College Essay Dos & Donts

College Essay Dos & Don’ts Free-writing is what it sounds like, writing freelyâ€"or “automatically.” Some people call it “stream of conscious” writing. Discover unusual topics, ideas and connections between events in your life. Treat these sentences as a hypothesis you need to prove. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a M.Ed. Prior to coming to Tech, Rick was on the admissions staff at Georgia State, The McCallie School and Wake Forest University. Ultimately, you’re the one who really knows your priorities and the things you most need in order to grow. Start by creating a ‘headline’ for each of your target schools. Summarize, in 1 or 2 sentences, what you think the unique fit is between yourself and the school. These include the death of a grandparent, the big game or your worthwhile service trip to Costa Rica. These topics are overused, and pretty boring at this point. First, freewriting is cherished by almost all writers as one of the best ways to become unstuck and make discoveries, and also to force yourself to JUST WRITE SOMETHING. It doesn’t have to be good, like, at all. From my 30-year career in higher education, I’ve compiled these tips to share with your student. Beyond the hook, you will want a successful thesis statement that you work into your introduction to establish your main idea which will run throughout the essay. Now there are some topics that should always be avoided. I would also suggest you avoid religion or politics. You never know if your admissions officer shares your views, and this is not the space to explore. Action taken, related it back to your own experience. This is what I’d consider “bare minimum” for making a solid point as to why you and a school are a good fit. Rick Clark is the Director of Undergraduate Admission at Georgia Tech. In this role, he directs the Institute’s recruitment and enrollment efforts, manages the review and selection of all undergraduate applications, and leads the admission team. Under his leadership, the Institute has dramatically increased brand awareness, improved overall academic class profile, and exceeded goals for geographic, gender and ethnic diversity. Knowing the topic won’t differentiate you, it has to be something else, right? And like the list of extra-curricular activities, it needs to be clear in the first sentence or two. You may produce an essay or many, even against your will. You might start to really like writing and want to not stop doing it. Instead, make a few well chosen points and back them up. What are the two or three things you, personally, MOST need from a college? This, by the way, is ALSO the reason nobody can do this work for you. It is the summer of 2012, and Shanghai isn’t to be home for much longer. In another week I will cross the globe to start a new life in a foreign land called Charlotte. Luckily, I board my train with seconds to spare, and without being turned into a pancake â€" always a plus. Try to be in a place where you will not be interrupted. Many a great piece of writing has begun behind a locked bathroom door. Pick a time you’ll stick to â€" maybe a on a commute, maybe first thing when you wake up, even if you think your brain is not really functioning . If you have to, you can even freewrite while you’re on the toilet .