admissions application at least one essay. Some require several. In every case, the
admissions personnel look for two qualities: content and evidence of writing ability.
The admissions staff want to see how you handle challenging topics, how you think,
and how well you use the language.
Note two implications of what you’ve just read:
- You should remember the audience. You are writing for the admissions people.
They read thousands of essays, many dull and poorly written. Make yours
lively, personal, and polished, and you will attract their attention. - You should write honestly. The student who writes to sound impressive, using
five-syllable words and circuitous sentences, attracts attention, but it’s the
wrong kind.
Do not write:
It is uppermost in my mind to walk the hallowed halls of Some University
and share great thoughts with the world’s greatest minds.
Instead, say what you really mean:
I have been interested in Some University since the day I read about Dr.
Important and learned that he and his student-research teams have con-
tributed to the world’s understanding of black holes.
In short, the college admission essay response should
- keep in mind its readers, and
- talk to them honestly and specifically.
TYPES of CoLLEGE ADMISSIoN APPLICATIoN ESSAYS
The types of college admission application essays vary, but most fall into these gen-
eral categories:
- essays about yourself, your interests, or your activities
- essays explaining why you want to attend that college or university
- essays responding to a thought-provoking statement, a book, or a
contemporary problem
Essays about yourself, your interests, or your activities seek a better understand-
ing of you as an individual. The essay topics may be similar to the following:
- What are your career preferences?
- Tell us anything about yourself, your activities, your interests, or your goals
that will help us know you as a person. - If you were to describe yourself in terms of a fictional character, who would it
be? Explain your answer.
128 / Types of Writing