Tips for Writing a Great College Essay

Tip 1. College essays are fourth in importance behind grades, test scores, and the rigor of completed coursework in many admissions office decisions (NACAC, 2012). Don't waste this powerful opportunity to share your voice and express who you really are to colleges. Great life stories make you jump off the page and into your match colleges.

Tip 2. Develop an overall strategic essay writing plan. College essays should work together to help you communicate key qualities and stories not available anywhere else in your application.

Tip 3. Read the prompts all the way through. Each prompt may have different questions or probes. Make sure you are prepared to answer all parts of the prompts. Some answers may be implied, but must be clearly evident to a reader.

Tip 4. Plan to share positive messages and powerful outcomes. You can start with life or family challenges. You can describe obstacles or failures you have overcome. You can reflect on your growth and development, including accomplishments and service. College admissions officers do not read minds, so tell them your powerful life stories and demonstrate the personal qualities you hope to bring to their campus communities.

Tip 6. Follow Dr. Joseph's Into, Through, and Beyond approach. Lead the reader INTO your story with a powerful beginning—a story, an experience. Take them THROUGH your story with the context and keys parts of your story. Make sure the reader understands your initiative, leadership, development, and continuity. End with the BEYOND message about how this story has affected who you are now and who you want to be in college and potentially after college.The beyond can be implied in many pieces that are so strong that moralizing at the end is not necessary.

Tip 7. Use active writing: avoid passive sentences and incorporate power verbs. Show when possible; tell when summarizing.

Tip 8. Most importantly, make yourself come alive throughout this process. Write about yourself as passionately and powerfully as possible. Be proud of your life and accomplishments. Sell yourself!!!

Take from Communicating Your Story:

Writing Powerful College Application Essays

                                                    Rebecca Joseph

Preparing for College:

Senior Checklist –September

  

• Register for the SAT and/or ACT if you didn’t take it as a junior, or if you aren’t satisfied with your score and want to take it again. (remember that your counselor can help you with fee waivers)
• Take a look at your college applications and consider all of the different pieces of information you will need to compile. 
• Visit with your school counselor to make sure you are on track to graduate and fulfill college admission requirements. If you’re ahead of schedule, consider taking courses at a local university or community college to get a jumpstart on college credit. 
• Take every opportunity to get to know colleges: meeting with college representatives who visit your high schools during the fall, attending local college fairs, visiting campuses (if possible). Ask your counselor if they know of special campus visitation programs. 
• Narrow down your list of colleges and begin to consider “safe,” “reach,” and “realistic” schools. Make sure you have the application and financial aid information for each school. Find out if you qualify for any scholarships at these schools.

Create a checklist and calendar to chart:

• Standardized test dates, registration deadlines, and fees
• College application due dates
• Financial aid application forms and deadlines
• Other materials you’ll need for college applications (recommendations, transcripts, essays, etc.)
• Your high school’s application processing deadlines

Some schools require the CSS/Financial Aid Profile. Ask the colleges to which you are applying for their deadlines. You can register as early as September. See your guidance counselor about fee waivers.

http://www.nacacnet.org/studentinfo/articles/Pages/Preparing-for-College-Senior-Checklist.aspx

United States Senators

Robert Menendez & Cory Booker

Invite You to Attend:

Service Academy Information Day

S E T O N H A L L U N I V E R S I T Y , B E T H A N Y H A L L

4 0 0 S . O R A N G E A V E , S O U T H O R A N G E , N J 0 7 0 7 9

OPEN TO ALL NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS

INTERESTED IN APPLYING TO A U.S. SERVICE

ACADEMY, AS WELL AS PARENTS, COACHES, AND SCHOOL COUNSELORS

For additional information, please contact the offices of:

Senator Robert Menendez at (973) 645-3030

Senator Cory Booker at (973) 639-8700

Senior Parent Night

September 17th

6:30 pm

The Commons

We hope to see you there!

Welcome Home Marauders!! Here's to a great school year.

Your Guidance and College Counseling Team