College essays is an important factor colleges use to evaluate their applicants. Unfortunately, when it comes to writing the college essay or personal statement, many students have a hard time finding the right words to communicate their life story. Through working with students over the past years, I have encountered this same scenario enough times that I have come up with several strategies to help students not only feel more at ease with the essay process but also come out feeling more self confident about what their writing says about themselves.
The following are some strategies I use with my students:
1- Start early practicing your writing. When I start working with students as early as 9th or 10th grade, I like to assign free writing exercises so students can begin to get into the habit of writing about themselves.
2- I like to clarify and clearly explain to both students and families the purpose of the college essay or personal statement. Many students may not have had any previous experience writing about themselves so it’s always a good idea to understand the purpose of college essay and what colleges are looking for when they read student essays
3- Before we even begin the process, I like to utilize as many brainstorming exercises as possible to help students generate potential ideas and topics. Over the years, I have compiled various exercises to help students think about different parts of themselves they might consider writing about and how these topics fit in and complement their college application.
4- Review a few common mistakes students can make before they begin writing their college essay. I find it useful to review with students some mistakes beforehand to avoid when writing college essays. These can include anywhere from common grammar mistakes to trying to sound older or funnier than they usually are to sprinkling their essays with cliches.
5- Finally, I like to remind students to approach the process as one of reflection and self-discovery. More than being one more factor colleges look for in applicants, students should view the essay as a way to reflect on their life and discover qualities about themselves they might not have been aware of.
At JumpStart, I find starting the essay writing process near the end of junior year as an ideal time! If you need help with your essays, please do not hesitate contacting me!
