Preparing for College

· The success of your essay depends on the manner in which you present yourself.

· What you want to say and how effectively you convey your message is what counts.

· Do not try to respond to what you think the admission committee wants to hear.

· Write about yourself in a forthright manner, but without baring your soul.

· Write about a subject that is important to you, and do so in a convincing manner.

· Write an essay that reflects your uniqueness as a prospective college student.

· Keep your essay focused on the message you wish to convey.

· Present your accomplishments, but don't overdo it to the point of bragging.

· Don't feel you must respond to an offbeat question with an offbeat essay.

· Feel free to insert appropriate humor, so as to add spice to your essay.

· Respond to an ordinary question by using a distinctive approach.

With these guidelines in mind, we will consider two important issues: selecting a topic

and how to approach it.

The Essay Topic

It may prove easier to respond to a specific question posed by the school than to prepare

an essay on a topic of your own choosing. When this is the case, the options are unlim-

ited and this is why choosing a topic presents such a challenge. However, you shouldn't

view this feature as a burden, but rather as a chance to "sell" yourself. It offers an

opportunity to present yourself in a nonacademic context. Namely, you can, in an appro-

priate fashion, bring to light information about your skills, philosophy, talents, experi-

ences, character, background, personal interests, and life goals. In other words, you have

a valuable opportunity to generate a meaningful image of yourself as a unique individ-

ual. This can significantly add to the desirability of the school wanting to have you as a

member of their next incoming class.

Most conventional topics discussed in essays relate to school activities, trips, and

vacations. This is because they reflect the norm of a high school student's lifestyle. The

key is to fit your personal message into the context of the specific topic you select.

Essay topics of a conventional nature that you may wish to write about are

· What career objectives do you have, and how will attending college help you

achieve them?

· In what way will college help you fulfill your specific life goals and aspirations?

· What contribution can you make to the college you wish to enter?

· What would you write in your recommendation for admission?

In addition, you may find a topic to write about by thinking of answers to the

following:

· What do you excel at?

· What do you consider to be the most impressive accomplishment so far in your life?

· What achievement has given you the most satisfaction?

· What are your strongest personal commitments?

· If you came into great wealth, how would you spend your life?

To decide on the topic for your essay, you may need to set aside time for undisturbed

reflection. Moreover, this warm-up time should be used not only to identify the subject,

Preparing for College - Page 9