End” when actually, the reflection that came later is the real meat-and-potatoes of what makes you interesting. This “micro analysis” of our experiences might take some time to flesh out and piece together in writing, but I promise it will be worth it- and you may find you really enjoy examining these memories through different lenses.
Once you’re secure in your topic and have outlined how you plan to respond, make sure you write several drafts. I highly recommend the first one being rather informal, leaning more toward stream of consciousness. Subsequent drafts will become much less narrative, however this exercise can help pinpoint what you want to say. Your final draft will be polished and will not reflect this style by the time you’re ready to submit- but I do believe in building confidence from the start. Speaking of submission, by the third round, please let as many objective sets of eyes as possible read your essay. Trusted teachers or a counselor/advisor would be splendid, if this is an option. Constructive criticism is just that, and it’s very helpful to remain open to this guidance. It’s also great practice for the many notes your future professors will decorate your work with. All of this is meant to help you, so please keep that in mind if you fear the red pen.
If you’re working on your essay right now and are looking for more guidance, need someone to proofread and edit, or all of the above- I can help! You or your guardian can contact me here.
The quote I opened this post with is from one of my all-time favorite authors. Mr. Bradbury wrote visceral stories- so vivid you could dream about them long after closing the book. He was not afraid to be an outlier, and in doing so has become unforgettable; a pillar of American literature in the 20th Century. Look within, forge your own path, and make sure your essay comes from the heart. If your inspiration is drawn from the life you’ve lived so far- I cannot wait to read about what you do with the next 20 years.
