Essay Writing Tips

Answer the specific prompt in a way that expresses core values or priorities that aren’t expressed elsewhere in your application.

Tell a personal story and then reveal what the story says about who you are.

You want the story to give insight into who you are so it is clear that in bringing your values/attributes/character qualities to college you will make a valuable contribution.

Find a creative angle for your story; the topic might not be unique but your story should be.

Provide specific details rather than general statements so the details are unique to you (details that are unique to you make for a more interesting story about you, which is the point).

Do not re-state your resume or activities list in paragraph form.

Brainstorm your values/things you care about

• Everything I Want Colleges to Know about Me

• Essence Objects Exercise

• Values Exercise

• Feelings and Needs Exercise

• Five Things Exercise

Brainstorm essay topics that will reveal your values, not someone else’s values in your story

Create an outline: What is the beginning of your story (e.g., how something affected you and then the context of what happened), middle (e.g., what you did about it), and insight at the end (e.g., what qualities/skills/values you learned that say something important about who you are)?

Write a first draft: Work on content first (just the ideas – don’t edit yet!), then work on the structure (flow of ideas), then style and details, keeping your own voice throughout

Proofread; check for spelling, grammar, flow, repetition, word choice, sentence structure, and punctuation; revise and repeat; make sure your values and insights shine through the story

Be vulnerable, honest, and authentic in your voice. 

• Reveal something personal (e.g., even something you worry people might judge you for, a combination of characteristics that makes you unique, or a unique passion of yours). 

• Do not use AI; your voice and personal experience and insight must be your own.

Be humble; convey that you have more to learn and don’t have it all figured out yet.

Don’t be too informal unless the story calls for it – you are not writing a letter to your best friend.

Don’t be too formal – you are not writing a letter to the president.

Express complex thoughts in succinct ways; use big words selectively (no pretentious language) 

Pull the reader into your story; don't reveal too much at the beginning so the reader is interested until the end. End on a high note with something surprising, engaging, or compelling about you so that your story is persuasive & conveys the valuable contribution you will make to the college.