Is your teen struggling with their college admissions essay, and you’re looking for ways to help? Are they worried that their essay won’t contain what admission counselors are looking for? Does your teen struggle with writing about themselves without simply listing their experiences and accomplishments?
According to Big Future, “The college essay is your chance to use your voice to add to your college application. Many colleges require the essay as a way to hear from the student directly and to get a sense of who you are in your own words.” They go on to say that the essay is a great way to “personalize your application beyond the grades, scores, and other information you’ve provided and can make a difference at decision time.” For students, it’s crucial that their essay is a reflection of who they are and not just what they’ve experienced or accomplished.
Here are four tips for a strong college admissions essay from Tufts University:
- Focus Inward
When it comes to writing college admissions essays, teens tend to revert to talking about things like their experiences, another person, accomplishments, or a favorite activity. What they should talk about are passions, personality, and quirks. It’s understandable that they write about the former because they’ve been accustomed to writing essays about books they’ve read and concepts they’ve learned. It may be difficult for them in the beginning and require some practice; however, those external elements should serve only as a springboard for the student to reveal more about themselves.
- Be Detailed
Instead of writing on broad range of points, teens should go deep and focus on details. For instance, rather than talking about their love of art history and about the related activities and courses they’ve participated in, teen college applicants should write about an area or person of interest they have learned about. They should then explain why they are inspired and how their life has been affected. Taking the time to go deeper and using the subject matter to reveal more about themselves shows initiative and will make the teen memorable to the college acceptance committee.
- Write How You Speak
The essay is a way for the students to show who they are. This can be done not only by what they say but how they say it.
- Get Feedback from Two People
When writing the college admissions essay, teens fail to get feedback from several people resulting in losing the student’s voice in the work. Although the people are well-meaning, they tend to steer the teen towards writing in sterile language which coincides with their idea of what they think admissions officers are looking for. This tends to sacrifice the student’s tone and style. For feedback, choose a person who’s a strong writer and another who knows the student well. These individuals will make sure that the essay is a genuine reflection of who the teen truly is.
In general, most teens coming out of high school are not equipped for college writing. Going from high school English class to college-level composition class is a big leap and requires a different level of skill and an understanding of what colleges are looking for. It’s been my experience that teens need time and lots of practice to adequately prepare for college-level writing. Once they get it under their belt, it is a skill that will benefit them greatly in college and in their careers.
Recently, we had a Junior who reached out to us for help and who had been successful in writing for her high school classes. She didn’t have any major issues with mechanics or grammar, but writing college essays was a challenge for her. After applying for a few colleges and not getting accepted to her top three, her parents decided to focus on her essay writing. After she worked with one of our tutors for a few months, she began to apply to more colleges, and she received acceptance letters from all of them.
Applying to colleges can seem overwhelming, but we can help with the process and determine what colleges are truly looking for. Writing college admissions essays can require careful planning and acquiring specific skills.
We, at Dynamis Learning Academy, are here to help your teen prepare for every aspect of the college admissions process. Contact owner Helen Panos at helen@dynamislearningacademy.com or at 770-282-9931 to schedule a free consultation about college admissions essay writing, SAT/ACT Prep, or any other area of concern.
Helen is an expert educator with over 25 years of years of experience. She believes in the importance of helping children reach their potential and become well-rounded, intelligent citizens with a positive influence and impact on society. Helen assists parents in accessing the best skills, strategies, tools, and resources to help children be successful and ultimately excel in the world.
Is your teen struggling with their college admissions essay, and you’re looking for ways to help? Are they worried that their essay won’t contain what admission counselors are looking for? Does your teen struggle with writing about themselves without simply listing their experiences and accomplishments?
According to Big Future, “The college essay is your chance to use your voice to add to your college application. Many colleges require the essay as a way to hear from the student directly and to get a sense of who you are in your own words.” They go on to say that the essay is a great way to “personalize your application beyond the grades, scores, and other information you’ve provided and can make a difference at decision time.” For students, it’s crucial that their essay is a reflection of who they are and not just what they’ve experienced or accomplished.
Here are four tips for a strong college admissions essay from Tufts University:
- Focus Inward
When it comes to writing college admissions essays, teens tend to revert to talking about things like their experiences, another person, accomplishments, or a favorite activity. What they should talk about are passions, personality, and quirks. It’s understandable that they write about the former because they’ve been accustomed to writing essays about books they’ve read and concepts they’ve learned. It may be difficult for them in the beginning and require some practice; however, those external elements should serve only as a springboard for the student to reveal more about themselves.
- Be Detailed
Instead of writing on broad range of points, teens should go deep and focus on details. For instance, rather than talking about their love of art history and about the related activities and courses they’ve participated in, teen college applicants should write about an area or person of interest they have learned about. They should then explain why they are inspired and how their life has been affected. Taking the time to go deeper and using the subject matter to reveal more about themselves shows initiative and will make the teen memorable to the college acceptance committee.
- Write How You Speak
The essay is a way for the students to show who they are. This can be done not only by what they say but how they say it.
- Get Feedback from Two People
When writing the college admissions essay, teens fail to get feedback from several people resulting in losing the student’s voice in the work. Although the people are well-meaning, they tend to steer the teen towards writing in sterile language which coincides with their idea of what they think admissions officers are looking for. This tends to sacrifice the student’s tone and style. For feedback, choose a person who’s a strong writer and another who knows the student well. These individuals will make sure that the essay is a genuine reflection of who the teen truly is.
In general, most teens coming out of high school are not equipped for college writing. Going from high school English class to college-level composition class is a big leap and requires a different level of skill and an understanding of what colleges are looking for. It’s been my experience that teens need time and lots of practice to adequately prepare for college-level writing. Once they get it under their belt, it is a skill that will benefit them greatly in college and in their careers.
Recently, we had a Junior who reached out to us for help and who had been successful in writing for her high school classes. She didn’t have any major issues with mechanics or grammar, but writing college essays was a challenge for her. After applying for a few colleges and not getting accepted to her top three, her parents decided to focus on her essay writing. After she worked with one of our tutors for a few months, she began to apply to more colleges, and she received acceptance letters from all of them.
Applying to colleges can seem overwhelming, but we can help with the process and determine what colleges are truly looking for. Writing college admissions essays can require careful planning and acquiring specific skills.
We, at Dynamis Learning Academy, are here to help your teen prepare for every aspect of the college admissions process. Contact owner Helen Panos at helen@dynamislearningacademy.com or at 770-282-9931 to schedule a free consultation about college admissions essay writing, SAT/ACT Prep, or any other area of concern.
Helen is an expert educator with over 25 years of years of experience. She believes in the importance of helping children reach their potential and become well-rounded, intelligent citizens with a positive influence and impact on society. Helen assists parents in accessing the best skills, strategies, tools, and resources to help children be successful and ultimately excel in the world.