I’m about to write my essay and I have the choice of like 7 prompts I believe. Which is the best? Which should I choose? About me, I’m not super genius in school but I am very smart and experienced with computers and computer science/engineering (my major). I am involved in boy scouts and have lots of experience out of school.
I am an awful essay writer and don’t know any format or how to start. Please help me.
The old challenge prompt was great because, in describing the issue, what happened, how you tackled it, evolved, and the good you now do, you could somewhat follow the true order in which it all occurred. (Not all details are needed.)
You don’t have to answer any prompt exactly as written. There’s no teacher to grade you and subtract a point or two for not answering the specific question. Just try to understand what adcoms want to see in you, learn about you.
See how you can make one of the prompts work for you. Relax into it.
@lookingforward there are some experiences I;ve had but am not sure if I should mention them. I’ve had severe anxiety all my life and am finally getting over it (hence why I’ve started to take AP and honors classes starting last year. I never have before then). Not sure how to incorporate all this stuff into my essay. I can’t write essays at all.
And even then the people who look at essays will still be able to judge it on layout and format, etc. right? It’s not just going to be a “get to know you” essay, they WILL see what type of writer I am.
Lots of threads about anxiety so I’ll be blunt: it is not a selling point in college admissions.
If you’re wise, after you write, you will have an English teacher or savvy adult read it and make suggestions. Awful when an adcom comments a kid can’t spell or that they can’t follow the essay, it rambles, repeats or contradicts itself.
Name some good things that happened- you learned something about yourself or others, you tried something new and it worked, etc. Get ideas, then you block it out in written form. Try to pick something that shows how you changed for the better, the efforts you make now to do some good
.
Oh, and this: when you write this, imagine it’s a note to a trusted adult, letting them know something and how it affected you. In that, you wouldn’t drag in every single detail (“and then this” “and then that.” or pontificate.
@lookingforward ok thank you. So anxiety is not a selling point? it’s one of the biggest things I’ve overcome (which I believe is one of the prompts).
I don’t do anything really in school. my grades are average and I don’t have any sports or things, but outside of school I have lots of activities I do. Eagle scout, highest ranking position in boy scouts, boxing club, LOTS and LOTS of hobbies (I don’t know how I would mention the hobbies in the essay).
Yes I plan on multiple people checking my essay and inputting suggestions.
Doesn’t need to be multiple people, too maby cooks spoil the soup.
Overcoming anxiety is good in life. It’s just not a topic easily done well for adcoms.
Nor us this about activities. Think about some nuce tale about domr good you share.
Ok so no on overcoming anxiety (despite one of the prompts be about overcoming problems), nor about scouting… what do I write about??
The point is about you. I said, “you learned something about yourself or others, you tried something new and it worked, etc.” You responded that you have lots of activities and hobbies. It’s about you, not the activities or hobbies. They may set a scene or whatever.
Stop, take a few days or longer to think.
Review these for some thoughts if you haven’t yet. Anxiety isn’t a very helpful topic:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-essays/2003258-essay-tips-to-consider.html#latest
Better to have a recommender write about things you have overcome.
For starters, I disagree about writing “things you have overcome.” That’s not the point behind the essay. Neither is seeing what type of writer you are.
The point behind this essay is to separate you from your statistics, from every other kid who has the exact same scores and ECs and statistics. They want to have some idea of WHO you are, as opposed to WHAT you’ve done. They want to see an essay that your best friend could choose from a pile and just know that it belonged to you.
I’ll repeat what worked for my son, who also hates writing.
Today: set a timer for 4 minutes. Copy the first prompt onto the top of a document, and brainstorm any event in your life, large or small that could possibly apply.
After 4 minutes, do the same with the second prompt, and then each remaining prompt. No idea is off limits; the more off the wall, the better.
Tomorrow: Go through your list, and eliminate any that seem like a bad idea. For those that remain, write a sentence or two about what you would write.
Thursday: For each topic that remains, come up with bullets that generally outline what you would say. Eliminate any topic that doesn’t flesh out.
Friday: Take what you have, and write a draft of the body of the essay. Don’t worry about an opening or closing, just get the guts of the draft written.
Saturday: Take what you have, and choose the one(s) that seem to have the most promise, and write an essay or two.
********* Then, if you want readers, PLEASE send your essay only to adults here with a proven posting history. Check on the person’s name and check to make sure they are who they say they are. Look at the threads they’ve started over the years. Do NOT send your essay to anyone whose threads don’t seem to prove that they’re an adult.
Overcoming fits the old #1, the challenge prompt. It’s sweet because it lends well to structure, has its own progression… And can end on a positive that “shows.” But it needs to reveal the attributes the adcoms want.