This document provides tips and advice for writing effective college admissions essays. It discusses the different types of essay prompts students may encounter, including "You questions" that have students discuss their experiences and "Creative questions" that involve influences from fiction or history. The document advises students on choosing meaningful topics, developing their ideas, and writing standout essays with a clear focus and passion. Students are warned against cliche topics and given tips for outlining, drafting, and revising their essays to impress admissions officers.

1. College Admissions
Essay Writing 101
DEBRA R. BERGER, M.A., M.ED.
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2. Two Points of View
What Parents Say
• You need to get started on your essays, dear.
• You really need to make time for this.
• You said that you would get to them today!
• You’ll never finish the essays on time!
What Teens Say
• What’s the rush?
• Going over Dave’s.
• I will.
• Stop nagging!
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3. What Is the Personal Statement?
An opportunity to tell your “story” and give insights.
• The Common Application – commonapp.org
• Universal Application - universalcollegeapp.com
• School supplements – Do I have to?
• Can I buy it off the Internet?
• Who reads them?
• When are they read?
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4. What It Does and Doesn’t Do
What an effective personal statement does:
• Show your writing style and English language use.
• Demonstrate your analytical thinking.
• Give a personal, human element to the app.
• Explain an issue: a change in school, improved grades.
What the personal statement doesn’t do:
• Can’t make up for poor grades, low GPA.
• Isn’t a substitute for high SAT or ACT scores.
• Not a résumé.
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5. What Admissions Officers Say
Kelley Walters, Executive Director BU admissions:
• Essays can truly be a significant tip factor in our final decisions.
Janet Rapelye, Dean of Admissions, Princeton U:
• We care most about how students think and what they think about. Tell us
something you care about.
Richard Nesbitt, Director of Admissions, Williams:
• You want to provide personal anecdotes that really show someone who
reflects on him or herself.
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6. Types of Questions
The You Question:
• “Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you
have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its
impact on you.”
• “Celebrate your nerdy side.”
The Creative Question:
• “Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a
creative work that has had an influence on you, and
explain that influence.”
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7. The Positives & Negatives
The You question:
• Advantages: An opportunity to “plead your case”, show
your “stuff”.
• Disadvantages: It’s difficult to talk about yourself. You may
sound too distant.
The Creative question:
• Advantages: Has a focus, can show off your talents.
• Disadvantages: Writing without being well informed – get
your facts right!
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8. Third Type of Question
The Why Us question:
• “Which aspects of Tufts’ curriculum or undergraduate experience
prompts your application? In short: Why Tufts?”
• Advantages: Has a focus, you know why you want to go there.
• Disadvantages: You might not know the school or the curriculum
thoroughly enough.
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9. How to Choose a Topic
• Is it about your experiences, passions, interests?
• Is it a subject that’s important to you?
• Is it a topic that shaped how you think?
• Have you narrowed down the topic?
• Can you prove it?
• Does it show your personality?
• Does it reveal your strengths?
• Is it memorable?
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10. From Ordinary to Extraordinary
Everyday experience
• A best friend moves away.
• A person you look up to.
• A summer job.
Making it stand out
• Has focus.
• Give proof.
• Make it fresh, honest.
• Show off your talents.
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11. 7 Topics to Avoid
Admissions officers have heard it all before:
1. Death
2. Divorce
3. Sickness
4. Disorders
5. Sports Injuries
6. Family trips
7. Boy/girl break ups
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12. Prewriting
The You essay: Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have
taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
Brainstorming or Free Association
• Write down all possible ideas.
• Set a timer – 10 min. or so.
• Don’t stop to reread.
• Add your strengths.
• Ask your parents to try this too.
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13. 10 Tips for a Standout Essay
1. Know thyself.
2. Don’t reinvent yourself/try to overly impress.
3. Brainstorm ideas.
4. Focus on a simple idea.
5. Start with a great lead sentence.
6. Be passionate.
7. Organization is key.
8. Avoid controversy.
9. The conclusion is critical.
10. Give the essay the “test of time”.
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14. Contact Debra Berger
• Phone: 617-584-5295
• Email: Debby@academicsupportlink.com
• Website: theacademicsupportlink.com
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• Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/editsupportlink
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