College Essays

• Why did you choose us?
• What are your career goals & how can we meet them?
• How would you describe yourself as a human being?
• Why do you think you would be a good fit at our school?
• What person in your life has had the most impact on you?
• If you can spend a day with someone, living or dead, who would it be and why?
• What is the best advice you have ever received and why?
• How would your friends describe you?
• Create your own questions and answer it.
• What captivates you?
• What is a book you love?

The challenge essay tips

• Challenge is not always a crisis
• Challenges can be too personal
• Do not overwrite
• Do not skimp on resolution and reflection--most important
• Avoid “My challenge is writing this essay”

Sell yourself

• What do you bring to the college?
• What do you value?
• How do you perceive the world?
• What’s your role in the world?
• What’s the nature of your interactions with the world?

Write about something important to you or that makes you unique

• An experience; life-changing event; book; a person; etc.

Additional Tips

• Answer the question & answer honestly.
• Watch the humor & content. Your humor may not match the readers.
• Show to an English teacher you like.
• Write it yourself, not with someone else’s ‘significant editing’.
• Use the essay for multiple schools/scholarships. Be sure to make the necessary subtle changes.
• Don’t repeat yourself. List of accomplishments & achievements will already be on the admission application.
• Write only on weekends. You have enough on your plates academically.
• Don’t exceed the word limit - 302 words for a 300 word essay is not okay.
• Write about YOU, not the influence or the life-changing event.