While grades and test scores are critical factors in the college selection process, for many colleges and universities, powerful essays can sometimes turn the admissions tide in your favor. College essays have the potential to help you stand out from the applicant crowd.

1. 8 steps to writing a great admissions essay:
   • Set aside a block of time–1 to 2 hours–in a distraction free setting
   • Identify the question you are going to answer and note the number of characters or words specified by the application directions (very important!)
   • Brainstorm and come up with topics to answer the question
   • Choose a topic
   • Brainstorm, gather your ideas and materials for the chosen topic
   • Write a first draft, making sure that you answer each part of the question asked
   • Edit the draft and make sure that it meets the word or character count. Have someone else review it
   • Give your essay one final proofread, then upload it into the space the online application provides.
2. The purpose of a college essay is for the admissions reader to discover something about who you are that is not covered in the application, as well as observe your writing skills.
3. Subjects for college essays that should be avoided are sex, your use of alcohol or drugs, personal struggles with eating disorders, suicide or mental illness; or your family’s dysfunction.
4. All good writers make use of other trusted people to give them feedback and proofread their writing.
5. Many early application essays can be recycled to answer other essay questions, BUT make sure that you edit the essay to fit the new question and appropriate college.

	Summer Before Senior Year Every year, a new Common Application becomes available on July 1st. Early July is the time to begin brainstorming ideas for how to answer the short, long, and additional information essay questions.
	Senior Year August Go to the admissions section of the website for each college to which you plan to apply. Download and print a copy of the application, making note of what the application essays are. September Identify the essay questions for each of your applications and choose a topic for each question. Brainstorm ideas for the topics, including personal stories and anecdotes. See Guide 9 for examples of personal stories and how to use them. October Write first drafts, edit (very important!), and complete essays for any early applications. November Write first drafts, edit (very important!), and complete essays for any applications with November deadlines. December Write or recycle essays for December and January 1, 2 or 3 deadlines January Complete or recycle any remaining essays due in January or later
	Parents A perfect role for parents to take in the essay phase of college applications is chief brainstormer and note taker during brainstorming sessions. While some parents can also play an editor role, many students do better when someone other than a parent edits their essays. Sometimes, parent edits get experienced by children as unconstructive or disapproving. You might want to leave your child’s essay editing to teachers, counselors, and friends who are good writers/editors. But that decision is up to your and your teen to decide.

If you want more information about any of the above, or

• Sample very short, short and long essay questions from well-known colleges
• The taboo subjects for essays
• Advice from professional writers about how to make writing easier and better
• 28 successful essay titles
• Going through the essay process with an actual student’s writing experience, including brainstorming notes, a first draft, a draft with editing marks and the final draft
• How to recycle an essay, with an actual example of expanding a short essay into a long essay
• Essay Do’s and Don’ts
• Advice about buying essays from the Internet (DON’T!)
• Recommended websites and books

If you want to gain access to Guide 12, Writing Essays, click here for an online, bare bones version.

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