College Essay WritingCollege Essay Writing

Tips and Techniques Tips and Techniques

Getting Started Getting Started

Advice from ThoseAdvice from ThoseAlready Accepted:Already Accepted:

Start working on Start working on your essays now!your essays now!

Why are essays important? Why are essays important?

The essay is the only subjective part of The essay is the only subjective part of the applicationthe application

Tell the reader something they can’t find Tell the reader something they can’t find anywhere else in the application.anywhere else in the application.

Talk about something you are passionate Talk about something you are passionate about.about.

Types of EssaysTypes of Essays

Personal StatementPersonal Statement

Leadership EssayLeadership Essay

Professional StatementProfessional Statement

Essay TipsEssay Tips

Answer the Question!Answer the Question!

Write a rough draft and have others read itWrite a rough draft and have others read it

Be descriptive; use specific examplesBe descriptive; use specific examples

Don’t make a list, tell a story.Don’t make a list, tell a story.

PROOFREED!!!!! PROOFREED!!!!!

Deal BreakersDeal Breakers

Don’t mention the wrong school in your Don’t mention the wrong school in your essay.essay.

Keep to the word limit.Keep to the word limit.

Good grades, good ACT, short, weak Good grades, good ACT, short, weak essay = LAZY.essay = LAZY.

Be very careful about touchy subjects.Be very careful about touchy subjects.

DON’T: ramble, make your essay true DON’T: ramble, make your essay true confession time, forget the purpose.confession time, forget the purpose.

What do I write about?What do I write about?

Start with a concept mapStart with a concept map Gives you many ideasGives you many ideas

Shows your passionShows your passion

Allows for deep thought and reflection on your Allows for deep thought and reflection on your feelings toward your activities and goals.feelings toward your activities and goals.

NAME

2 times that you failed. 2 times you were successful

2-4 things which you consider yourself very knowledgeable about

5 people you admire (dead or alive) an Why

Extracurricular activities/volunteer experience/jobs

3 adjectives/personality traits you would use to describe yourself. 3 traits others would use to describe you

Goals: Where do you see yourself in the

future?

Extracurricular activities, volunteer

experience, jobs

Basketball

•Belonging to a group•Competitive•Exercise

•Happiness•Pride•Passion

Cooking

Reading

Hip-HopDancing

So now what?So now what?

Fill out the concept mapFill out the concept map

If you need help, come see a counselor If you need help, come see a counselor

Start your personal statement and let Start your personal statement and let someone read it- we like tosomeone read it- we like to

Check out schools websites for essay Check out schools websites for essay topics- U of I posts in late June early Julytopics- U of I posts in late June early July

START SOMETHING NOW!!!!!!START SOMETHING NOW!!!!!!

Common ApplicationCommon Application

- Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, - Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.faced and its impact on you.

  

-Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or -Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.international concern and its importance to you.

  

-Indicate a person who has had a significant -Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.influence on you, and describe that influence.

  

Common Application (cont)Common Application (cont)

-Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a -Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.an influence on you, and explain that influence.

  

-A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, -A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community or an encounter that demonstrated college community or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.the importance of diversity to you.

  

-Topic of your choice.-Topic of your choice.

Probable U of Illinois PromptsProbable U of Illinois Prompts

Essay 1:Essay 1: In an essay of 300 words or less, In an essay of 300 words or less, please discuss your academic interests please discuss your academic interests and/or professional goals.and/or professional goals.Essay 2:Essay 2: In an essay of 300 words or less, In an essay of 300 words or less, choose one extracurricular activity, work choose one extracurricular activity, work experience, or community service project experience, or community service project from the list you provided on the application from the list you provided on the application and explain why you initially chose it, why and explain why you initially chose it, why you continued with it, and how you benefited you continued with it, and how you benefited from it.from it.

Be on the look out in the fall for…. Be on the look out in the fall for…. COLLEGE ESSAY WORKSHOPS FOR COLLEGE ESSAY WORKSHOPS FOR SENIORSSENIORS.. October 9, 10, 11October 9, 10, 11thth in the College/Career Center in the College/Career Center

during ALL during ALL lunch hours.lunch hours. Bring in an already started essay for the counselors to Bring in an already started essay for the counselors to

edit/critique.edit/critique. Bring in the essay prompt and get help with starting Bring in the essay prompt and get help with starting

the essay.the essay.

NAVIANCE/COLLEGE APPLICATION NIGHTNAVIANCE/COLLEGE APPLICATION NIGHT October 24thOctober 24th, in the College/Career Center,, in the College/Career Center,3:30-7:003:30-7:00 Another chance to have your essays read!Another chance to have your essays read!

Thank you for attending!Thank you for attending! Questions?Questions?