Students, accustomed to writing for rubrics and teachers’ preferences, often ask what the colleges are seeking. The colleges want to know who each student is as a person beyond the grades, course rigor, test scores, and activities listed on the application. Students have limited avenues to bring their personalities to life: recommendations (which are not submitted by students), interviews (which are not offered by all universities), and essays.
College essay writing is unfamiliar to most students, even confident writers. Without guidance from the beginning of the brainstorming process, students can encounter pitfalls such as selecting uncompelling or trite topics, neglecting to consider the essay in the greater context of an entire application package, trying to anticipate the college’s “expectations,” being overly ambitious by putting too many ideas in a single essay, and/or “telling” rather than “showing.”
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John Doe
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John Doe
Some of the most effective essays can be about seemingly “ordinary” topics such as eating ice cream or taking a shower. Parents should also keep in mind that their students’ essays are not a referendum on their family or parenting and they need not be overly concerned about how their family/parenting is portrayed in the eyes of admissions officers. Nevertheless, if there are any topics that are “off limits,” we ask parents to let us know at the beginning of the brainstorming process.
To ensure the authenticity of students’ essays and the integrity of the writing process, we do not collaborate with family members in the essay-writing process. Multiple eyes and editors dilute the student’s original voice and perspective. Involvement of anyone other than the student and consultant tends to be a hindrance, leading to unnecessary back-and-forth, a less effective essay, and, ultimately, additional expense. We are hands-on so parents do not have to be. Although parents should take a backseat regarding their student’s essays, we will always be available to address questions or concerns.
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John Doe
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