STEP 1: On Your Marks

Before you start writing, think about how you would answer the question "Who are you?"

How well do you know yourself? Do you know what you want? Do you know what your dreams are? A test score says nothing about your character, your likes or your dislikes but the essay will tell the reader more about you as a person.

As the essay is the only place an admissions office can get the measure of your individuality, this is not the time to be cautious about expressing your opinions. What makes your essay stand out is a strong point of view and a sense that you are a real person. The person reading your application will not be impressed if they feel you are only trying to tell them what you think they want to hear.

Great college application essays are important for a number of reasons. They portray you as an authentic person, someone who is unique and worth having at that college. They help college admissions officers determine how well you are suited to college life in general and how well suited you would be to their college in particular. If you can write your essay so it conveys a self-motivated, honest, enthusiastic attitude, you will definitely improve your chances of being accepted.

The essay question may be direct and ask you to choose something about yourself to discuss, or it may be indirect and ask you about something such as an event or a book. The admissions office will learn about you through the choices you make.

• Preferences – personality assessments and tests use preferences to draw conclusions about character and personality. Generally a person who likes to talk to dolphins has a different personality to the person who likes to collect war memorabilia.
• Values – making choices reflect value judgements. Spending $20 a week on a manicure might say something different about your values than the person who volunteers at the homeless shelter. You might do both. This will also say something about you.
• Thought processes – Are you methodical? Whimsical? Impulsive, Analytical? Pessimistic? Optimistic? Questions and choices that will reflect your thinking style, level of intelligence, insight and how carefully you have considered the question and how seriously you undertook the task of answering it.

[ Page 1 ] [Page 2] [ Page 3 ] [ Page 4 ]
Print This Page

This community service site is sponsored by www.goodstaff.com

© Copyright 2000. Galt Western Personnnel Ltd. you may reprint this article, quote from it, use it in research or projects, duplicate it or distribute it. Credit of authorship and source MUST be given to course411.com and goodstaff.com. Ownership of Copyright remains with Galt Western Personnel Ltd.