The College Essay: A revelation of self

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The College EssayA revelation of self

• Douglas Waugh, M.I.T.
• Bellevue HS English

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Is this guy QUALIFIED?

• BA in English and Criminology (University of
  Washington)
• Master in Teaching (UW)
• Graduate Assistant for New Student Programs (UW)
• Academic Advisor (UW)
• AP English Teacher and Dean of Students (BHS)

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• Consultants charge up to 300 an hour to help
  prepare and polish it, and 60 for a quick
  appraisal. Prep schools offer a weekly class
  throughout the fall to conceive, draft, rewrite,
  revise, and edit it. Parents ghostwrite it and
  get secretaries to type the final version,
  spell-checked and grammatically correct on 24
  pound bond paper. Students who write it without
  assistance experience what the former Dean of
  Bates College calls myopic paranoia I dont
  know why they are asking that question, but I
  know they are out to get me. Glenn C.
  Altschuler

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So why so much angst and expense?

• Because so much is at stake!
• (ohand it is hardand deeply personal)

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What are the three Cs?

• Connections
• Challenges
• Changes/Choices

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So what will you write about?

• What have you undertaken or done on your own in
  the last year or two that has nothing to do with
  academic work? (Northwestern)
• Imagine that you have the opportunity to travel
  back through time. At what point in history would
  you like to stop and why? (Swarthmore)
• What is the best advice you ever received? Why?
  And did you follow it? (University of
  Pennsylvania)

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So what will you write about?

• Select a creative work -- a novel, a film, a
  poem, a musical piece, a painting or other work
  of art -- that has influenced the way you view
  the world and the way you view yourself. Discuss
  the work and its effect on you. (New York
  University)
• What do you think has been the most important
  social or political movement of the twentieth
  century? Do you share a personal identification
  with this cause? (Trinity College, CT)
• If you were to look back on your high school
  years, what advice would you give to someone
  beginning their high school career? (Simmons)

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Step 1 Learn about yourself

• Essay Topic Brainstorming (Packet)
• Think About Yourself
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• What are your best qualities?
• Are you an intellectual? A creative type?
  Curious? Passionate? Determined?
• Now choose a positive quality youd like to
  convey to the admissions committee!

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Step 2 Tell a story

• 20 minutes Tell a story about an experience or
  time when you showed you were a very _______
  person!
• Use the characteristic you identified in Step 2.
• Force yourself to keep telling the
  storyNON-STOPEvery detail!!!

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The Secret

• Did you take a snapshot?
• SHOW
• Dont
• TELL

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Off Limit Topics4 Ds

• Death
• Drugs
• Depression
• Divorce
• and Sports

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The other Dsthe DONTS

• Dont write a resume
• Dont Forget to Proofread
• Dont Use 50 words when Five will do
• Dont tell them what you think they want to hear!

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Final Suggestions

• Be authentic
• Be imaginative
• Reflect
• Start Early
• Let EVERYONE read it
• Own your voice!

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Some words of wisdom

• A good (essay) catches the applicant in the act
  of thinking it establishes and maintains a
  distinctive voice, personality and perspective.

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YOUR PROMPT

• Tell one story about yourself that would best
  provide us, either directly or indirectly, with
  an insight into the kind of person you are. For
  example, the story can simply relate a personal
  experience, or a humorous anecdote it can tell
  about an especially significant academic
  encounter or about an unusual test of character.
  The possibilities are unlimitedyou choose. Just
  relax and write it.

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Questions???