What Is The True Purpose Of College?

What Is The True Purpose Of College? You may have an amazing story to tell for your college application essay, but your writing is going to fall flat if it doesn't use an engaging and effective style. For your essay to truly shine, you need to pay attention to not justwhat you say, but also how you say it. These style tips can help you turn a bland and wordy admissions essay into an engaging narrative that improves your chances of being admitted. It’s okay if you haven’t won the Nobel Peace Prize. There’s always that chance that your reader could recognize what you’re sharing. And if they have even the slightest suspicion, the answer will always be just a Google search away. Visit our Writing Lab for more writing tips, pertaining both to your college essay, and to the array of other writing challenges you’ll face in college or graduate school. This advice applies to most creative writing situations. It’s something all writers struggle with â€" including myself; I struggled with it while writing this very article. It’s impossible to write an article covering every possible essay prompt you could encounter in the college application process. Ah, college application essays â€" the necessary evil of college-bound high school seniors everywhere. It’s a good idea to start in the spring of your junior year or summer of senior year so you have plenty of time to think through potential topics and brainstorm writing points. My College Options ® is an online college planning program that connects millions of high school students with colleges and universities. When it comes to writing a successful college essay, you must realize that honesty trumps everything (except possibly good grammar/a typo-free piece). Schools aren’t interested in fantasy versions of their applicants. You are a unique individual; be truthful with your answers and the admissions committee will appreciate your point-of-view. That story shows your hard work, dedication, and generosity without ever referring explicitly to these fantastic qualities. The Common Application also gives you the option of responding to one of 7 different essay prompts. We assume some well-meaning English teacher shared this advice with you in high school. Admissions officers aren’t interested in a timeline of events or a bullet-list of accomplishments. What they’re really seeking is a story, a personal narrative, a reflection that carries subtext. I hope that after reading this post you feel a bit more confident in your ability to write your college admissions essay. It may feel scary and impossible, but with right approach , you can write an essay that showcases your unique personality and impresses admissions officers. Vagueness isn’t a problem unique to admissions essays. If you’ve just finished your junior year of high school, then these may very well be in your near future. You might think you’ve read or heard the perfect opening someplace elseâ€"a book of sample essays, a speech, a line in your favorite movie, etc. But pirating someone else’s writing is plagiarism, and every college I can think of would frown on an applicant who steals other people’s work without crediting the source. If you will be using the Common App, you’ll be able to choose, and write about, one of these prompts. If you don't plan on using the Common App, these prompts can still offer insight into a topic you'll likely be writing on for your school of choice. So whether you’re seeking flexibility in your college admission essay or you’re just doing a little preliminary research on likely essay prompts, the Common App is a good place to start. The college essay is not a test to see if you can read minds or anticipate what the admission office wants to hear. Plain and simple, they want to know about you, how well you write and how self-aware you are. Many selective colleges and universities have their own essay prompts. Other colleges may simply offer you free writing space to provide a personal statement. However, the Common Application is perhaps the best starting point for anticipating likely college essay prompts. The first thing you should do is list how many essays you need to write and their deadlines.