Ivory Chan

With the fall season in full swing, it’s no surprise that college admissions seem to be the most popular subject of discussion. Endless supplementals, extracurriculars, and hours spent on Common App highlight the only two things the fall season is good for—pumpkin spice and college-related strife. So, in the spirit of such trying times, I’ve decided to offer all my fellow seniors or future seniors some valuable, life-changing advice: how to write a stellar college essay. (Note: This article is not a fool-proof plan to get into colleges; I’m good, but I’m not that good.)

First off all––and this goes without saying––DON’T start your essay a week before your first deadline. C’s may get degrees, but procrastinators do not get into Johns Hopkins overnight. Put effort into your application! No matter how exhausted an admissions counselor may be, they will be able to smell your lack of thought in the air before they even pick up your folder. What kind of first impression is that? You also probably have enough things to do as it is, so adding another stressor certainly won’t help you remain sane. As an alternative, DO start your essay as early as you can. This will allow you to get multiple revisions and edit thoroughly. 

My next tip: DON’T write about something trivial, or something that happened to you too long ago. A retelling of the first time you fell off your bike might seem precious to your mother, but I would be surprised if an admissions officer shed a tear and decided to give you a full ride after reading that essay. The spelling bee you won in the second grade might make your grandmother’s heart fill with pride, but an admissions counselor doesn’t give a hoot about how you were able to spell “phosphorescence” before you learned how to tie your shoes. Instead, DO write something meaningful that took place in the last four years. I’m not saying that life starts in high school, but let’s face it; middle school wasn’t good for anyone. That’s four years worth of maturation to look back on; there must have been something that built your character, even if it was the disappointing knowledge that you were better off without the broccoli at lunch.

Finally, my most important tip has to do with the message of your essay, and that’s you. DON’T let your voice and your story get lost in your efforts to write the perfect essay. No matter if you decided to write about your mom’s peach cobbler or your niche pogo stick hobby, the essay should ultimately circle back to you. DO make sure that your essay is about yourself. Remember, you’re writing this essay to convince an admissions officer that you’d be good at their school, so you have to really sell your personality and drive in order to stand a good chance at getting in. Sure, be yourself, but if you have to embellish your curiosity to get into University of Pittsburgh, I won’t tell anyone. Although it may be tough to say nice things about yourself, I’m positive you’ll be able to find a couple good things to talk about.

Although this whole process can be incredibly stressful, just breathe and remember what your biggest strength is: you. It may also help to remember that this whole stressful process is going to be over in a few months when all regular decisions are due. It’s going to be a few months of stress and suffering, but only a few months! There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and you just have to keep chugging through these revisions to get there. Your experiences and thoughts are completely unique to you, so your essay should also be unique to you. Just write from the heart and trust that things will work out, because they will.