<p>I am creating this thread with the idea that we would all share and brainstorm ideas for college essays... because I don;t know where to start, and will assume others are just getting started with this as well.</p>
<p>The new Common Application forms and Common App Online will be available in early July. </p>
<p>Common App Essays:
1. Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
2. Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.
3. Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.
4. Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.
5. A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
6. Topic of your choice.</p>
<p>These are the same topics as when I applied for school last year.
Nothing's changed. As with brainstorming...do you really want to use other people's ideas for your OWN essay that's suppose to reflect your self?
Using ideas posted by other people just doesnt seem like a good idea to me. </p>
<p>The better option: Start jotting stuff down yourself. It doesn't matter if you cant think of anything good. Once you have some rough ideas, start writing a rough draft. THEN, you could show it to someone who could give you some ideas. </p>
<p>And don't be scared :) You have all summer to work on the essays. We were all there once. You'll be fine. If you're done, you can shoot me a PM. I'll be glad to read it over for ya then. (Or some other poster who you can trust)</p>
<p>Or even better people: youe siblings that are already in college, parents etc.</p>
<p>Out of curiousity, do you have to write all 6 essays for the common app? What is the common word count required?</p>
<p>Thanks, WindCloudUltra</p>
<p>I don't mean ideas so much as process and things that you should definately include or not
(e.g. DON'T talk about sports, do/do not explain weaknesses on your app, emphasize things that make you unique)
as well as technique: (e.g. use quotes, use people's names, do/don't use sophisticated diction, etc...)
I just don't really know where to start... hmmm... (I Hate personal essays... can't I write a 3rd person narrative instead?)
Are college essays ever written in the 3rd person?</p>
<p>Okay...
I have written a possible intro for one of my essays. Tell me if I am on the right track?</p>
<p>A noisy throng of students gathered in front of the classroom door, all clean and bleary eyed for their first day back at school. Joining the tightly-packed swarm, I heard a voice from deep in its recesses call, Hey, Ida! Youre the only girl! and cursory glance amongst the crowd verified this previously unnoted fact.</p>
<p>I think you are trying to use too many vocab words. Don't get me wrong, the words are correctly used, but after reading that you sound pretentious. A good college essay should seem natural; after all, it is your only way of making a personal, rather than statistical, appeal to the admissions officers. I think that your intro sounds interesting, but I think that you are inordinately preoccupied with integrating erudite vocabulary into your disquisition, if you get what I'm saying :p</p>
<p>thanks JTC!!!
(I especially like your last sentence...)</p>
<p>windslicer, you only have to write one... I think
I don't remember the length requirement, but I think about 500 words? can someone verify this for me? (yay!!)</p>
<p>yeah, 500 words is a good limit. Don't stress if you go over though. Just don't write a book. </p>
<p>for the most part, you only need to write one. Some schools have an extra supplement to the common app which might include more essays.</p>
<p>okay, is this any better as far as the riddiculous writing style:</p>
<p>A noisy throng of students gathered in front of the classroom door, all clean and bleary eyed for their first day back at school. Joining the tightly-packed swarm, I heard a voice from its recesses call, Hey, Ida! Youre the only girl! and a glance at the crowd verified this fact.</p>
<p>under topic of your choice, would that be where you could opt to write a personal statement or something of that nature, or is that seperate from the common app essays?</p>
<p>also, can the essays be academic: like, your personal takes on a certain field...</p>
<p>idamayer: Your essay's introduction appears relatively enthralling (which will obviously be your advantage cuz it will pique reader's curiosity) but I share the same opinion with one guy above that you use to many SAT words ;). This admission season, I had an opportunity to take a look at several admitted essays to Ivies and the most striking thing I notice is the writers wrote quite naturally (Words are simple but effective).</p>
<p>Side question: Is that true that when we apply online, if our essay exceeds the word limit, it will automatically be truncated ? If so, it is really a disadvantage.</p>
<p>idamayer-
in response to your question- can the essay be academic in nature.
There's no official rule baring that but its probably a bad idea. The point of the essay is to get to know your personality. Academic essays are meant to be as objective in tone as possible- which doesn't serve the purpose of the college essay.</p>
<p>I don't think they would be cruel enough to truncate the messages, but I am applying on paper anyway, I think... they might... hmmm</p>
<p>I don't really know how to cut out the SAT words. I will try, thanks!</p>
<p>are the essays supposed to be anecdotal or a general overview of our lives concerning some particular topic?</p>
<p>Another question, sorry, but when you apply on paper, do you just use ink to write everything in or actually "type" it? I think i'll end up doing it on paper also since I've had bad luck with important "submit yourself" online stuff . . info all getting lost at the last minute, missing a question, etc</p>
<p>When's the best time to start writing your essays? End of your junior year?</p>
<p>You can handwrite on the forms; pen/ink is fine. As for the essay, its probably a better idea to type it. It'll make the reading process easier for the adcoms. </p>
<p>I didn't start writing my essays till around November of my senior year. It was sorta a big mistake. I was rushed with time. Start writing it as early as possible. Summer after junior year is ideal. You'll have plenty of time to brainstorm, edit and revise. </p>
<p>"are the essays supposed to be anecdotal or a general overview of our lives concerning some particular topic?"</p>
<p>It can be either. But remember, you have a general word count limit. Make sure whatever you write about can be wrapped up nicely with no loose ends within that limit. Don't write about something that's very broad in nature.</p>