by Brett E. Kennedy, Managing Director
As part of the application for admission, many colleges and universities ask for a writing sample. For example, on the Common Application students respond to one of seven essay prompts in an essay of 250 to 650 words. While these prompts are designed to create a wide range of open-ended responses and one prompt even allows the applicant the freedom to write on any subject of their choosing, the question of what to write can overwhelming.
First, I want to assure every applicant working on a college essay that they have something interesting to say. Consider the prompts and see if any of them speak to you and who you are. If one does, craft a first draft of your essay with that prompt in mind. On the Common Application, you do need to have at least 250 words but no more than 650 so you are crafting a relatively short piece of writing. You don’t need to have it be 650 words long and you can end the essay at a word count below that but make sure you have used the available space to expand your idea. Most college essays are limited in length and have these kind of word limits.
Once you have that first draft complete, edit it for word choice, clarity and yes, grammar. Have a trusted adult or college counselor review it to make sure it is appropriate. The colleges want the student voice but at the same time proofreading is important. When your essay is complete, you have made it over what can be a big hurdle for many students.
The most important thing to remember is that you, as the applicant, have something valuable to share. If you are concerned about this step in the process, a college counselor like me can help. Email me today at brett@kennedymathewsconsulting.com or call me at 765.721.1212 and we can talk about how I can help.