<p>Should the essay for the Common Ap. have a title. Does it matter?</p>
<p>In a book on writing college essays, I remember one with a title, "My Dinner with Aunt Rae", a play on "My Dinner with Andre". In general, I would say no to a title unless it adds something really interesting. I think an intruiging first sentence would be better, in most cases.</p>
<p>In general, I think that all essays should have titles, and I titled my college application essays. </p>
<p>Having said that, many (most?) students will not title their essays, so it's not a make it or break it point. The title of a personal essay, which is in many ways a creative piece, ideally should add to and be an important part of the essay, though I realize that this often doesn't end up being the case, particularly with high school writing.</p>
<p>My 2 older kids wrote over 15 college application essays between them, and I would say most were untitled, by choice, because they had great opening lines, and a title would have taken away from that. The only times they used titles was when it was cryptic, sarcastic or added humor to the story.</p>
<p>All of their essays were fun to read, and their apps. were very successful. So I would say, write your essay, tell your story, and when you are done, you will know if it needs a title to "finish it off."</p>
<p>Who has room for a title???</p>
<p>^^^Mammall...LOL! I'm laughing in follow up to your recent thread about trying to cut a too long essay down and finally getting it to fit on one page.</p>
<p>A title is not necessary or required. One of my kids had titles on her essays and many of my students do too but not all of them. The opening to an essay must grab the reader. So, the essay must do this, title or not. However, sometimes a catchy title that is particularly clever or doesn't give too much away, can also make someone want to read more as it intrigues them. So, I do encourage a title if it really adds something, grabs ya to want to read more, intrigues, is clever or funny, or just adds some polish. But it is definitely not necessary. Some good titles, however, really do add some punch. I'd rather no title than a bad title. But a good one can be a nice plus or even make it memorable in some way. (I know the essay, My Dinner with Aunt Rae, and that is such an example)</p>
<p>My older S was a title man. Younger two, not so much. Eldest really was proud of his titles. He took exactly SoozieVt's philosophy, in fact. </p>
<p>He wrote the entire essay to his satisfaction. (In other words, didn't use the title as a hangar while writing). If, in its entirety, the completed essay suggested something to him that added some humor or appeal, was clever, and didn't need a whole sentence, that was what he used. It was kind of intuitive, and just came to him. It didn't repeat anything in the essay, but just kind of made the reader a bit curious to begin reading.</p>
<p>One had a twist on a song reference that I didn't get at all, but he felt sure the reader would-- a generational difference, obviously. The whole essay was about how he loved a summer job as an actor in a Renaissance Faire, especially when he got to throw a bucket of water on the lead actor who played the Sheriff of Nottingham. He titled it, "I Soaked the Sheriff." I said, "Whaa??" He said the AdCom would catch it; a popular song then was "I Shot the Sheriff." Anyway he got in. </p>
<p>The younger two were just more narrative writers and, although just as intuitive, nothing "came" to them as a good title. No loss. Either way is fine.
Just don't put on a DULL title.</p>
<p>To me a title seems kind of pretentious - you're just answering one of the questions! But if you've got a clever title by all means use it. My son's essay was pretty weird - it started with gobbledy-gook in a different type-face. (Getting the common app. to co-operate was an undertaking!) Then he explained that the nonsense was his attempt to write a computer program to write the essay for him. I wished I could have seen whether the admissions guys liked the conceit or not.</p>
<p>I definitely got the "I soaked the sheriff" reference, great title! And I liked "My dinner with Aunt Rae" as well. Both add to the essay.</p>
<p>My son spent his whole time trying to make the essay long enough btw!</p>
<p>Love it p3t!</p>
<p>Mammall, excellent point. My S said he developed his writing voice by character count!</p>
<p>In most cases they aren't questions, Mathmom, they're prompts. Big difference.</p>
<p>Maybe, mine view is colored by the question my son answered which was MIT's - he used it on common app as well. It was something like "How did your family make you into the person you are today?"</p>
<p>. . . "My son spent his whole time trying to make the essay long enough btw!"</p>
<p>Oh, now that was harsh. This is my punishment I guess for always feeling lucky to have a D who thinks, speaks and writes in complete, well developed paragraphs festooned with metaphors, analogies, etc. I thought last year was rough with so many APs and ECs but this may very well be the worst agony of all. She seems to be reacting to the stress of senior year by becoming more verbose. It's as if words are her security blanket. A future Joyce Carol Oates -- Stop me Before I Write Again??</p>
<p>Metaphors analogies? Not a one. Luckily he applied mostly to techie schools where they probably see other essays like his. I too tended to the overly succinct when I was his age, luckily most professors were happy to read less not more.</p>