How To Start College Essays

How To Start College Essays Although many schools are now on the Common App, some very popular colleges, including University of Texas and University of California, still have their own applications and writing requirements. Even for Common App schools, you may need to write a supplemental essay or provide short answers to questions. This guide will walk you through each step of the essay writing process to help you understand exactly what you need to do to write the best possible personal statement. I'm also going to follow an imaginary student named Eva as she plans and writes her college essay, from her initial organization and brainstorming to her final edits. Too much assistanceâ€"even from parentsâ€" however well intentioned, serves to undermine the process and raise questions about the legitimacy and integrity of the whole application. Yes, the stakes can seem high, but it is ultimately the applicant’s record and work that is being evaluated and it should be theirs that is submitted as well. Editing is a part of the writing process, like development and revision, where another person can be helpful. Too many words had been added that just did not reflect the student’s vocabulary or mode of writing. College admissions readers are bright and intuitive and can tell when an essay has been “helped” too much. I see no problem with parents doing a grammar/spelling check as well as offering suggestions on how an essay could be improved. It is very easy for a rep to recognize an essay that has been coached someone other than the student. Unfortunately, too many cooks spoil the pot, so to speak…and kids easily get confused when parents, English teachers, their counselor, and their friends all have different advice. Students should familiarize themselves with the campuses to which they are applying , understand the prompt, and answer from the heart. Now parents â€" you all know the difference between fixing typographical errors and making massive substantive changes to your child’s essay, right? We ask the right questions, listen carefully to the responses, and unearth the kind of interesting, charming, endearing, or just plain compelling tales admissions officers want to read about. We’ll also set deadlines for drafts, offer our written feedback over email, and give the essay a final proofread to make sure it’s error-free. And while we never over-edit or otherwise hijack the essay from the student , every year, Collegewise students of all academic levels produce essays that make them proud and improve their applications. Having someone else proofread an applicant’s essay is fineâ€"any writer can benefit from another set of eyes that might pick up a typo or a minor grammar mistake. However, true editing starts to move into the substantive writing process and in the end the writer of the college essay should be the applicant. Tens of thousands of people read our newsletters, blog, and our book. Even more have heard us speak at conferences, high schools, and community events. We’re proud of our company, our team, and what we stand for. And we come to work every day excited to help our students achieve their goals. We’ve learned how to help teenagers find their best stories. We also offer several essay packages for students who only want help with essays. To find out more about our essay programs, please reach out to , and we’ll match you with an essay specialist who can help you brainstorm and write compelling college essays. Since 1999, over 24,000 families have entrusted us with their students’ college admissions process. Nobody in private counseling helps more kids get into college than we do. Remember â€" the admissions officers read thousands of essays every admissions season, and they can spot an overly polished essay a mile away. So â€" yes â€" it’s fine to take a quick read to look for spelling errors, but it’s not fine to write your child’s essay for him or her. I have seen too many essays where parents “helped” and as result, the essay lost the student’s voice. But admissions officers will enforce the spirit, not the letter of the law here. Colleges have better things to do than to check the word counts of your essays for minor infractions. At almost all selective colleges however, every college essay will be read by multiple people. If a student is on the fence, not an early admit or deny, essays will probably be read multiple times by multiple people while an applicant is being discussed. By the end of this article, you'll have all the tools you need to create a fantastic, effective college essay. Students who enroll in our Complete Admissions Programs will brainstorm each of their essays with their counselor and submit each essay for rounds of feedback and revision. There is nothing theoretically wrong with that person being a parent if they are skilled and sensitive to helping while allowing the student’s own voice to remain dominant. Many times however, when a parent tries to help, they do more harm than good. It is very easy to spot an essay that has been overly edited by a parent and that is not good for the students chances of admission. The essay is supposed to be reflective of the STUDENT, not the parent, and admissions reps are hoping to get a better picture of the applicant’s individuality and unique attributes.