What+Makes+a+Good+College+Essay?

by JOHN BOUTON Comp. Spring 2009

A good college essay shows you at your distinctive, authentic best.

Imagine a college admissions officer as the deadline for applications approaches. Disciplined and focused -- how could one be otherwise with the flood of paperwork arriving daily -- he or she must sift through transcripts, SAT or ACT scores, letters of recommendation, applications, and a personal statement for each applicant. This diligent, well educated, probably idealistic person knows that he needs a way to help differentiate you from hundreds, if not thousands of other highly qualified applicants for spots in the Class of 2014. He wants to advocate for you during admission committee meetings. Turning to your essay, here's what he finds:


 * An original treatment of a meaningful topic in a manageable length;
 * A hook or lead to the essay that shows that the writer knows what he or she is about;
 * The emergence of a strong persona, achieved through tone appropriate to the material;
 * A fine balance between showing and reflection;
 * Details and sensory images that help the reader feel what is presented;
 * Careful word choice, evident in strong verbs, precise nouns and adjectives, and few adverbs;
 * "No ideas but in things": a controlling metaphor, symbol or image that captures the point of the essay.

Finding these traits, all other factors being equal, he is likely to have a good, portable case by which to advocate for you in committee. Below are the prompts for the 2008-2009 Common Application. You might visit the common app website found in Class Resources to see what the rest of your application looks like. You can also find models of good college essays that others have written, such as those found at the Connecticut College website.

Relax in working up a first draft for Wednesday, 4/22/09. Use one of the following prompts:


 * COMMON APP ESSAY PROMPTS: 2008-2009**

Personal Essay Please write an essay (250 words minimum) on a topic of your choice or on one of the options listed below. Please indicate your topic by checking the appropriate box. This personal essay helps us become acquainted with you as a person and student, apart from courses, grades, test scores, and other objective data. It will also demonstrate your ability to organize your thoughts and express yourself. experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
 * Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
 * Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.
 * Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.
 * 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.
 * A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an
 * Topic of your choice.

Attach your essay to the last page on a separate sheet(s) (same size please). You must put your full name, date of birth, and name of secondary school on each sheet.