<p>Hi~ I'm going to be a Junior this fall, but I think that it's never too early to start planning for the college essays; however, I'm not very sure where or how to start. If anyone can help answer some miscellaneous questions, that'd be awesome. <3</p>
<p>1.) What do people usually write about? Are there any particular themes?
2.) I know the limit is usually 500 words, so is it better to keep things simple and concise?
3.) What impression should the essay give to the reader?
4.) Is there any specific format it should be? Like, Memoir, reflection, etc? Should it be written in first person?
5.) Does the use of language affect the overall quality of the essay? (More metaphors and verbosity or less?) </p>
<p>Sorry if these questions seem really newbie-ish! I just want to make sure I start on the right track. Oh, and sorry for the lapses in grammar, I'm not a native english speaker.
Thank you all for your times, I appreciate it much! ^__^</p>
<p>Just write the essay. common themes tend to be obsticles overcome…, using this quote…, why do you want to go here…the reader wants to finish your essay and feel like they know who you are. they want to know you care about something and that you have grown.</p>
<p>you’ll write a lot of essays. i ended up writing about 14 original essays (not counting short answers) for colleges and scholarships. i just started writing. something would come to mind and i’d write until i ran out of ideas. if i couldn’t finish the essay or i got bored with it after a while that was a sign it wasn’t important enough to me and therefore not good enough.</p>
<p>don’t worry about length at first. use as many words as you need to tell your srory. if the colleges require less then you can start cutting.</p>
<p>Try to keep in mind that your essay should be a way for the schools to learn about you. Don’t be afraid to expose your personality. Don’t try to craft a personality that isn’t your own. Be honest and write in your own voice regardless of whether it is verbose and flowery or dry or journalistic.</p>
<p>1.) Anything you want. I’ve seen all kinds of succesful essays.<br>
2.) Yes. Get the essay as concise and clear as possible. You should (ideally) continue editing until you simply cannot remove a word without significantly changing the essay.
3.) The essay should convey your writing abilities, personality/passions, and experiences.<br>
4.) It can be in any possible format. The more original, the better (if you can pull it off).<br>
5.) Yes. Sometimes, use of stronger language and rhetoric may detract from the essay (too over the top) and simpler language is more appropriate. Use enough language/devices as you are comfortable using. I recommend using a thesaurus for some words, especially if you don’t have a great vocabulary, because you want to find the most appropriate word possible.</p>
<p>On the length – Some schools will specify that the essay cannot be more than 500 words, etc. But common app is a bit different. </p>
<p>The common app essay has two components: A short one where they tell you to describe an extracurricular activity, personal activities, or work experience in 150 words or less. </p>
<p>The second component is one where you upload a document (Word, etc.) that contains your essay. You can choose any of the 5 prompts they list, or you can create a topic of your own. This part does not have any word restrictions, but you should try to hit somewhere around 500 words. However, if the essay needs more words, you can go over – mine was 650 words and I did fine. Just try not to go over 750 words if possible – adcoms will REALLY start to get bored/tired then.</p>