A Primer on Writing the College Essay: The answers to those questions that keep you up at night

Why do colleges require essays?

Colleges use essays to try and create a personal snapshot of you unobtainable from other parts of the application. Essays tell what you are passionate about, what motivates you, what challenges you have faced, or who you hope to become. At selective colleges, admission officers also use essays to make sure that you can reason through an argument competently, that you can connect a series of thoughts, and that you can arrive at an organized conclusion.

What role does the essay play in the application process?

While an admissions decision does not hinge on the essay, it certainly can influence the decision making process. A strong essay will capture the attention of the admissions committee. An essay with grammatical errors and spelling mistakes may leave a negative impression. Your essay deserves effort and attention, but keep in mind that it is only a part of the overall application process. The transcript, course selection, test scores, recommendations, activities, interviews, and any other required materials will all play a part in the final admissions decision.

Who will read my essay?

At small and/or selective colleges, admissions counselors thoroughly read all required materials that are part of the application. At Lewis & Clark applications are read by at least two people. Your application is first reviewed by the area counselor who will make a recommendation on the application. A second reader will then review the file. If the readers agree, a decision is made. If the readers disagree, the application file goes on to the admissions committee for a final review and decision. As this process unfolds, your essay is read by a diverse group of individuals. While admissions counselors take their jobs seriously, do not feel that you must write a serious essay. Your writing should reflect your voice and your personality. Do keep in mind that admissions committees reflect a wide range of ages, interests, professional experiences, and even senses of humor.

What about a humorous essay?

It is always a pleasure to read a “funny” essay. A unique topic or approach is often refreshing to a college admissions officer who has been reading applications all day. Further, an unusual or off-beat essay is an excellent way to show your creativity. However, you should not attempt to be funny if this is not your natural personality or voice. Your comfort level as a writer is a serious factor in the success of your essay. The more natural you sound the better.

Is the essay a good place to discuss my academic record?

The essay can be a good place to explain in more detail any ups or downs on your transcript or a significant experience that has impacted your academics. You can, however, also write a separate letter explaining those circumstances if you’d like to write your essay on another topic.

What “original” topics do colleges see with surprising frequency?

Students often write about their mission and/or volunteer trips out of the country, an outdoor experience, the death of a family member or close friend, a sports injury, or travel. While you can write a successful essay about these experiences, make sure you focus on a specific moment and how you have been impacted. Don’t just tell the admissions committee that your values or outlook changed when confronted with a challenge – tell us how you changed as a result of that experience.

Is there a “right” answer?

No. Specific questions do not necessarily have specific answers. A good essay will be focused on a clear idea with supporting details. How one admissions counselor reacts to a particular essay may be entirely different from how another admissions counselor, your mom, or your friend might respond to the same essay. One thing we can all agree on is that grammar, spelling, and sentence structure is important. As far as content is concerned, we all have different opinions. What about writing on controversial topics? A controversial topic can be successful, but it must be done sensitively so that a reader with an opposite opinion can relate to your essay.

Who should read my essay before I submit it?

Do not rely on technology to proofread your essay! Beyond using your computer’s spelling and grammar check program, it is a good idea to have several “real” people read your essay, too. No matter how many times you read your own writing, or how many times you check your spelling, you may miss small errors because you are so familiar with the essay. If they have time, ask a teacher or counselor to read your essay, as well as a parent and/or a friend. It is important to have several different people with different viewpoints read your work for content, errors, and tone. Keep in mind that admissions committee members are complete strangers to you, so having your essay reviewed by someone who doesn’t know you well (a friend of your parents, for example) isn’t a bad idea either. Remember, your essay should reflect your voice, so listen to the advice of your reviewers but do not let them re-write your essay.

What are some common pitfalls that students encounter when they write essays?

Commonly, students write their college essays as “one huge paragraph.” Your essay should resemble any other academic paper where the rules of grammar and style still apply. Remember the basic rules of writing—avoid excessive use of exclamation points, be careful with commas, don’t use slang, don’t overuse capital letters or abbreviations, etc. Also, don’t rely on a thesaurus. Big words, especially when misused, detract from the essay and make the essay sound contrived.

If you have created your essay in a separate document and have cut-and-pasted it into your online application, please double-check before you click on that submit button. Make sure your entire essay gets pasted, your document has copied correctly, etc. Don’t let glitches detract from the quality of your essay.

Getting started on your essay—what comes first?

Follow the practices that have worked for you in writing essays, compositions, and research papers in high school. Once you decide on a topic, you might want to:

• Develop an outline

• Prepare a draft using detailed and concrete experiences

• Review and edit the draft for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and word usage

• Share your draft with others

• Rewrite and edit as necessary