I am starting my college apps essays over summer and was wondering if there is a good book that gives advice for how to write essays and includes sample essays. Thanks.
One approach is to look at CC’s list of recommended books: http://www.collegeconfidential.com/tag/book-reviews/
There are three or four essay books in there.
The other approach is a little more work but can get you a book or two that can help and that you will like:
- Search Amazon books for: college admissions essays advice
- you'll get a good list of books; now to find the right one or two or three
- Sort the list by average customer review
- this will put them in order by how much people liked it
- Look for ones with at least 10 reviews
- sometimes authors get a friend or two to write the first review(s) to get things going
- Read through some of the reviews and look for ones that say "Verified Purchase"
- those reviews are written by people who actually BOUGHT the book
- Click on good candidates and in the description, look to see if it says that it includes sample essays
- that's a good thing to have.
- Finally, on the page for the book, where it says "Look inside" (at the image of the cover), read some of the book and see it it's to your liking.
Long procedure, but pretty much guarantees you’ll get a book or two you like.
I recommend the ebook versions (Kindle). If you don’t have a Kindle, you can download a free reader app. Also, the ebook versions are usually much cheaper.
Check your library.
One of the first things I did when I started to work as an essay coach was to check out others who had been doing this for a while. My two favorites are Janine Robinson (■■■■■■■■■■■■■) and Ethan Sawyer (collegeessayguy.com), both of whom are clear as to how to write an essay in the narrative style.
Janine Robinson has a few books, the first of which, Escape Essay Hell, has everything you need. It is inexpensive and short. (Seriously, do we need to read 250 pages in order to write 650 words?) In case you want a second opinion, in July Ethan Sawyer is publishing College Essay Essentials. Everything he does is high quality. So I am confident that it will be good.
For sample essays, there is no need to buy a book. There are lots online. For a start, you can find 140 essays at this site: https://www.apstudynotes.org/essays/.
Hope this is helpful.
Chris
I would second Ethan Sawyer’s work. After having worked with students for a dozen years through this process, I added some of his approach into the process and found that it helped a number of students break through the blank page barrier.
https://www.amazon.com/College-Essay-Essentials-Step-Step/dp/149263512X
Janine Robinson’s books really helped my daughter. They are simple, short and inexpensive but very effective.
I got “Admissions Essay Boot Camp” from the library, and it’s been super helpful. On top of that, it’s actually enjoyable to read, so it’s less of a chore and really motivated me to wire my essay! 