College Application Essay Writing

1. College Application Essay Writing Step 1: Choosing a topic

2. What is the prompt? • Essay prompts are generic. • A good essay fits almost anywhere. • Most colleges ask a question about diversity. • The prompts are found on the instructions page of applications.

3. What makes a good essay topic? • How many people could have written this essay? • The topic might fit for multiple people, but the whole story can only be you. • Did the author learn anything by the end of the essay? • Did it answer the question? • Essays can work with multiple prompts, but they have to work.

4. Match the topic to the prompt • My experience being homeless. • Finding out my dad isn’t my biological father. • Crossing the Mexican-American border. • Knowing that I will have an arranged marriage. • Why I like to play the trumpet. • Discuss how your family’s experience or cultural history enriched you or presented you with opportunities or challenges in pursuing your educational goals. • Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you. • What are your academic goals and how will our college help you accomplish these goals? • Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence. • Describe any of your special interests and how you have developed knowledge in these areas. Give examples of your creativity: the ability to see alternatives; take diverse perspectives; come up with many, varied, or original ideas; or willingness to try new things.

5. Match the topic to the prompt • My experience being homeless. • What are your academic goals and how will our college help you accomplish these goals?

6. Match the topic to the prompt Finding out my dad isn’t my biological father. • Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.

7. Match the topic to the prompt • Crossing the Mexican-American border. • Discuss how your family’s experience or cultural history enriched you or presented you with opportunities or challenges in pursuing your educational goals.

8. Match the topic to the prompt • Knowing that I will have an arranged marriage. • Discuss how your family’s experience or cultural history enriched you or presented you with opportunities or challenges in pursuing your educational goals.

9. Match the topic to the prompt • Why I like to play the trumpet. • Describe any of your special interests and how you have developed knowledge in these areas. Give examples of your creativity: the ability to see alternatives; take diverse perspectives; come up with many, varied, or original ideas; or willingness to try new things.

10. Why can I mix and match? • You are telling a story about your life. • You have to learn something from the experience, but that something is going to be different for everyone. • What you learn is your “So, What?”

11. How does this fit with LA? • This is a unique piece of writing. • Not a persuasive piece or an academic essay. • There is a hook, introduction, body and conclusion. • The conclusion includes your “So, what?”

12. Why hooks? • How many applications are there? • Now imagine reading all those essays. • Admissions officers have to speed read. • Your essay should seem interesting. • People should want to keep reading.

13. Let’s rank hooks • I have done a lot of research about your college and believe that I am the perfect applicant. • The minute I saw the TSA agents, I knew I should have changed out of my sari onboard the plane while flying back from India. • My parents divorced when I was 8 and it was really hard for me. • When I start reading a good book, everything around me gets muted. • I have wanted to be a doctor ever since my grandmother had a heart attack.

14. Now you try! These are a few essay prompts from the Common Application. Pick a question and try your hand at finding a powerful essay topic! Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again? Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

15. Now you try! (Pt. 2) Choose a story from your own life. Sum that story up in one descriptive sentence.

16. Now you try! (Pts. 3 & 4) • Write a captivating hook! • Turn and talk. • Trade topics and hooks with your neighbor. Do they want to read more? • Give at least one strength. • If you would prefer not to share your topic with a classmate, pair with the counselor or teacher.