On College Application Essays

By: Sean Savoie 

            In my line of work, this time of year is truly special because eager students are busy crafting the essays submitted when applying to colleges and universities. I remember agonizing over my own essays during the application process, staring at blank paper for what seemed like hours on end. Although I felt confident that I understood my strongest qualities and could express these qualities to universities, I continued to waste time and paper by beginning an essay and then coming to a dead end, tossing the paper behind me as I had seen in some old movie. Pathetic, really. With the insight given to me by my parents, my biggest fans, I managed to get into an excellent college and benefited immensely, with my first two years of college being a far more educational experience than I could have imagined.

            One of the skills that almost all teachers eventually develop is the ability to perceive talents in students. In order to effectively teach children, one must first judge how much information they are able to comprehend and process. This kind of judgment is precisely what a college recruiter must be able to make. As the writer of a college application essay, you, the student, must put yourself in the mind of the recruiter.           

            All types of college application essay questions elicit from the writer insight into personality. When given a choice of essays, the selection a student makes reflects something of the state of mind of that student. I generally suggest that, when presented with more than one essay topic, the student opt for the most global in nature. An opinion expressed about an international situation shows that a student desires to understand and make some sense of the world. This reflects that the student is “thinking big”. However the trapping is in determining the scope; a big idea must be captured in less than 500 words. Not an easy task for anybody. In addressing a global topic, a student must carefully narrow the focus of what to express, or risk creating a hopelessly incomplete idea.            

            Given that I am writing this essay before the Mets play game seven to hopefully put them in the World Series (Go Mets!), I will describe the essay question in baseball terms. You, the student, are at bat with a 3-2 count, nobody on base, two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, tie score. The team (ironically, yourself) is tensely rooting for you. Taking a quick time-out to practice your swing, you settle into your stance at the plate. The pitcher (also ironically, yourself) delivers the perfect pitch. Beautiful! Some people watch it go by, some swing because it is an automatic reaction, some swing for the fences, which I very, very highly recommend. You may miss the ball, foul out and get another try, get on base, or hit a home run. The point is that you must swing; an essay is a perfect pitch. It’s all you, the student writer; you are in complete control in this aspect of your application process. And that is great news (if you take it seriously). 

            The general question that is directly or indirectly posed by a college to the student is: How would this college, the community, or the world benefit from your participation here? Or, more simply put: Why you? What makes you extraordinary? Essay questions may be disguised in various ways, but make no mistake, this is what the question really is. Read the essay question again and again, perceiving the deeper meaning behind the question. Be extraordinary and ridiculous! Do not limit yourself to the ideas that first come into your head; this is a common trapping. Think outside of the box. A crucial essay topic often suggested or required by colleges involves writing about an experience that impacted your life. Do not write about your beautiful trip into Europe, the death of your dog, or the time you learned to swim. These topics are not wrong, but simply too ordinary. Meditate for a while and follow your mind to a unique event that keeps coming back to you in clear memory. This indicates that the event somehow had a heavy impact on you. While continuing to re-read the essay question every now and then, capture every possible way of interpreting the event until patterns begin to emerge between it and other important, positive experiences you have had and decisions you have made. This brings you to the next step. 

            Brainstorming, the writing down of every conceivably related idea, is a necessity! Think in single words and phrases and do not consider whether any idea is right or wrong, significant or insignificant, exciting or boring; just write it.  The key to addressing this type of essay well is to later discuss your abilities, achievements, experiences, and activities with friends and family members while attempting to surround the idea you have focused on. Ask a person who may have been with you about the event. How do your friends and family think this event has changed your life? You will be surprise by how much a person may really understand you, and this person may point out many related events you had not even thought of. And, young gentlemen especially, make sure to listen most carefully to your Mothers! I know many of you have deformed ears as a result of listening, or not, to your moms. But if you are ever going to listen to your mom talking about your unique qualities, this is the time. Listen to all opinions. Take notes; something may strike you later. 

            Sell yourself. Colleges love leadership positions, extreme trauma or risks that become success stories, and high achievements of all sorts. Keep in mind the possibility that a college may love something that you experienced even though you do not believe this event was so important. This is why you must speak with friends and family. Because the numbers expressing your GPA, SAT scores, and number of AP/honors classes will speak for themselves, you must take a stand and show, without room for denial, that you are much more than simply numbers. In your essay, this unique and extraordinary quality about you, whatever form it may take, must be written in a powerful way. Especially if you have a slightly lower GPA than normally accepted at a certain college, you must catch the recruiter with your first paragraph. Interest or even shock the reader into reading the whole essay. Most recruiters will, at best, be thinking about what to have for dinner while reading your essay if it does not strike them significantly. If the process is not very difficult for you, the essay is probably a joke. Do not write a “normal” essay!  

            Ooops! There! Did you see that? Now the Mets need to wait another year to get to the World Series because a batter watched a beautiful pitch go by. He lost the game just watching. Do not let that happen to you! Swing!