What do admission officers look for in an essay?

Colleges look for three things in your admission essay: a unique perspective, strong writing, and an authentic voice.

What should an admissions essay look like?

Generally, essays for college admission follow a simple format that includes an opening paragraph, a lengthier body section, and a closing paragraph. You don't need to include a title, which will only take up extra space. Keep in mind that the exact format can vary from one college application to the next.

How do you stand out to admissions officers?

Admission officers seek students with strong character traits such as integrity, leadership, resilience, and initiative. Such attributes should shine through their essays, letters of recommendation, and extracurricular involvements.

What does a college want in an essay?

As part of the college application process, colleges ask prospective students for a personal essay in order to learn more about them. They want to see context on each student's background, positive traits that the student could bring to campus, and examples of the student demonstrating those qualities.

Do admission officers read the whole essay?

Myth: No one really reads your college admissions essay

Fact: Of course admission officers read your essays! They wouldn't ask you to write something they didn't plan to read. Admissions professionals want to read your story, the one you feel is important to share with them.

College Essay Tips | What Admissions Officers Really Want from a College Essay

How much do essays matter for college admissions?

At the top 250 schools, your essays generally account for 25% of your overall application. This is only slightly behind the 30% for extracurriculars. Essays are actually ahead of the 20% for grades and coursework, 15% for test scores, and 10% for recommendations and interviews.

Do admissions officers read Common App essay first?

Many admission offices will read your Common App essay first, simply because it's embedded in Common App itself, and that tends to be the starting point of an application review.

What makes me stand out college essay?

It should highlight what makes you a fantastic candidate beyond grades, extracurricular activities and test scores. Stay specific. You can't fit your entire life story into a 650-word essay, so try not to be too broad. Hone your essay in on a specific topic, life story or lesson you've learned.

Do colleges care about the essay?

A large part of the applicant review process is envisioning how the student might fit into the campus community. Because written communication is present in college coursework, it makes sense that the admissions essay is considered an important admissions factor to pay attention to.

How to write an effective essay?

What not to ask admissions officers?

What you do when you get to college is ultimately your business. But all the same, it's not a good idea to ask about the school's party culture or anything related to drugs and alcohol. Questions that make you seem uninterested. Don't ask the admissions officer questions that compare them to other schools.

How can I impress my college admissions?

How do admissions officers look at applications?

Most U.S. universities use the holistic review process when evaluating college applications. This means admissions officers place emphasis on the applicant as a whole person, not just his or her academic achievements, so soft factors may be given just as much consideration as the empirical data present in hard factors.

What not to write in a college admissions essay?

Writing about cultural heritage, bad grades or personal flaws, music, sports, drama, politics, or a family member's serious illness in college essays is tempting, but dangerous. We show why these topics can hurt students with admissions teams and how to handle them well.

How can I improve my admissions essay?

How should I start my admissions essay?

You'll be competing with so many other applicants for an admission officer's attention. Therefore, start your essay with an opening sentence or paragraph that immediately seizes the imagination. This might be a bold statement, a thoughtful quote, a question you pose, or a descriptive scene.

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.

How long do admissions officers read essays?

Probably no more than 20-30 minutes, if that long.

Can a college essay hurt your chances?

Writing Generic Essays and Supplements

Writing supplements that lack authenticity or fail to address the unique qualities of the institution to which you're applying and how they align with your goals and interests will significantly hurt your chances of admission.

How to be vulnerable in a college essay?

Some common, vulnerable topics include: challenging familial relationships, health issues, frequent moves or immigration, struggles with identity, failures, missteps and moral or ethical conflicts. If you're not sure that you're ready to talk about these things, think about some of your favorite films or books.

How do you start off a college essay?

Start with an attention grabber. The very first sentence of your essay should be the “hook” or “grabber.” This sentence “hooks” readers or “grabs” their attention, making them want to read more. This first sentence should provide rich details, engage a reader's curiosity, or otherwise stand out from the rest.

How long should a college application essay be?

If your institution doesn't provide a specific word count, it's best to keep your essay between the length established by the longer college admissions essay format: 250 to 650 words. Word count is just one factor to consider as you craft your college admissions essay.

What is the best opening sentence for a college essay?

To write a killer opening to your college essay, focus on the very first sentence, your “hook”. It should be unique, interesting and “hook” the reader's attention. It's the “big idea” or main lesson learned from your college essay.

What is a good sentence to start a college essay?

A great way to start a college essay is by grabbing the readers attention with an engaging hook. This could be an intriguing fact, a compelling anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or a powerful quote. The goal is to immediately captivate the reader and make them want to continue reading.

Do admissions officers see your name?

At many large public universities, no human may ever see any of an applicant's materials. They tend to use fully automated, algorithm-driven evaluation. Someone will see a name if the student makes some other contact with the office, possibly to take a tour. What should I put down on a college application?