The college countdown has begun for high school seniors. The goal is to write a college essay that will move an application from the “maybe” pile to the “yes” pile. But wishing for it to happen isn’t enough. It takes a structured approach and some focused writing efforts.
Bear in mind that the personal statement is a student’s opportunity to sell himself/herself to college admission officers beyond their grades and test scores. Students need to think of themselves as a product of their upbringing, schooling, interests, experiences and more. The essay should explain why the college should want the applicant as part of their student body.
Linda Ortwein, Director of College Counseling at Greenwich Education Group, offers 10 quick tips to make the pitch:
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· Make it memorable; do some structured brainstorming to come up with your memorable sales pitch
· Distinguish yourself; talk about you, the unique dimensions of you as a person
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· Grab their attention at the start; a great opening line will hook the reader
· Make them want to meet you; what qualities and attributes don’t show up on your transcript or activity list
· Make sure you assess the essay prompts; are you answering their questions?
· Grammar, grammar, grammar; don’t doom yourself with sloppy syntax
· Keep the essay focused; a laundry list isn’t exciting reading so make sure you edit to a tightly written essay
· Engage the reader; be polished but use your own voice
· Read the essay out loud; make sure it sounds interesting and not bland
· Write and rewrite; your first and second drafts aren’t good enough so demand more of yourself
For students who are looking for more assistance in completing their essays, there are a variety of advisory services available to help them maximize their efforts and the impact of their essays. Greenwich Education Group, as an example, will be offering a College Essay Boot Camp.
The Boot Camp is a structured, intensive class that meets four hours a day for five consecutive days. The goal of Boot Camp is to introduce rising high school seniors to the college application process and give them a head start on constructing their college essay(s) and personal statements. The class will include tips on getting and staying organized; brainstorming about one’s specific interests and accomplishments in order to choose strong essay topics; and guidance drafting, writing, editing, revising, and crafting the final submission. The course will be offered on August 12-16, 2013 from 10:00-2:00.
For more information or to enroll in the College Essay Boot Camp, contact Linda Ortwein at Lortwein@greenwichedgroup.com or (203) 661-1609, extension 110.
