Victoria Berels
You’ve filled out your applications with volunteer hours, student activities, classes, and grades– but it’s not enough if your college essays don’t reflect who you are and what you did in high school. Ultimately, this could possibly cost you an acceptance at that dream college. Now is the time to show what your transcript alone can’t– who you are as a person and the experiences that shaped you, all of which are key things that the college admission staff are looking at.
Parros College Planning has been assisting students with this key component of their application for over 12 years. As Tim Parros reports, “We have seen 1,000 seniors submit essays showcasing who they are. It is important to remember that your response to the prompt should be in a way that highlights why you’re a good fit for your university of choice. Unfortunately, if not done correctly, some students will not get into a school they should have because of essays that failed to present the ‘why you should admit me’ to admissions counselors.”
Don’t let this happen to you! Here’s our advice on how to start setting yourself apart
1. Define Yourself
If you could only use a few words to describe yourself, what would they be? Do these words describe attributes about yourself that your transcript doesn’t quite get across? Colleges want to know about who you are and how you feel about yourself, so it’s important that you have a clear idea of this as well. At the same time, you want to make sure that you’re choosing qualities about yourself that match the college’s mission statement and those featured on admitted student profiles
2. Show Off Your Strengths
Now that you understand your basic attributes, it’s time to show off how you’ve demonstrated them through your strengths. For example, if a student is conscientious and a good communicator, they might talk about a time where they organized an event within their chapter of the National Honors Society. Your strengths show what you can bring to a college and its programs, and make you a desirable candidate for admission. Universities aren’t just looking for someone to boost its average GPA; they want students who will get involved and make an impact on campus. It’s up to you to show how you’ve impacted your communities previously, and show a desire to make waves in your future college community.
Compacting yourself into a 200 or 500 word essay can seem daunting, or even impossible. However, if you take the right steps, writing a stellar college essay can be an achievable process.
NEED HELP NOW?
This month at Parros College Planning, we are offering a $100 one hour essay brainstorming session to the public. This offer is not available on our website and an appointment is needed. Let us help you get on track to get your essays going and to set yourself apart from the other college applicants.
