Hello everyone! I am a rising senior who wants to start practicing writing a few college application essays. My plan is to use a few common app prompts I saw along with some from universities I plan on applying to. I do realize that this could change, however; I feel as if this will help me prepare for this task when it comes around in September. I’m also going to submit a few of these to my english teachers so they can critique them for me. So, does anyone have any advice for me? Any books that might be useful to read on how to construct the perfect college essay. For the most part, I have an extensive knowledge of vocabulary. My grammar might be a tad bit incorrect at times, so I know I will have to work on that for sure. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated! With the prompts that I am familiar with, I will need to be very creative and precise with the content I deliver to the admissions office. Thanks so much 
Don’t read books.
Just write. Write about yourself. Write about stuff, and use your voice. Let your personality through. If you’re a formal, reserved, calm person, it’ll show through in your writing. Don’t try to be funny if you’re not. Don’t try to be not funny if you are. Be yourself. Write what you’re interested in, not what you think colleges will be interested in, or what is safe. If you’re interested in it, it’ll show. And let it show. Don’t be embarrassed about yourself, if a college doesn’t like what you write (if what you wrote shows who you are), then you probably wouldn’t like being at that college. Write what you care about. Write. Write. Write. Make words happen. Double, triple, quadruple check. Don’t be wordy.
(Read awesome books that you like to read, just not how to write college essay books, because those are silly and worthless and will only make yourself feel like a crappy human being)
@RandomMuse thank you for the advice. I do enjoy reading, so I think that will be a beneficial to me. I like what you said about being yourself. I completely agree. I’m not funny, but I am genuine. I will make sure that shows through my essays.
Just so you know, some colleges will ask for a list of books that you have read in the past year. It’d be a good idea to start writing that stuff down. That’s one of the easiest and hardest essays imo (easiest–don’t have to think; hardest–remembering what books you read)
@RandomMuse wow, I did not know that. Any suggestions on some good books to read? I’ve been slacking a little on my reading lately due to prep work for tests and school. I have not been reading for pleasure, just stuff for english.
Suggestions? Good books? (nothing to do with college here…)
Apollo 13 <- memoir by Jim Lovell, it’s written in 3rd person, and I had no idea it was non-fiction until the author’s note. It’s really interesting and details their failed trip to the moon
Any books by Tamora Pierce - fantasy, I love fantasy so much. Wild magic is a good place to start. Or any of them. they’re so good!
Lies of Locke Lamora - by Scott Lynch, awesome fantasy novel, about thieves and I don’t know how to describe it, google is your friend
The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness by Elyn Saks <- memoir by a professor about her schizophrenia and getting through college to where she is now. It’s inspirational.
Ella Minnow Pea - novel of letters, you can google it for a summary, but basically people on this island are forbidden from using certain letters of the alphabet until eventually all letters are forbidden. It’s got a nice twist at the end
Lord of the Rings - this has gone from my least favorite series to one of my absolute favorites
Harry Potter - go re-read, right now! Or read it if you haven’t already. I LOVE HARRY POTTER so much
Reading for English is no fun. I can read a book for pleasure and love it, and then read it for English and… not like it. I still like it, just not as much. I like reading… I read Handmaid’s Tale last year for a paper, and I really liked it
(If you can only pick one book to read, I’d recommend either Apollo 13 or My Journey through Madness, yes they’re memoirs, but they don’t read like one.)
Yeah that’s the issue. I used to be a huge bookworm until I got into high school. Then I started to slack off a bit on reading. Harry Potter was my favorite! I started reading them in first grade. Gosh those were some great times lol! Yeah, reading for english is no fun.