Class Location: On the Internet.

Description: This page will help students choose the right topic to write about on their admissions essays.  At many schools, admission essays are quite important in the admissions process.  The admissions committee wants to know more about yourself from these essays -- so it is very advisable to spend some time brainstorming for a good topic and perfecting your essay.

Objective: Learn what the admissions committees are looking for and how to go about writing your essay.

 

Don't become a cliché!

Frequently, college applicants will write about something grandiose hoping by boasting of any daring feats in their lives will win over the hearts of the admissions staff and strongly encourage them to throw scholarship money in their direction. Admissions personnel quickly become wary of these grandiose claims and no longer want to read essays with examples of common topics such as world peace or your leadership and courage helping your team win the state championship. Not that those aren't important topics, they just become cliché after a while.

What the Admission Committee Really Wants to See

The admission committee wants to learn more about the genuine you and not general topics as listed above. They want to know how you think, not what you think, and why you have made particular decisions in your life, not the actual accomplishments themselves. Give a detailed analysis of a choice; for example, why you chose to study French or German, rather then how you were a linebacker on a team. If you are being recruited for your superior athletic abilities, discussing your position on a sports team is probably a good idea.

What Should You Do?

Talk about your accomplishments and be sure to keep yourself at the center of your essay. Don't use broad and sweeping examples to highlight your great undertakings. For example, if you want to discuss your position on an athletic team, you could specify a lesson learn from your coach or about the friendship between the players on the team.

Give Yourself Plenty of Time!

Like anything in life worth doing, all of this is easier said then done. Keep up your confidence, you can do it! Remember to allot yourself the time needed to do your essay. Don't hesitate to enlist the help of a trusted adult to help compose and edit your essays.