College Application Essay Coaching

College Application Essay Coaching Focusing on someone you love, or worse yet, like “a lot,” is highly unlikely to show this side of you. In fact, it is more likely to paint you as the dreaded “typical teenager,” possibly one of the worst monikers in the college admissions industry. Dr. Maggie Wray is an academic life coach who helps high school and college students develop the mindset, motivation, organization, and time management skills they need to be successful in school. Admissions counselors read dozens of essays every day, so do your best to write clearly and concisely. In your essay, they are looking for signs that you will be a successful student at their institution. Going away to college is sometimes uncomfortable, so having the chance to practice being independent, taking risks, and maybe failing can be really good preparation for life after high school. I think programs like Outward Bound are great for students who aren’t sure they’re ready for a four-year college. A college application essay may be as short as 150 words, but those words can mean the difference between a “maybe” and a “yes” when it comes to getting admitted. The essays tell the admissions committee how and why one student is different from all the others. At ScholarMatch, Watson uses freewriting exercises to help students start their essays. Students come to ScholarMatch workshops feeling nervous about the process. Instead, I will be talking about college admissions essays, and sharing with you some ways to help maintain perspective during the writing process. At first blush, the college admissions essay seems a very particular piece of writingâ€"it is a hybrid form of personal narrative, argumentative prose, epic poem, and impassioned plea. Three former admissions officers I spoke to told me that, contrary to Steven’s observations, officers read every essay that comes across their desks. Instead, my tips are more abstract, perhaps even metaphysical pieces of advice to help guide you through the admissions process and beyond. I’m going to switch gears a bit in today’s posting and give my in-depth analysis of SAT-II problems a breather. This is a short-term opportunity to test the waters of college-esque independence. One way to signal to colleges that you are a strong candidate for the rigorous ways of thinking, learning, and living that the schools can provide is to show just what kind of a risk-taker you are. After working with thousands of students from all over the world on writing the dreaded college application essay for the last eight years, I’ve finally been able to boil down the process to three simple steps. What I love about Outward Bound is that it gives students the opportunity to get outside their comfort zones. But first-generation college applicants have typically overcome obstacles that other students haven’t â€" and it’s a story worth sharing. Your girlfriend/boyfriend/significant other.Choosing this topic might be the biggest faux pas in the history of college essay writing. No matter how wonderful this person is, and no matter how good a writer you are, there is absolutely zero chance that this topic will present you in the best possible light to college admissions professionals. This is because one of the character traits most admissions professionals are looking for is a sense of maturity and self-understanding. Freewriting helps kids relax and simply write; it also usually helps elicit an essay topic. For the exercises, Watson asks students to write whatever comes into their minds. From the freewriting, he and other writing coaches help students identify points they can develop into an essay. One of the most challenging aspects of the essay-writing process is identifying a topic to write about. Many first-to-college applicants think their experiences and accomplishments aren’t impressive enough to wow college admissions officers, so they get discouraged before they even begin. “We definitely read the essays,” says Joie Jager-Hyman, president of College Prep 360 and former admissions officer at Dartmouth College. “You don’t do that job unless you enjoy reading the essays.