I’m currently writing an essay for the following prompt: Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate College or School to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests?
I have a draft of an essay written up, and it includes a bit about the college I’m applying to and my major (LSA, CS), but it also includes some stuff about the clubs and events that take place on campus that I’m interested it. Would it be a bad idea to mention these things because they’re not about the specific college or school I’m applying to, or would it still be fine because they’re things that are related to it (the clubs and events are all CS related)?
Also the start of my essay starts off with a short, somewhat sentimental paragraph about how I got into CS as a kid, is that something I want to leave out of an essay like this?
Best advice I’ve heard about the essays is to be yourself, be entertaining, be sincere. The people who read the essays wade through thousands of pages of “and I did this, and this and this, and you’re the coolest school ever”. Give the poor readers a treat, and write something with a terrific hook and a first sentence that grabs them. Wow them with blatant honesty and make it personal. Don’t act the part you think they want…bare your soul. Good luck! PS…I think talking about the clubs and events you’re excited about…particularly ones that will give you further investigations into your future aspirations is a great idea. Definitely go with the sentimental story about what shaped your childhood dreams. That stuff is gold when it’s real and heartfelt.
I hate to have to ask, but is “CS” Computer Science? MaryGJ is spot on: hook that reader with a nice BIG hook right from the start, then go into the back story. Don’t wait and save the good stuff for the middle and end. If you don’t grab the app reader in the first sentence or two, he or she will decide it’s break time and may not be very interested in the rest.