Many colleges and universities that accept the Common Application require at least one essay. Some schools might also ask you to answer a few supplemental questions, and find yet more when you indicate which major for a particular college.
The best advice I can give you: Take advantage of the free sessions Ms. Liz and Ms. Juliana offer over the summer. These events include weekly parent/student webinars and in-person student guidance. This will lighten your load considerably during the Fall, especially if you want to apply Early Action or Early Decision with deadlines as early as October 15. In this case, you don't want to rush them by waiting until September when you have multiple classes and extracurriculars to work around). You’ll want these essays written well, and that takes time.
For more information on specific requirements, consult the CommonApp account for each college, as requirements often vary. In addition, some colleges add additional essays when you state which major you want to apply to (some colleges require you to declare your major at application, but most don't). You dont' want to be surprised the night before the application is due, so add colleges to your Common Application in August during one of your sessions with Ms. Liz and Ms. Juliana.
Attend the Summer Essay Writing Sessions by Ms. Liz & Ms. Juliana. As soon as you know your summer activities, please let us know so we can schedule them accordingly.
Check out some resources - Khan Academy has a free class on college admission essays. The class covers writing a strong essay, avoiding common mistakes, brainstorming tips, and writing techniques. It also shares several sample essays with admissions feedback. The College Essay Guy has great free resources for how to write college essays and personal statements.
Answer the prompt! Seriously, you wouldn’t believe how many students submit an essay that they worked so hard on that doesn’t actually answer the question. If you don’t answer the question, you don’t get credit for it, and schools will think you can’t read, interpret, or produce quality writing.
Brainstorm - Starting the essay can be the hardest part. Brainstorm about your personality traits, identify your strengths and important aspects of your life experience.
Use some of the characteristics listed in your YouScience or other self-assessments. (Do a google search on your drive for “your name family for a document with a full list of results.”
Do not worry about making a first draft perfect. We’re aiming for words on paper now.
Get your ideas flowing and your thoughts down on paper. You will fix mistakes and improve the writing in later drafts.
Be Honest - Your essay topic should be something that is important to you and showcases your voice. Do not be tempted to write what you think the admission officers want to hear; answer the question honestly. They want to get to know the real you. It makes for a much more interesting read to them. It’s okay to sound like a kid–you are a kid. Make sure you don’t have double spaces between paragraphs (it will look like your parents wrote it because that’s how we learned to type on manual typewriters). Use the How to Write an Effective Essay cheat sheet.
Get Organized - After you gather your notes, create an outline to organize your essay and decide where you want examples to appear.
Be Specific - Figure out how the question relates to your personal qualities. Then take a specific angle. Focus on one aspect of yourself and make sure everything you write supports that viewpoint. Focus on the details of your story that set you apart.
Get feedback - Ask someone to read your introduction to see if they can identify the subject of your essay. Show your draft to a friend, family member, or teacher. Ask if it makes sense and sounds like you. Consider their feedback and make changes, but keep your voice. Try to limit yourself to getting feedback from two people. Here’s a tip: ask for "feedback" not, "Will you edit this for me?" No one should be editing the document but you. Sit back and accept that feedback. Don’t defend, don’t argue. Simply consider the feedback, then decide what parts to incorporate (or not).
Proofread and make corrections - Read your essay out loud to yourself to check for typos, spelling, and grammar errors. Do not rely on a computer’s spellcheck or Grammarly to catch errors because those are not failproof. It is best to ask someone who hasn’t seen it yet to take a look as well. They are likely to see mistakes that you will not catch.
Most colleges require the Common App Essay. If so, you will choose one of these to answer:
Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design