Transcript Lord of the Flies - Baldwin County Public Schools

How to write a spectacular
college admissions essay
The most important part. . .
“. . .we read every essay with great interest.
Accordingly, you should devote a great
deal of time and thought to the essay.”
“The personal statement is a student’s
chance to talk individually with the
admission committee.”
The experts continue. . .
“The single best way we distinguish
among students is through the essay.”
“We are looking for interesting thinkers.
We find these students through their
essays.”
A typical high school essay
Title – 7 to 10 words
Well-developed introduction with a thesis
Body paragraphs with sharp topic sentences
and quotes to support the claims
Organized into logical paragraphs with
adequate transitions between paragraphs
Guess what?
The college admissions
essay is anything
BUT “typical.” Be
different!
DO NOT—repeat after
me—do not have a
thesis, topic
sentences and
traditional
paragraphs!
Do your own thing. . .
 Be
creative
 Think in terms of a “story”
 Add your personality
 In revisions, focus on your syntax & diction
 BUT. . .always answer the prompt
 “Thinking outside of the box” is okay;
writing off topic or outside of this box is not
You should have. . .
A
personal moment of history, passion or
pain
The “do” stuff
 DO
write something honest
 DO be positive—overall
 DO reject your first idea/angle; it has
probably been used before
 DO write what you know about
 DO write with passion
 DO be experimental
Do do do
 Analogies
 Dialogue
 Shorter
sentences
 Logical breaks
 Active voice
The “don’ts”
 DON’T
let others decide for you what to
write
 DON’T try to “sell” how great, smart, or
accomplished you are
 DON’T rehash what the reader already
knows about you
 DON’T write what you think the committee
wants to hear
Don’t don’t don’t
 DON’T
appear overly idealistic
 DON’T waste time trying to explain
blemishes
 DON’T embarrass your reader
 DON’T begin too many sentences with “I”
. . .and above all else
DON’T
mention Dr. Suess!
Your first sentence







“Hello, my name is. . .” 
“Please permit me to discuss my. . .” 
Stay away from that term paper thing
Enigmatic statement—lets the reader wonder
Obscure quotation—if it fits
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run
over if you just sit there.” — Will Rogers
A thoughtful question or a confession
Conclusions
 Provide
closure
 End any suspense, answer questions
 Shorter more forceful sentences
 DO NOT address the admissions
committee
 “Finally” or “in sum” or “in conclusion” 
 DO NOT end with a quotation
What are waffles?
 Traditionally
a pretty cool breakfast
offering (I personally like the way they
soak up the syrup)
 But in writing they are words such as
 “somewhat” “rather” “quite” “perhaps”
 “clearly” “obviously” “unquestionably”
 First/second/third/finally/thus/in
conclusion/moreover/however/the next
point
slang
 “Yo
dawg I got it like dat.”
 “Hey dude, let’s talk some smack. . .”
 “Do ya now what I’m saying?”
Slang does NOT = “being yourself.”
format
 Speling
arrors
 Get the name of the school right!
 Type it professionally & laser print it
 One inch margins, fonts without stems
 Don’t worry about word limits (within
reason)
 Comply with their page restrictions
$elling yourself. . .
•
•
•
•
You are “black and white” to the officers
ACT scores, transcripts, letters of
recommendation
The college is making an investment
Let the know that you are worth it!
The numbers
A
typical college admissions officer gets
hundreds of essays
 Sometimes these essays are sorted and
slushed
 You need to get noticed
 If you have a “fair” GPA & ACT score you
need a killer essay
 If you have a 4.0 GPA & high score you
really need a stellar essay
First impressions

Would you go out on
a date wearing
Grandpappy’s
overalls?
 Would you wear Aunt
Ethel’s old prom
dress?
 No. . .so be willing to
dress up this writing!
Add some color. . .
 Imagery:
metaphors, similes,
onomatopoeia, assonance. . .
 Fragments
 Quotes
– Bacon, MLK, Donne, Franklin
 Something
different!
Broad questions
“When you walk out the front door of your
house, what is the first thing that you would
change, and why?”
Responses
you tackle an “open” question, you
need to include unbelievable specifics and
details
 When
NOT answer a “broad” question with
general language
 DO
Closing Advice
 Be
yourself and tell your story
 Answer the prompt
 Do not revise your essay to death
 Write something that is nontraditional and
creative
 Get a friend to read it & react
 Trust your instincts