Essay Writing Workshop Canyon Crest Academy Counseling Department

Essay Writing Workshop Canyon Crest Academy Counseling Department

Why is the writing section valuable? ● A chance to share who you are and what matters to you. ● Provides context to your circumstances. Family background, challenges, successes, culture, interests… the more they know YOU, the better they can determine if you’re a good fit for their community. ● An opportunity to hear your “voice” since there are not often interview opportunities in campuses.

Number One Tip: Make it Personal! This is about YOU. Example from Common App: The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? Example: Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

Common Mistakes Best Practices Acronyms What is EVA or SDSC? Quotations/Dialogue “Big Picture” Generalizations “Researched” or Flowery Language If you have to use a thesaurus for a word you’ve never used before - skip it! Scene Setting Don’t spend time on dates, places, descriptors. It should be as much about how it impacts YOU as possible. Jokes/Sarcasm Not everyone has the same sense of humor or would be able to appreciate yours. It can be a “friendly” voice, but sarcasm and jokes usually don’t read smoothly. Have at least two other readers give you constructive feedback. PROOFREAD and ask for a reader specifically for grammar, spelling, and professionalism. Use specific examples. No topic sentence or thesis is needed. Dive right in! Don’t exaggerate. : )

Supplemental Essays ● This is your chance to highlight specific interests about a school, its community, and its fit for you. ● Don’t tell them information they already know about their campus, but you can say how it would apply to you. ○ ● Example: Why did you select your chosen major within University of ABC? ■ NO: I selected University of ABC’s Journalism department because it is nationally recognized for its state of the art media production class in collaboration with 123 News in Boston. I have read that all freshmen media students take this class and am excited to be a part of it. ■ YES: The Journalism program is an outstanding fit for me because I thrive in an experiential learning environment. I seek challenges outside of the traditional classroom and feel there is no more fitting place for an aspiring journalist than under the heat of live television deadlines. I am a firm believer of “trial by error” lessons and was drawn to U of ABC’s commitment to offering this alongside industry professionals. Don’t force one essay prompt into another. ○ TIP: Many schools know their colleagues/competitors prompts.

Final Thoughts ● Don’t worry about showing off your historical knowledge, creativity, or philosophical statements. Tell your story with your voice. (No haikus needed. ) ● Longer isn’t always better. Quality over quantity. ● Don’t use the wrong school name in the wrong essay. (It happens a lot!)