How to Write a Compelling College Essay
A major component of the Common Application is the essay. It goes by many names—the personal statement, personal essay, college admission essay, etc.—and is a major source of stress for many applicants. Maybe you know exactly what you want to write about, or maybe you’ve been dreading it since your first day of high school. It’s crazy how 650 words can either feel like the longest essay ever or not nearly enough space to answer the prompt. Whether you’re just starting your essay or are on a final draft, here is some advice to help you shape your essay into a standout part of your application.
Write in your own voice.
We’re not looking for the next winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. Use your own words and way of speaking when writing your essay. Write how you typically would to a friend, parent, classmate, teacher, etc. Be sure to be professional but stay true to your personal writing style. We’re expecting your writing to sound like that of a high school student or any other seventeen- or eighteen-year-old.
Don’t write about what you think we want to read.
Sometimes applicants think we want to hear about a specific experience, hardship, involvement, etc. There’s no preferred story we want to see or read. We want to hear about what is truly important or integral to who you are. We want to learn about your story. Just about anything goes!
Get a second opinion.
Please have someone else look at your essay! You don’t need a million different opinions but getting input from one or two other people will help you see your essay from a different perspective. Make sure you pick someone you’re comfortable receiving feedback from, whether that be a teacher, friend, counselor, etc. Ask them what they took away from your writing and what they think the highlights of your essay were to see if their notes align with what you wanted the reader to notice. If your message isn’t clear, you need to do a bit more editing!
Pick a prompt you are confident writing about.
For the Common Application essay, you will pick one prompt from seven different options. It does not matter which prompt you pick! We recommend picking a prompt that you feel you can write strongly about or have more ideas about than another. Pick the prompt where the answer comes naturally to you rather than a prompt where you struggle to write more than a few sentences.
Help us understand the ‘why’ and stay focused.
When writing, students will spend most of their essay on the lead up or backstory to set the scene for the reader. While this is helpful and can provide some important context, we want to know the ‘why’! Why is writing about this important to you? What did you learn from this experience, person, etc.? How did it shape you as a person, sibling, child, or student? We want to get to the core of who our applicants are. This is the time to be introspective! Also, it’s tempting to try to fit many different stories or experiences into your essay, but do not try to do too much. Focus on one or two stories as it can be tricky to navigate or connect multiple topics or ideas.
Remember that this is a human experience.
The admission counselors reading your applications are real people. The whole college admission process is a human one, and we know you have lived experiences that are personal and integral to who you are. We’re reading your story and getting context into who you are, so feel free to be as honest as you’re comfortable being, while remaining professional.
Proofread your essay.
Make sure to triple check your essay for punctuation and grammatical errors. Once again, this is where having another set of eyes on your essay can help to make sure that your writing comes across clearly. Also, this essay will be sent to every school you apply to through the Common Application, so unless you want every school to know you applied to USC, do not mention specific colleges in this part of the application!
Don't think you don’t have a compelling story to tell!
You may have some nerves about the essay because you feel you don’t have a story to tell, or a big event that happened in your life, or a role model to highlight, etc. That’s ok! There are so many things that make you, you! You can write about your favorite food, activities, or your passion for a niche subject! This is where we get to see your interests and voice shine through—which is why many say the essay is so important in the college admission process. Your essay can be about anything that addresses the prompt! As a counselor, I’ve read essays about Costco, Legos, siblings, pets, lunchboxes, and grandparents. You name it, and I’ve probably read an essay about it. We don’t have a preferred essay topic, just like how we don’t have preferred activities when it comes to your extracurriculars. Just be authentic, share with us whatever you feel is important to know about you, and, most importantly, tie it back to the ‘why’ of the writing.
Have fun!
While this process may be daunting, scary, or hard to begin, believe in yourself! You can make a list of the topics you’re interested in writing about and see if they align with any prompts. Remember that your first draft won't be the final draft, so I recommend getting all your ideas on the page first, then polishing it up from there. You’ll probably go back to the drawing board several times, so take a deep breath and try not to stress yourself out too much. At the end of the day, it’s only 650 words!
I hope this advice helps you feel a little more confident about writing your college essay. If you need a refresher: Be yourself and remember the ‘why’ behind your writing. You’ll be just fine... Trust me! And we’re obviously here to help if you need us. Best of luck, and Fight On!
Written by: Natasha Hunter, Senior Assistant Director - USC Office of Undergraduate Admission