Deciding where you want to go to college can be a tough process, but the work doesn't end there. Your next step is to do your best to ensure that you are granted admission. One way to do so is to take the time to really think through the kind of things that you discuss in your application essay. The main goal of the essays is to differentiate yourself from the other students who want your slot in the freshman class. You need to be taken seriously as a success-focused young adult and here are a few ways to get started:
1. Focus on yourself more than your accomplishments. Although you do want to communicate your various activities and memberships during your school years, it's important to remember to give an idea of who you are as a person. For example, why did you opt to participate in band rather than sports?
2. Give specific details about your goals. Even if you don't know exactly what you want to major in, it's important to let the administration board know what you hope to get from your college experience. Everyone wants to learn and have more time to grow, but do you want to have the opportunity to live away from home and meet a diverse new group of people in the process? If so, this is your chance to explain why.
3. Forget the resume. Your high school transcripts and resume will be outline somewhere else within the application packet. The essays isn't about your accomplishments, it's more about the lessons you've learned while living thus far. Instead of listing your clubs and sports yet one more time, this is where you mention how your role on the student council reinforced your desire to let every voice be heard in policy making. Do you see the difference?
4. Once you've completed your first draft if you still feel that your essay isn't representative enough of who you are intellectually, consider adding a paragraph or two that sheds some light. There are many ways to do so, such as telling about how a piece of art or a style of music has inspired you in your life. Or maybe you could discuss a book that you recently read and how it impacted your understanding of yourself or the world you live in. Again, this will likely be your only chance to let your chosen university see who you are.
Now that you have a good idea how to get started, try to lighten up and enjoy the process. Many times the act of writing the essay itself serves to enlighten the writer as well.
Julie Clark Robinson is a staff writer for the American Educational Guidance Center. She covers topics which include online degree programs, scholarships for adult students, college, financial aid, and internships for college students.
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