The college admissions essay is one of the most stressful tasks that a high school student will face during the application process. After all, this one piece of writing will determine whether or not you get into your dream school, so it’s not surprising that many students are tempted to hire someone to write their college essay for them. While there are many resources out there to help you write your own essay, here are 7 steps to ensure that you end up with an essay you can be proud of.
1) Determine which prompt you are answering
The first step in writing your college application essay is figuring out which prompt you are answering. Don’t worryyou don’t have to write seven different essays for seven prompts; in fact, it is important that you answer all of them with a single, unified story. However, just like when answering any other question on an exam, you should always make sure that you understand exactly what is being asked.
2) Follow Your Prompts, Even If You Don’t Like Them
It’s tempting to look at a prompt, think This isn’t what I want to write about, this isn’t how I want to write my paper and then…nothing. But those prompts are there for a reason: They ask you to answer questions that admissions officers need answered. So give them what they want, even if it doesn’t jive with your true passion project. Just remember that every prompt will offer you some freedom, too. So don’t be afraid to play around a little; write an essay with one point of view and then, in parentheses, include another point of view that contradicts it.
3) Before starting your first draft, take a close look at what makes an effective essay.
The main point of your argument may be that John is a terrible teacher. But you can’t argue convincingly if your readers don’t understand what John stands for. So, here you need to explain who he is and then make a point: Maybe you can even provide specific examples of why he is not an effective teacher. The more time you spend in pre-writing, preparing, thinking, planning and drafting, the better it will pay off in terms of audience interest and persuasion power. Keep things organized as much as possible: Decide beforehand which section goes where introduction at beginning, body of text in middle and conclusion at end (or somewhere near it). It will save you lots of time from rearranging sections later on.
4) Organize your information in a way that makes sense to the reader.
Don’t bury important details in unnecessary jargon. Instead, try to make your essay easy and clear. Use bullet points, headings, and numbered lists whenever possible. This will help your reader follow along more easily and digest the information at a steady pace. Don’t be afraid of white spacegive yourself room to breathe! The most obvious way to organize your thoughts is by topic. You can also organize by time (chronological) or cause-and-effect (problem-solution). Whatever method you choose, be sure that it fits with how you plan on writing your paper later on; don’t leave it up in the air!
5) Create an introduction that includes an engaging hook.
You only have a few minutes (yes, minutes) to capture your reader’s attention and make them want to continue reading. The best way to start an essay is with a hook a punchy, intriguing statement that grabs your reader’s attention. If you’re applying for college or graduate school, it may be worth brainstorming some possible hooks before you get started on your essay so you can decide which one best fits your personal narrative and voice. For example: I hated my high school prom. That’s why I never went backuntil my senior year. or I don’t believe in luck.
6) Craft a thesis statement that supports your topic sentence.
The introductory paragraph is arguably one of the most important parts of your entire essay. Everything that follows in your body paragraphsyour analysis, examples, reasoning, etc.should be derived from and support your thesis statement. So, make sure you nail it here. It’s OK if it takes a few tries to find just the right one; just keep at it until you’re happy with it and move on.
7) Support your thesis with evidence from the text or your research.
This may seem obvious, but it’s sometimes easier said than done. You should include at least two pieces of evidence from your text or research in your paper. Make sure that both are relevant to your thesis and that you explain how they support it (in other words, don’t just say because Mr. F said so). Don’t feel like you have to quote directly either; paraphrasing is fine, as long as you explain why what you are saying supports your position.
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