tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6728787618205286922024-03-07T22:07:53.894-08:00Nail That EssayThe Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-62641927011116752062012-04-29T23:29:00.005-07:002012-04-29T23:29:54.946-07:00Where have I been? Good question. Researching and writing. New book due out in July (just chose the cover last week)! Lots of new strategies for successful essays. There will be posts :-)The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-37941254604474862412009-10-15T06:09:00.000-07:002009-10-15T06:21:56.761-07:00Bad Topic 2Another way to waste the application essay is to omit the evidence. You are working to show who you are. You have thoughts about that, reflections on what you've learned or done. But if you don't give the reader evidence of the truth of your assertions, then, as with a school essay, you're wasting paper.<br /><br />Remember how your teachers kept saying "Show, don't tell"? Same deal here.<br /><br /><em>My parents have always been there for me.</em><br /><br />Glad to hear it. But <strong><em>show </em></strong>the reader what you mean<br /><br /><em>My Mom--and surprisingly often my step-dad, too--stood on the sidelines, even when their shoes filled with water, to see me get muddy, get mugged, and (once in awhile) score a goal.</em><br /><em></em><br />Ok....now I believe you.The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-49605218153336023392009-10-14T06:24:00.000-07:002009-10-14T07:02:26.364-07:00Bad TopicA lot of advice columns and wasted breath is spent telling kids what they shouldn't write about. Hopefully, you already understand that there are no wrong topics, as long as you are writing about YOU. Keep your strengths and personality tight in the cross-hairs, and you can't miss.<br /><br />But are there wrong topics? Should you stay away from a trip, a school play, a team, the divorce, an illness? Not if you can write about these topics and show something meaningful about yourself in the process.<br /><br />One wrong topic, for sure, is "what they want to hear." What do admission counselors want to hear? Just a little bit of vivid info about you. Praise of the excellence of their world-class institution: no thanks. Encomiums to the faculty based on your occasional attendance at football games with your alumni parents: not so much. Your plans to cure cancer while toiling in their labs: I think not. Just "tell us about yourself." That's quite enough.The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-68206704360661652432009-10-12T18:14:00.000-07:002009-10-12T18:27:11.586-07:00Think SmallAlthough the colleges are pointing you toward big topics, asking you for a significant event or an issue of global importance, it's best to think small.<br /><br />I blame the colleges a little for their wording. By using the word "<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">significant</span>," they suggest that there are subjects in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">everyone's</span> life that fall into a sort of MAJOR EVENT category. And probably, at the end of your life, you'll think there <em>were</em> two or three of those. But at 17--give me a break. I really hope nothing profound, devastating, or horrific has happened <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">to you</span>. But I've <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">talked</span> to kids who actually thought it would have been a little more helpful if the parents had gotten a divorce--that's the least they could do to provide good material. In fact, sometimes writers are tempted to "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">borrrow</span> suffering" for this topic and end up writing <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">about</span> someone they <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">know</span> who knew someone who's uncle died in the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">World</span> Trade Center collapse. Or a friend who's Mom is now tragically ill.<br /><br />Don't do this. The <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">significance</span> is something you add, not something inherent in the event. We all know a look, an hour, a pair of green sneakers, a forgotten photo, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">a word</span> from a great teacher, a new book can have a big impact.<br /><br />Once you've decided what you want to convey about yourself, think small and make the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">event</span> important by what you tell us about it, not by the fact it ought to have qualified for Ripley's <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Believe</span> It or Not. Think small....and make that small event significant. Otherwise, you'll have to start searching through your life for tragedy.The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-31091810038293968902009-10-02T15:10:00.000-07:002009-10-02T15:23:00.741-07:00Looking for a LensRemember that your list is a list of characteristics you want the college to know about. It's a list of personal strengths and talents. Qualities that recommend you for inclusion into a group. It's not resume items or things you've accomplished.<br /><br />When a student says "I'm writing about my trip to France" I worry that they are thinking that colleges need kids who've been to France. WRONG.<br /><br />Colleges need students who are thoughtful, creative, energetic--they need enthusiastic organizers, curious researchers, and open-minded thinkers--young people who will test and challenge the ideas around them. So fill your list with personal characteristics and then find a lens through which your reader can see one of them.<br /><br />In the end, the essay might tell something about your month in Aix, but your topic should be your enthusiasm or your flexibility or your insight. Whatever events, incidents, or conversations you write about should illuminate who you are, not what you did.The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-10573063779191585092009-09-30T12:13:00.000-07:002009-09-30T12:27:31.057-07:00Money and Banking Part TwoThe purpose of all these helpful conversations--with parents, coaches, counselors, maybe even with friends--is to create a bank of ideas from which to make the necessary withdrawals. If you can build a list of <em>personal characteristics </em>that recommend you to the colleges, and another list of possible lenses (events, experiences, thoughts, reflections) that will allow the college admission director to see and understand these <em>characteristics,</em> you can consider yourself ready to write.<br /><br />Don't sit down in front of your computer and start writing your first application. You will find that the name/address data is easy and then the essays will stop you cold.<br /><br />Spend some time on your list--ask Mom what she thinks is your strength, ask Ms. Wormwood what kind of student she thinks you are. Once you've got a bank of ideas, try answering one of the application essay questions. If your first answer choice doesn't come easily, try a different option from the list.<br /><br />Keeping a "bank" of ideas is the best way to feel in control of your answers and never at a loss for words.The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-41097591090913985612009-09-29T18:40:00.001-07:002009-09-29T18:51:32.014-07:00Other ResourcesRemember that before you write anything, you need to have a focus: a quality about yourself that isn't going to be apparent from the rest of the application. Back on the 23rd, we were talking about the role your parent(s) might play in your essay. If you get along decently with them, you have the opportunity to exploit their first-hand and adoring knowledge of you. Ask them about your talents and strengths and they will have ideas...and interesting stories.<br /><br />Your teachers may also be willing to share ideas about who you are and where your talents lie.<br /><br />Coaches can share useful insights.<br /><br />And please don't discount your guidance counselor. She's busy, no doubt. But armed with an action plan and some ideas about college choices and essays topics, you can capture her attention. It's easy to say, "She blew me off" or "She doesn't really know me." Puh-lease. Get your lazy little butt in there--don't be the slacker kid who blames the system because his application process isn't delivered with a side of fries. Do the homeowrk, build some groundwork, and be tenacious. You'll be surprised how welcoming and helpful your counselor will be if you are persistent, grateful, and "on the case" yourself.The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-40625180502729302582009-09-28T07:31:00.000-07:002009-09-28T07:46:11.248-07:00Back in BostonConferences like NACAC are restorative--good reminders that we're all in this together and that college access is the common goal shared by teachers, counselors, admission personnel, and yes, even students! Their decisions are driven by a desire to provide opportunities and education to everyone who wants to take advantage of it.<br /><br />This gets muddled when efforts to simplify actually make things harder. So the College Board says the Score Choice option on SAT's is supposed to make the testing stress go away--not! And the Common Application tried to clear the field of all those school-specific essays. But now we have that single essay... and a veritable bee swarm of other school-specific questions. E.g., <em>"How did you get caught?" (University of Chicago undergraduate application 2009)<br /></em><br />So hooray for NACAC and hooray for the wonderful hospitality of Baltimore. Let's get back to the challenge of choosing a school where you can thrive and writing your way in.The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-10547572842851992212009-09-26T09:05:00.000-07:002009-09-26T09:13:59.089-07:00NACAC day threeThere's plenty to do in Baltimore but one of the day's best was Rebecca Joseph on essays. See her site at getmetocollege.org. Check it out. She is all about giving you permission to tell your story!The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-29455513266613696282009-09-25T04:59:00.000-07:002009-09-25T05:04:49.320-07:00NACAC day twoIt's raining in Baltimore but we are deep into the critical educational issues of the day: pathways to college, turning down the heat of competition, funding and working toward a simpler FAFSA, making our voices heard in DC.<br /><br />Among the topics of the day: "The Hidden Essays." These are the supplements and they are becoming more convoluted and complicated. If the kitchen implement question disappeared with the Common Application's ubiquity, its brothers and sisters are back in the supplments.<br /><br />We'll talk about some of those down the road.The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-90412644998172632752009-09-24T03:35:00.001-07:002009-09-24T03:40:56.004-07:00NACACOnce a year, those who toil in admissions--school guidance counselors and college admission directors--meet to share thoughts and reflect on their work. This gathering of the National Association of College Admission Counseling begins today in Baltimore. Supporting your own wisdom and the thoughts of your family and teachers, these people are a mainline resource for your planning.<br /><br />Reports from the front to follow.The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-15800719409617928512009-09-23T13:25:00.001-07:002009-09-23T13:27:29.528-07:00Mom and DadYou may find that banking ideas for essays only leads to your own two cents. So use some other resources. Your guidance counselor will have thoughts to share. A favorite teacher will give you a few minutes of brainstorming. And as painful as it might seem, your parent(s) are logical resources at this moment, as well.<br /><br />You’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ve</span> been thinking a lot about yourself recently. They’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ve</span> been thinking a lot about you for always 20 years. If you have anything like a working relationship with them--and maybe this is a good time to try to improve that relationship if you don’t-- they should be ready, willing, and more than able to tell you what your strengths are. They will remember some stories and incidents that show you at your best, too.<br /><br />Don’t ask for strengths <em>and weaknesses.</em> In fact, if the conversation veers toward things you’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">ve</span> done wrong and ought to have accomplished, head for the exit. You don’t need to be reminded you haven’t won a Nobel Prize recently. But if they would like to conjure up some of the times you were amazing or a list of talents and personal characteristics they admire in you, take notes and see if there are “legs” for any of their ideas.<br /><br />Note: don’t plan to write about the long ago recollections. Learning to ride a bicycle or your first pet fish is too remote. But the tenacity you showed or the care and attention you brought to something in first grade probably has a parallel from last semester. Stay current and stay positive (and try to remember that your parents want the best for you).The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-35946276775853239852009-09-22T14:59:00.000-07:002009-09-22T15:02:18.803-07:00Money and BankingHave you tried the recipe for a draft posted on September 10th? It’s a good way to get started—especially if you’re willing to lock yourself away from all distractions for half an hour and really think about yourself. But it can be tough to find that time and that focus. All those little voices in your head keep saying your ideas are stupid, have been used before, or probably won’t go anywhere.<br /><br />So tell the voices to shut up.<br /><br />And try making some deposits in the bank. Instead of trying to write your whole essay while staring at a blank sheet of paper, make a list of some things you are proud of, some characteristics you think distinguish you, some reasons your friends always include you in their groups.<br /><br />Then make another list of “hot spots”—moments when you made an important decision, saw something clearly for the first time, or got turned on to an activity, author, or idea.<br /><br />All of these are deposits in your bank of ideas. Put enough in the bank and you can make withdrawals whenever you need to.<br /><br />Tomorrow we’ll look at some other resources for bank deposits.The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-53885708623795337372009-09-21T08:15:00.000-07:002009-09-21T08:18:00.447-07:00The Activity ParagraphThe Common Application asks for a short paragraph in which the applicant explains an extracurricular involvement or recent work experience. The question used to ask for comment on an extracurricular of special importance to you. (No idea why they stripped out the reason for selection.) Here’s the prompt:<br /><br /><em>Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences in the space below or on an attached sheet (150 words or fewer).</em><br /><br />As you are gearing up to work on the essays, we recommend you start here and decide what you want to share in this question. If you decide that the best window into you and your personality is your tenacious commitment to the soccer team, and write your core essay on that topic, you won’t want to use soccer for the short paragraph. Or if your essay is about folding shirts at the Gap and what you’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ve</span> learned about “sizing up customers,” you won’t want to give these 150 words to your mall job.<br /><br />Remember that the essays, short and long, are meant to convey information and insight NOT found elsewhere in the application. So sort out this little answer topic, write it up, and make it vivid, specific, and fast-paced; then turn to the core essay with another “lens” in mindThe Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-16115289046527542482009-09-19T08:44:00.000-07:002009-09-19T09:18:44.143-07:00SupplementsEssays show up in surprising places. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">There'a</span> a substantial essay as well as a shorter paragraph on the Common Application. And many colleges require a supplement that includes additional writing--short answer questions about what you'll contribute to the school or a "Why us?" question.<br /><br />The best strategy for these additional essays:<br /><br />1. Make a list of <em>all </em>the supplemental questions you have to answer.<br /><br />2. Look for reasonable overlap. Every "Why us?" question has to be answered separately since every school is different and your reasons will vary according to what a school offers. But if one school asks for a "failure" and another asks for a "mistake," there's a good chance you can use the same answer for both applications.<br /><br />3. Don't start writing without your core essay and activity paragraph in front of you. Remember you are trying to convey yourself into the admission office. So your personal characteristics and style should drive these answers as well. If you are trying to show your tenacity, and your core essay is about three years riding the bench for varsity soccer, don't contradict or reiterate that point of view in supplemental answers.<br /><br />It's not what they want to hear; it's what they need to know. Even in the supplements.The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-26675903586247562952009-09-18T13:45:00.000-07:002009-09-18T13:57:47.681-07:00That Kitchen ImplementSo what did you choose? <em>A spatula? A sieve? The toaster?</em><br /><br />And why? <em>I like to turn things over and see how they work. I focus on the best parts and ignore the rest of life's little hassles. I'm the warm and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">friendly</span> type.</em><br /><br />More to the point, what process did you employ?<br /><br />I'm <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">guessing</span> you started by trying to think of a few kitchen implements. You made a mental list of options. Then you began to think , "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Which</span> one would match up with me? What <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">characteristics</span> do we <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">share?</span>" From there it was easy<em>--"I'd be an electric mixer--no Cuisinart thing--I get the job done by hard work--nothing flashy. Old reliable--that's me."</em><br /><br />So do the same for your application essay: think about some events in your life, some activities you've been involved in, a conversation you once had, a book you read, a friend who betrayed you and your reaction--from all the "kitchen implements" of your life, choose <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">one</span> to serve as a proxy for you. Try to pick one that will serve you well, showing as much as possible about who you are and how you roll. Tell that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">story</span> and show how that event or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">conversation</span> or transaction illuminates the real you....and you've nailed your essay.The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-68327453472664100382009-09-17T11:47:00.000-07:002009-09-17T11:56:06.038-07:00<span style="font-size:130%;"><u>If You Were a Kitchen Implement....</u></span><br />Many years ago, one of the more creative college admission essay questions was "If you were a kitchen implement, which kitchen implement would you be?" It was probably a University of Chicago question; under Ted O'Neill guidance, U of C has had a long history of interesting and provocative questions featuring the spork, Dennis Rodman, and your particular feelings about Wednesdays.<br /><br />So if you were a kitchen implement, which kitchen implement <em>would</em> you be? If you had to answer that question, what answer would you give?<br /><br />Think about that one overnight. Tomorrow we will show you how the way you thought about this imaginary question (it went the way of the dinosaurs long ago) can be the key to all your current essays.The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-35407933442282233752009-09-16T16:01:00.000-07:002009-09-16T16:03:04.997-07:00<span style="font-size:130%;"><u>Four Common Mistakes</u></span><br />1. Visualizing the admission committee as a bunch of stuffy old professors in tweed jackets and then trying to write something that will impress them.<br /><br />2. Trying so hard to be memorable that you end up being eccentric.<br /><br />3. Writing an essay so predictable and generic that with fewer than three noun revisions (change “my Dad” to “my boss,” change “summer in Maine” to “summer in Colorado,” change the “<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Mastersingers</span>” to the “varsity tennis team”), your essay could work for 1/3 of the senior class.<br /><br />4. Forgetting that your counselor and your teachers are your allies and that even your parents know something about this topic.The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-86524714197405071192009-09-15T20:48:00.000-07:002009-09-15T20:52:43.256-07:00<span style="font-size:130%;"><u>Five Myths About Application Essays</u></span><br />1. You have to write about something no one has ever written about before (unlikely and high-risk).<br /><br />2. There’s a right answer to every question (there’s only your right answer).<br /><br />3. It’s a good idea to be funny or clever or wacky (only if you think they are looking for funny, clever, or wacky applicants).<br /><br />4. You have to do this alone (every writer asks for feedback, especially in high-stakes settings).<br /><br />5. Your essay can get you in (only if most everything else makes you an interesting candidate).The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-35661102263384926522009-09-14T10:15:00.000-07:002009-09-15T20:51:20.390-07:00<u><span style="font-size:130%;">Five Key Points About the Application Essay</span></u><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">1. </span>Almost all the questions, in one way or another, ask the same thing: “Tell us about yourself.”<br />So that means you’re an authority on the topic.<br /><br />2. The format is not unfamiliar; it’s a regular essay with “you” as the text.<br /><br />3. The second half of the question is usually more important than the first half.<br /><br />4. Consider deleting your introduction (or reduce it to a < 10-word sentence).<br /><br />5. It’s not a punishment—it’s a chance to add life to your application and to pitch yourself outside the numbers.The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-46838948542276856642009-09-12T10:56:00.000-07:002009-09-17T11:46:18.080-07:00<u><span style="font-size:130%;">Why Us?</span><br /></u>One of the oldest and most common questions asked by colleges, often on applications and even more often in interviews, is, “Why us?” In one form or another, the admission office wants to know, before they choose you, how <em>you</em> came to choose <em>them.</em> As they look for that “match” of applicant and program, they assume you’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ve</span> already done the basic groundwork and have good reasons for wanting to attend their school.<br /><br />Now of course the tricky part here is that schools <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">aren</span>’t all that different. Does your Mom have a really good reason for using Tide instead of All or Cheer? <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Ok</span>, it’s not quite the same thing as laundry detergent, but there are classes, books, assignments, a vegan food option, and “not enough school spirit” at every college in the world.<br /><br />Before you undertake an answer to this question, be sure you’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ve</span> been looking for schools based on some sort of “shopping list” of what you want in a college: program, location, size, teams or activities you plan to continue, study options (guest semesters at other schools, co-op programs, or study abroad), faculty-student ratio, facilities. If you have a well thought-out list of what you<span style="color:#000000;">’re</span> looking for, explaining your intention won’t be hard.<br /><br />And do try to figure out a few of the distinctive features of these colleges. Some are easy to differentiate: the service academies, for example; engineering schools (duh!) where you can major in English (ah—not so easy—how about Stevens in NJ?); great books programs like St. John’s; block study programs like Colorado College.<br /><br />Zina <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Jacque</span>, a veteran and star in this industry, used to say that most seniors apply to at least two schools: the college their parents went to and the college that rejected their parents. That may not apply to you but you’ll need better and more specific reasons for the “Why us?” question than just “<span style="font-family:georgia;"><em>I think the excellent faculty and fine facilities will allow me to maximize my potential</em></span>.” Yuk.The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-58573398167548059412009-09-11T10:47:00.000-07:002009-09-11T10:48:09.834-07:00<span style="font-size:130%;"><u>The Questions</u></span><br />There’s really only one: tell us about yourself. Some schools ask you that question straight up (“Tell us about yourself” or “A topic of your choice”). Others ask you to tell them about yourself through a choice—a significant experience, a book, an event, a social issue of interest. Even the “what would you add to our community” is really a “tell us about yourself” question. That’s why we suggest you look in before you look out. If you have thought about who you are and what your strengths and talents are, these “tell us about yourself” questions aren’t hard. Even “If you were a kitchen implement, which kitchen implement would you be?” is doable if you’ve decided what you want them to know about you. (Clearly you’d be a sieve if you’re someone who takes the best out of every experience and pays little attention to the rest.) <br /><br />There is a short paragraph about an extracurricular experience or your employment. And there may be some supplemental questions, most commonly something like, “Why in particular do you wish to attend School X?” These require a different strategy. <br /><br />But if you want to get started on this essay project—and you need to do that pretty soon—your main concern is the personal statement essay and no matter how you approach it, you’re going to end up “telling them about yourself.”The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-37323425071301872852009-09-10T03:25:00.000-07:002009-09-10T03:39:13.512-07:00<span style="font-size:130%;"><u><strong>Recipe for a Draft</strong></u></span><br />Under pressure to show something to Mom/your guidance counselor/your English teacher? Here’s a recipe for getting started.<br /><br />Assemble these ingredients:<br />paper and pencil (or keyboard and data disk)<br />an egg timer or stop watch<br /><br />++ Begin by thinking about yourself. What are my strengths and weaknesses? What are my best qualities? Am I a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">plugger</span>? An intellectual? A creative type? Curious? Passionate? Determined?<br /><br />++ Choose a positive quality you’d like to convey to the admission committee, a strength that makes you an addition to any group. (DON’T pick an event or something you’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ve</span> done. President of the Nuclear Awareness Club is not a personal quality.) Focus on a quality of your mind or of your character. Now complete this sentence: “I am a very __________ person.”<br /><br />++ Set the timer for 20 minutes. Pretend you’re taking an exam at high school and the question is, “Tell a story about an experience or time when you showed you were a very _______ person.” Use the characteristic you identified in Step 2. Write or type non-stop for 20 minutes; force yourself to keep telling the story and what it reveals until the timer goes DING.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Ok</span>…that’s it. You’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ve</span> got a reasonable rough draft for your application essay! (And we haven't even talked about the question!!) Key concept: start with yourself.The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-91910993737102029272009-09-09T05:56:00.000-07:002009-09-09T06:10:51.336-07:00<u><span style="font-size:130%;">What's the Question-Part Two</span><br /></u>It’s encouraging to realize you’re prepared and have practiced the basic skills of the application essay—your school essays <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">aren</span>’t that different from what’s required here. The text is now YOU rather than a book or a battle.<br /><br />But what you don’t want to do next is sit down at the computer with your list of colleges and start typing. Instead, start with you. Then move to the questions.<br /><br />Before you ask yourself, “<em>What do they want to hear?</em>” ask “<em>What do they need to know?”</em><br /><br />Let’s take a trip into the admission office. Your reader has before her your transcript of classes and grades, your test scores, your recommendation letters, the grid of your activities, and a substantial amount of personal information. She may also have supplemental information like slides, a performance tape, or a coach’s evaluation. So will that constellation of materials cover it? Through that pile of papers, will your reader get to know the person behind the application?<br /><br />Be careful—we’re not asking what you’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ve</span> done that’s not included. We’re asking who you are besides all those numbers and check marks. What personal qualities or characteristics might not come through without a little more light on the subject? Time spent thinking about YOU will pay off. Talk to your guidance counselor, a favorite teacher, your parents. Don’t be tempted to start writing about something that’s happened to you (that trip, the illness, the big game loss) until you’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">ve</span> thought about personal characteristics—creativity, commitment, energy—that you want admissions to know more about. Choosing the specific lens into your text comes second. First look in…then look out.The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672878761820528692.post-21270505968152134862009-09-08T13:00:00.000-07:002009-09-08T13:02:28.064-07:00<u><span style="font-size:130%;">What’s the Question-Part One</span><br /></u>Hundreds of colleges accept the Common Application (<a href="http://www.commonapp.org/">www.commonapp.org</a>) and the essays on this widely-accepted form offer you a choice of <strong>one </strong>of the following topics:<br /><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.<br /><br />Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.<br /><br />Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.<br /><br />A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. </span></em><em><span style="font-size:85%;"> Given your personal background, describe anexperience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.<br /><br />Topic of your choice.</span></em><br /><br />The Common Application also requires a 150 word paragraph answer in which you are asked to elaborate on an extracurricular activity or work experience. There may be additional bits and pieces of writing required as supplements by individual schools (be sure to check the College Specific Supplements link on the Common Application’s website). Non-Common Application schools may have different essay requirements but for the most part, the questions are quite open-ended, the answers aren’t meant to be burdensome, and the purpose is to learn more about you and your motivations as an applicant. And they want to know if you can think…and write. <br /><br />So before you dive into any of this writing, get organized. Make a list of all the questions you have to answer (hang it on your bedroom door with the relevant deadlines and you will make your life and the lives of your parents a lot happier.)<br /><br />We’ll walk you through the rest of the process—from list to finished--a day at a time for the next couple of weeks. But don’t start writing yet. Your first job will be to “look in” rather than “look out.”The Essayisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907115096301202078noreply@blogger.com0