<p>Either for the common app or supplemental essay.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I didn’t get in early, but I think my essay is something that kept me from getting denied altogether. (I was deferred)</p>
<p>Basically, just be unique. Avoid topics like Catholicism and Rudy. Write about something very personal to you and how it changed you for the better. Don’t make it too formal - let your voice come through.</p>
<p>If at all possible, change up the format of it. My CommonApp essay was written in a diary form, and my supplement essay for Princeton was written as a letter. I’ve seen essays written other ways, too - like a list of New Years Resolutions, a short story, an illustrated comic, and even as poetry or prose. Don’t get too crazy, keep it in essay format, but try to be unique with the essay itself.</p>
<p>If you want some more personalized advice, I’d be more than happy to read what you have and let you know what I think. I’m not an expert, but a peer review could be helpful.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>I however did get into Notre Dame EA. So here my advice to you:</p>
<ol>
<li>Avoid Redundancy (Get to the point & make them see what you want them to see)</li>
<li>Tell a story and tell it well (You want to do this to stand out more in the applicant pool of over 20,000+)</li>
<li>Anything Optional (This goes for every college you may apply to i.e -UChicago-, it actually a booster or a dropper that can affect your decision so show them what you have to offer)</li>
<li>Be Unique (Simply offer what numbers can not say about you)</li>
<li>Have ALL your essay tie in a common theme…mine was (in terms of a cliche…from the ashes I rise towards a brighter future)</li>
</ol>
<p>YOUR WRITING IS YOUR PERSONALITY ON PAPER…YOU ONLY HAVE ONE SHOT…or a few…BUT MAKE IT COUNT!!!</p>
<p>What I did…
- I told a story about how I dealt with death at a young age. (PM me if you want to see it) Common Application Essay
- I told another story on how I dealt with discrimination and tied into diversity at Notre Dame. Long Answer Essay…it was the one with the quote from the Rev. Jenkins
- I then told another story/ambition of my mother and how Notre Dame would be a match for me because it is what she want and what I want.
- All of my essays had a common theme of the cliche I used above…from the ashes I rise towards a brighter future!!!</p>
<p>GOOD LUCK!!! =D</p>
<p>One main thing: SHOW DON’T TELL. don’t tell the admission staff that you are responsible. Instead say something that shows that you are responsible (took care of siblings while parents worked). I can’t know that you were responsible if you just state, I am responsible. If you show them using examples, they get that you are responsible and it looks more professional. </p>
<p>Also, a number of spelling or grammar errors will severely hurt your chances of being admitted.</p>
<p>I got in early, but I’m not sure if my essays were my strongest points haha</p>
<p>anyways, here’s my advice:</p>
<ol>
<li>Pick a topic you feel strongly about. Don’t pick one that you THINK that adcoms are looking for but you don’t personally feel strong about it. You will find it much easier to write about something you are passionate about. (but also avoid common topics like how one trip to a poor area made you realize how we must give to the needy etc)</li>
<li>Show, don’t tell. I’m sure you’ve heard that one a lot haha Adcoms prefer to read ‘stories’ instead of boring, dry, essays</li>
<li>Edit, but don’t over-edit it by turning it into multiple teachers for rewrites. Too much feedback may change your essay too much that it is no longer your voice.</li>
<li>Be creative. It’s good NOT to stick to the standard 5 paragraph essay format in this case.</li>
</ol>
<p>Good luck! hope that helps somewhat hahaha</p>
<p>Agree w/shyman about telling a story; it will show who you are when written in this format.</p>
<p>Not to rain on the parade here but i don’t think the essays matter a whole lot. Look at the decisions thread and it seems to be about GPA’s and test scores. I started, finished, and submitted my Notre Dame app all in about a 2-3 hour span on Nov 1st and was accepted with what were surely less than stellar essays and probably contained some pretty big errors and yet I was still accepted. Focus on bringing your scores and GPA up to what seem to be benchmark levels and just write solid essays about something interesting/unique about you and you’ll be golden.</p>
<p>I mostly agree with the last post. I think that your GPA and test scores matter vastly more than whatever you write for your essay. If you are either way above or way below the average range for test scores and GPA, the decision is already made. The essay really only matters for the borderline applicants. I feel like I was one of these applicants, and I think my essay was what helped put me over the top, considering I was a borderline applicant who got in EA, albeit a couple of years ago. There have been people who I have talked to who wrote pretty half-hearted essays who clearly got in because of their absurdly high GPA and/or test scores. </p>
<p>With that in mind, I think it is extremely important to write about something you are passionate about. I wrote about my “hobby” (it’s essentially my life-look at the screenname) as well as my future goals. They really want to see what is important to you and what makes you tick. And a little ambition couldn’t hurt.</p>
<p>littlemickey4 what you say is true but for people like me with less than stellar Test Scores or GPA essays can make you or even break you. There are those with outstanding Test Scores and GPA but can’t write well so that can attribute to their over all downfall and causing them to not be accepted. This is why they get all sour grapes and accuse the admission officers of ONLY looking at their test score.
Think of it this way: Why would college require an essay? They already have Test Scores and GPA, but these are not everything. You have to have the ENTIRE package or AT LEAST most of it. Some students may have a bad day when the take the SAT or ACT so why let 3-4 hours of their life determine their entire future? Well it should and that is why the require essays. To see what your think, to get a glimpse of what you have to offer BEYOND YOUR NUMBERS.</p>
<p>Sometimes grades and scores are valued more than essays, but it’s not necessarily true that essays don’t matter too much. I know a ton of people with great grades and amazing scores but didn’t get in early to places. If you’re aiming at an Ivy or maybe a prestigious private school, you should definitely spend lots of time on your essay.</p>
<p>I’d advise you to write about something only you can write about. It doesn’t have to be an extraordinary event or experience (not everyone can overcome cancer or save a life or something). As long as you write well and your voice shows, even the most common, boring everyday things (like eating breakfast) can be excellent essay topics.</p>
<p>The reason why everyone who was accepted EA had great numbers is that in order to be accepted EA, you have to be strong in all areas that they view (GPA, class rank, SAT/ACT, Essay, Recommendations, and ECs). Therefore, it you were accepted EA, then you have great GPA and SAT/ACT - essays are more important for applicants who have a weak part of their application. If you are strong in everything then you get accepted EA, if you are strong in numbers and ECs then your essay doesn’t have to be perfect. However, if you have a weak part(s) of you application a great essay can over one or two problem areas.</p>
<p>Exactly hawkswim I had a low SAT/ACT scores but my essays eclipsed that. My essay are what undeniably got me in addition to my SAT IIs, ECs and Recs!</p>
<p>One tip that I used was to make sure my essays were under 500 words. </p>
<p>For both essays I started off with short anecdotes that had a deeper meaning and then went in-depth about that meaning. My topic for the common app was a bit weird but I am passionate about it. </p>
<p>Last tip is what has been said before: REVISE!</p>
<p>Not to say others are wrong, but my essays pretty much went against every advice, and I got in. They didn’t tell a story, my Notre Dame supplement one was about being Catholic (and just a lot about me), and both of mine were over 1000 words. Then again, I did have pretty strong SAT, GPA, etc.</p>
<p>No matter what, though, I would say to be yourself. My CommonApp was a lot of self-reflection based on a book, while my Notre Supplement was how I may be similar on paper to all the other applicants, but how my life (I have a pretty crazy family/childhood) experiences make me different.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>But dreamer being catholic is telling a story. Every experience you write about tells a story and yes maybe your test scores and GPA overshadow your essay but it is what ever that works!!!</p>
<p>I would say that essays shouldn’t be more than 2 1/2 pages, but in general just don’t make them ridiculously long - the counselors will likely stop reading if it isn’t good - nddreamer426, your essay sounds like an interesting topic, so that is probably why they kept reading. </p>
<p>However, most of you have probably already pressed the “submit” button, so relax, everything is out of your control at this point. You have hopefully put your best foot forward in your application, and fate will take its course.</p>
<p>First of all, though there are cases of people getting in with lower GPAs and/or SAT scores, it makes more sense to apply if you’re in the general ballpark of Notre Dame’s averages. Because it still is a major component. If you’re not in the ballpark (which I feel like you are, for some reason) then make sure there rest of your application truly shines.</p>
<p>This is sort of redundant, but in terms of essays - say what you want to say. Be genuine. I think that’s what helped me most in all my essays. My CommonApp format was unique, but my ND one was not. My ND essay was about a page and my CommonApp essay was 700+ words. I don’t think there’s really a fixed length, but have a couple people read your essays (people who will be honest with you) and you can have them tell you if it reads long. Due to the format of my CommonApp essay, it didn’t seem as long as it was.</p>
<p>I don’t feel like I am overly qualified to give advice, but I know what I like about my essays and my experiences.
Like everyone else said, try to be original. I am a Jewish girl who wants to go to a Catholic U so I had a “hook” for my supplement. I figured they would want to know why, so I told them.
Liek csmith27 said, If you can, do something a little different. For Duke, (I don’t know if I got in yet), I wrote about my dream prince and how I know realize I’d rather a Duke</p>
<p>My biggest piece of advice though comes from expereince. Don’t let it get over-edited. I let many people read my Commonapp essay and one night I sat there looking over the paper with red all over it and I started to cry. I just felt like it had lost me and was now everyone else. My voice was gone. I ended up pulling out my first version and sending it in with minor edits.
Be yourself. They want to know your voice, not your teachers and friends.</p>
<p>I got in EA.</p>
<p>Make sure that your essay will stand out from the crowd. Never, ever, EVER write about athletics. No one cares about a silly little league win.</p>
<p>Also, make sure that your essay really captures who you are. It needs to be like a snapshot of you.</p>
<p>My Common App essay was about how I dealt with my father being laid off and my family dealing with a bleak economic situation. My Supplement essay was about how I devoted time this summer to exploring my future career.</p>
<p>Disagree about the athletics. A silly little league win? Are you not an athlete? I would have to say that the athletics that my son has been involved in since 2nd grade - from the teamwork, the coaches, the discipline, etc. has definitely been a major factor in shaping him to be the awesome guy he is today. </p>
<p>Any topic can be good depending on your angle and your content.</p>