College Essays: A High School Senior’s Perspective
By: Beamlak Tekeba
24/7 Writing and Communications Superstar and Freshman, Harvard University - 2023
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College Essays: A Senior’s Perspective
College applications are a rite of passage, and so are the feelings of intimidation and confusion that come along with it. And of course, the most dreaded part of the process: college essays. But don’t worry, I’m here to provide some much-needed humor and a lot of helpful advice to make the process a little less terrifying. Take it from a seasoned veteran who just finished their application cycle… it’s not as bad as you might think, and quite honestly, I’d say it’s the most rewarding part of the entire experience. Wherever you might be in the process, whether you’re just starting or knew-deep in drafts, this guide is for you. So sit back, grab your stress toy (or laptop if you’re feeling productive), and let’s tackle these essays together.
What Are College Essays and Why do They Matter?
Though the whole college application process does seem like a shot in the dark, your essays are a critical component within your control that allows you to best represent yourself to admissions officers. Though often considered the most intimidating part of the whole process, college essays are the best way to distinguish yourself as an individual and not as a statistic— who’s the person behind the numbers and the grades?
From your stats, admissions officers can glean your academic capabilities—after all, universities are essentially academic institutions, and so this is important. However, in increasingly competitive application pools, many applicants have good grades so… what makes you unique? Sure, your academic prowess is important, but your essays are where you can showcase your passion, lived experiences, values, and opinions. The personality you spent years inadvertently developing is an integral part of what you have to offer to a college community besides your smarts, and your essays are the best place to showcase it.
Admission officers want to know if you’ll be a good fit for their community and what you can bring to the table. Can you be a supportive and open-minded roommate? Can you handle the inevitable ups and downs of college life? Will you be a valuable addition to their student body? Your essays, along with other parts of your application, aim to answer these questions. So don't slack off and think your good grades will be enough – make sure to put some effort into those essays.
So, where to start?
Planning Essays: Timeline, Essay Types, and Number of Schools
In general, there are two main types of college essays you’ll have to write: the large (650-word) common app essay and school-specific essays for every college you apply to. Arguably, the common app essay is considered the most important, as it is the one you will send to all universities to which you apply through the common app. The common app generally opens in August, but 7 common app prompts don’t vary significantly from year to year, so it’s possible to get started on this essay earlier, even nearing the end of junior year. This essay is the longest and will take the most time, and so starting it early, preferably as early as June, will give you plenty of time to explore different ideas and have multiple drafts. Starting early doesn’t mean days of continuous writing, but rather will afford you break periods to reflect on your ideas and further develop them.
School-specific essay prompts (which tend to vary from year to year) typically become available in September, and the number of additional essays you will have to write will depend on the number of schools you apply to. Having your college list finalized by the summer would make it very easy to plan the upcoming few months. Applying to a larger number of universities could possibly increase your number of acceptances, especially if you’re looking for a lot of need-based aid or require large scholarships. However, it also could mean compromising on essay quality and taking up a significant amount of time as well as application fees, so the pros and cons are up for you to weigh. Here at 24/7 Teach, we recommend no more than 7 colleges.
Here are some tips to help you handle school-specific essays efficiently:
Give them adequate attention: school-specific essays are just as important as the Common App essay and provide an opportunity to express yourself from a different angle.
Reuse essays: consider creating a "super essay" that you can easily adapt to answer different prompts. For example, an essay you wrote about teamwork can be repurposed to answer questions about leadership and challenges you've overcome.
Do the optional essays: there's no such thing as optional when it comes to college applications. Some colleges consider demonstrated interest, and completing optional essays can help you stand out. In addition, it’s free real estate to advertise yourself—use it!
The "why us" essay is important: take time to research each school and demonstrate why not only is the school the one for you, but also how you'd be a great fit for the university. Mention specific professors, unique courses, or clubs and initiatives that align with your interests.
Writing Essays:
Experiences and Brainstorming (Interesting and Representative)
College essays aren’t spaces to blankly list your characteristics. As with any essay, they’re supposed to engage the reader, support the claims you make about yourself, and reveal a deeper aspect of your personality. Hence, a general rule of thumb is that they’re always rooted in experience. The events and experiences you live through do much to shape your character but are also mediums to showcase it. However, especially faced with an empty screen, it’s easy to draw a blank when trying to think of meaningful experiences. A good way to avoid writer’s block is to develop a journaling habit during high school, jotting down any events that have particularly impacted you or even made you laugh. When faced with the ominous blank page during application season, flipping through your journal can definitely serve as inspiration.
However, journaling isn’t for everybody, and if you find yourself short on time or just don’t find the entire process engaging, consider asking the people closest to you about specific memories you share. Your parents, friends, and even teachers and siblings are a great source of memorable anecdotes that you can use. Sometimes, however, a quiet brainstorming session is plenty enough as well. Consider any specific stories you tell about yourself when you meet new people. What’s your most impactful childhood memory?
Values and the value of extracurriculars
The key to writing a standout essay is meaningful reflection about these experiences, and one great place to start is with your extracurricular activities. Take the time to be conscious about why you chose to dedicate so much time to the specific activities you are engaged in. Did you participate in Chess Club because of the problem-solving challenges, or because you enjoy taking creative risks with your pawns? Take time to think about why you do what you do. This is a great place to discover some interesting facts about yourself, and naturally leads to identifying what your values are. Even before starting to write your essays, knowing what you find important will allow you to construct a complete and cohesive picture of yourself within your essays.
Your voice
Lastly, read read read! Instead of reading “essays that worked” online, take the time to read articles, biographies and novels, and experiment with creative writing in your free time. This will help you develop your own distinctive voice, making you memorable and true to yourself. In addition, a developed written expression greatly contributes to an engaging essay. Do you have a knack for puns and humor? Are you good at including abstract symbolism in your writing? Be creative and be evaluative: find the voice you excel in, develop it, and show it off!
Writer’s Block and Drafts
Quite honestly, writer’s block is your worst enemy. However, it's important to remember that you're not alone in experiencing this challenge. These are some of the best ways to beat writer’s block:
Take a break: Truly, the white screen can be intimidating. Take time to refresh yourself and come back with fresh ideas and a clear head.
Multiple drafts: Waiting for the perfect idea can lead to procrastination and even more writer's block. By creating multiple drafts with different ideas, you can review and select the best one. Remember, the first draft doesn't have to be perfect, and you'll have the opportunity to revise and refine your work later.
Just start: It's natural to feel pressure to come up with the perfect opening line or paragraph, but sometimes, just starting to write and letting your ideas flow can help you overcome writer's block. Keep in mind that essay writing is an iterative process, and multiple drafts are inevitable, so don't worry too much about perfecting your language in the first draft.
Editing:
Evaluating your essays
The final step is to evaluate your work beyond the basic spelling and grammar checks (though those are invaluable— don’t skip them! Read through your work once again, keeping these criteria in mind.
Is your anecdote authentic? The more you write from your unique perspective, the more distinctive your essay will be.
Is it vulnerable? Directly linked to honesty, your college essays are the place to be you, so don’t be afraid to admit to weaknesses as long as you can show deeper insights into what you’ve learned and how you grew in the process.
Finally, make sure your work is impactful. No matter how beautifully written your essay is, the effect it has on your reader is more determined by its contents. What do you reveal about yourself that might stick in someone’s mind for days?
Feedback Cycles, Grammar Check, and Spelling (And the All-Too-Common Wrong School Name!)
In conclusion, It's important to have multiple feedback cycles from trusted friends, family, or professionals. Ideally, you want feedback from two perspectives: one person who can objectively assess your grammar usage and catch the mistakes you may have missed and someone who knows you well enough to provide feedback on how well your essay represents you. However, be careful not to have too many people provide feedback on your work, as it could lead to conflicting pressures and a dilution of your own ideas.
Also, it may sound obvious, but it's surprising how easy it is to make silly mistakes when reusing school-specific essays, such as not replacing the college’s name accurately. Triple-check everything before submitting your application to ensure that it's error-free and represents you.
Did you know the earlier you start the college application process, the easier it is? If you are ready to start thinking about the college application process, set up a free strategy call with one of our 24/7 College Admissions specialists and learn everything you need to create a successful college application plan for yourself or your teen.
