Can a college essay just be a story?

College application essays need to tell a story to immerse the reader in a narrative that they don't want to end. Unfortunately, most college admissions officers often read many strung-together paragraphs with no structure, climax, or transformative learning moment for the reader to enjoy.

Can college essay be a story?

More to the point, when a college application asks for an essay consisting of a personal narrative, you are being asked to create an essay about yourself, through the writing of one of the many stories you could tell about yourself.

Can a college essay be about a book?

Write about something that's important to you.

It could be an experience, a person, a book—anything that has had an impact on your life.

Can I write my college essay like a diary entry?

You could write a diary entry, a letter to your future self, poetry, etc. We love three small vignettes tied together by quotes. We love adding dialogue. We love almost anything that isn't argumentative school writing.

Should a college essay be a sob story?

The college essay should be a space for exploration and reflection where students can present what they care about and what makes them who they are. Yet, when students feel required to write about their adversity to stand out, the college essay allows for minimal amounts of meaningful self-reflection.

College Essay Tips | How to Tell a Unique Story to Admissions

Is it OK to write a sad college essay?

While there's no definitive answer to whether or not sad college essays will work for every student, it's important to focus on presenting a well-written, genuine, and impactful story. If your "sad" topic is truly significant to your life and has shaped your character or values, then it might be a strong choice.

Is it OK if my college essay is bad?

If a student's essay isn't great OR good, the admission officer will probably just skim past the essay and move right on to your transcript and your test scores to evaluate your candidacy for admission. Bad essays don't get read. Period.

What not to write in a personal college essay?

How do you not write a boring college essay?

Show Don't Tell

As you expand on whatever theme you've decided to explore in your essay, remember to show, don't tell. The most engaging writing “shows” by setting scenes and providing anecdotes, rather than just providing a list of accomplishments and activities. Reciting a list of activities is also boring.

Can an essay alone get you into college?

The bad news? No matter how gorgeous your prose is, you can't get into college based on the strength of your essay alone. “No-one ever gets into college because you write a great essay,” Heaton says. “You can not get in because you write a really bad one.”

How do you make a college essay stand out?

How do I start my college essay?

Can I write my college essay on anything?

What can I write my college essay about? Almost anything you want—it's an opportunity to show your authentic self to admissions readers in a way that your test scores, GPA, and activities list can't.

What does a college essay have to be about?

Most colleges provide open-ended prompts. Using the topic as inspiration, think about critical milestones or essential lessons you learned during your academic career. Tell stories about real-life experiences that have shaped the person you are.

What genre is a college essay?

They can can also belong to a variety of formats, such as argumentative or expository essays that aim to present clear points and convey information about those points. Or, they could be more descriptive and narrative in nature, where the essays take on a more creative and literary approach.

What makes a poorly written essay?

A too-broad thesis statement. A poorly formulated thesis. Inadequate or unfocused topic sentences. Writing off-subject.

How bad is a typo in a college essay?

Take a breath and remember that college admissions officers, who have to read your whole file in a very short time, are not going to nit-pick over a minor error! They realize that applicants are 17-year-olds; a typo is not going to spell doom for your application.

Is name dropping bad in college essays?

It will only significantly increase the likelihood of rejection. Name dropping in college essays is one of the items on our checklist of things that will make rejection exceedingly likely. People don't like braggarts. People don't like people who are trying so hard to impress.

What is the most common college essay topic?

What is too personal for a college essay?

Highly Personal Topics

College essay topics to avoid also include anything that's highly personal or a delicate subject. For example, avoid doing an essay that provides too much detail on an illness, disability, or injury, especially a severe one.

What is the best topic for college essay?

Do college essays have to be perfect?

While many high school seniors fret over writing the PERFECT college application essay, the reality is that most admissions officers are not looking for “perfection.” That is, they don't need to see an essay that is stunningly brilliant, unforgettably profound and full of sophisticated words.

Can I trauma dump in a college essay?

However, students should consider avoiding including traumas in their essays because traumatic moments don't always demonstrate the best aspects of one's personality. “If I was applying to college or any other part of my life, I would not want to feel obligated to be judged on my worst moments,” Henderson said.

Do colleges want a sob story?

Students need not make up sob stories to improve their cases for admission to elite universities. In fact, we always discourage students from telling sob stories. We don't want students writing about illnesses that they, their parents, or grandparents have faced.

Can I write about death in my college essay?

After all, your college essay is supposed to be about you, and even though the loss of a friend or family member is life-shattering, their death may overshine what makes you special. In general, writing about someone who you have lost is not a great idea.