The College Essay

While the college essay can often make students feel anxious, there really is no need to panic. The strong foundation in written communication you’ve received at Mount Notre Dame, coupled with the tools you’ve mastered with the assistance of our counselors, will leave you prepared to wow admissions officers. If you do not have a personal interview, the college essay is your opportunity to tell the college who you are and why you would be an asset to the school.

That said, it is important to note that many schools do not even require an essay. Others only require a few short-answer responses on their applications. Check carefully on the admission requirements for each school before you begin to work on an essay you may not need.

Getting Started:

• Double-check due dates and make sure you give yourself plenty of time and thoroughly understand what the school is looking to see in the essay.
• Take the time to get advice and assistance from your English teacher.
• Use the same writing process that you do for class assignments:
  • Brainstorm.
  • Make an outline.
  • Write the first draft and edit. Don’t be afraid to share it with others to get additional feedback.
  • Write the second draft, and however many you feel you need until you are comfortable with your essay.
  • Submit it to your English teacher for review.

It’s important to be yourself in your essay. If you are naturally witty, then write a witty essay. If that isn’t your personality, don’t try to force it.
 

What are admissions officers looking for in an essay?

• Strong written communication skills - Can you write an essay that is organized and builds to make a point? The mechanics of your writing should be carefully checked – vocabulary, grammar, spelling and punctuation will demonstrate your command of the writing medium.
• Who you are – Admissions officers want to get a glimpse into you as a person, aside from your GPA and your test scores. Here are some sample essay topics:
  • Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
  • Discuss some issue of personal, local or international concern and its importance to you.
  • Indicate a person who has had significant influence on you, and describe the influence.
  • Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure or creative work (as in art, music, science, etc) that has had an influence on you, and describe that influence.
  • A range of academic interests, personal perspectives and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrates the importance of diversity to you.
     

As you can see from these topics, the questions ask you in one way or another to write about YOU. Admissions officers don’t want you to write about something they can read in another part of the application. The college essay is the place for you to show your beliefs, values and dreams. In the essay you become more than a number or a name on a list. Don’t be fooled by questions that may seem whimsical (“describe the inside of a ping-pong ball”); they are actually carefully designed to get you to think. If a college asks about a current issue of importance to you, they aren’t concerned about the scientific details about global warming or the intricacies of the European economic system; they want to know about you and your values. Select a topic of which you feel strongly. The topic doesn’t have to be earth-shattering; it can be about your younger brother, a soccer game or lunch in the cafeteria. Adults usually enjoy reading about the adolescent world, and you are the expert. The critical point is to relate the topic, person, experience and your development. Write insightfully and creatively about your experiences. Experts recommend having a relaxed, but genuine tone to a college essay. Think of it as a letter to a good friend. A good essay catches the applicant in the act of thinking; it demonstrates a distinctive voice and personality.

Once your essay has been written, revised and reviewed by your English teacher, present it in a neat form and on time. The essay is an important part of your application, but a strong essay will not make up for low grades and test scores. Admissions officers report that they use the essay to:

• Judge basic skills;
• Check for grade inflation on the transcript;
• Establish appropriate fit (e.g. if your values as expressed reflect their values);
• Differentiate among similarly qualified applicants.

   
  Some Don’ts:

  • Don’t procrastinate so you don’t have time to ask your teacher for help.
  • Don’t “beef-up” your essay with all your vocabulary words. You essay will sound like a thesaurus. You need to be clear and to use words with which you feel comfortable.
  • Don’t use too many adjectives or adverbs. Go over your essay, stopping at every modifier to ensure that it is necessary. Avoid slang adjectives like “awesome” and “super.” 
  • Don’t use exclamation points!
  • Don’t ramble on. The admissions officers have to read many essays. Longer is not better; get to the point.
  • Do not use clichéd quotes.