I feel like my common app essay is too stuck in the past (8th grade). What are some ways I can bring it back to the present? Also, how much of the essay should be spent on being in the past?
The past is fine as long as it gives the school insight on you now. You can use it as a contrast against you now or it could relate to something that put you on your current path. Just a story on your past is not a good essay. Remember the purpose of the essay is to give the college an idea of how the school would benefit you and just as importantly how you would enhance the school’s community.
Other than providing useful background information, very little of the essay should be spent talking about 8th grade experiences. You need to be able to relate that expereince etc. to who you are today. Admissions officer will focus on who you are now and what positive attributes you can bring to their school.
The purpose of the essay should be: 1) to tell admissions officers something about yourself that cant’ be found elsewhere on the application and 2) to give admissions officers a reason to want to have you on campus.
@BKSquared @happy1 Would any of you be able to quickly preview my essay and let me know what I could write about more in the end? I think my essay is like 50% in the past and 50% in the present.
Sure, pm your essay to me.
I don’t proofread essays. I recommend that you ask a trusted English teacher at your HS to look it over (that is what my kids did).