Accredited Online Colleges and Career Training

COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAYS

It may be only 500 words, but the admissions essay portion of a college application can mean the difference between acceptance and rejection. The way you present yourself in your essay shows the admissions committe how you are different from everyone else. It provides information about you that test scores, grades and extracurricular activities cannot. You can use the essay to present your exceptional qualifications to the admissions committee.

You should plan to devote at least one week brainstorming possible essay subjects. From this process of brainstorming, you may find a topic you had not thought of initially. Here are some questions to consider:

What Are You Like?
What is your strongest personality trait? Does any attribute, quality or skill distinguish you from everyone else? What motivates you to succeed? How would your friends characterize you?

What Have You Done?
What are your major accomplishments, and why do you consider them accomplishments? What have you done outside of the classroom that demonstrates your committment to something other than class work? Perhaps you have done volunteer work or belonged to an organization that supports a social cause. Have you travelled extensively? How has this experience had an impact on you?

Where Do You Want to Go?
What would you most like to be doing right now? Where would you most like to be in your career and personal life? What are your dreams for the future? When you look back on your life in thirty years, what would it take for you to consider your life successful? Your career goals need to be well thought out and presented. How does this particular college degree fit into your plans for the future? Why do you want to spend one to three years of your life pursuing this particular degree from this particular school?

As these thoughts start to solidify into an essay topic, think about how to present your ideas and how you can make the subject matter original. With an essay question in mind think over the following questions:

Will your topic only repeat information listed elsewhere in your application? If so, choose a new topic.

Do not list test scores or GPAs in your essay.

Can you offer vivid supporting paragraphs to your essay topic? If you cannot easily think of supporting paragraphs and concrete examples, you should probably choose a different essay topic.

Will an admissions officer remember your essay after reading hundreds of application essays? What will the officer remember about your essay topic? What will the officer remember about you? Will your essay create a lasting impression?

Possible Essay Topics:
An experience of significance
Achievement
A goal
Interest
Overcoming a hardship
Community service
A risk you have taken

BOOKS TO AID IN WRITING THE COLLEGE ESSAY

100 Successful College Application Essays by Georges
The College Application Essay by College Board