An effectively structured college application essay outline serves as a blueprint, allowing you to strategically organize your thoughts and ideas into a cohesive whole.
Two structural models that tend to resonate well with admissions committees include:
- Presenting a series of illustrative vignettes or anecdotes, all tied together by an overarching theme or common thread. With this technique, you can highlight various facets of your character, experiences, and perspectives through several distinct short stories or scenarios.
- Alternatively, you may choose to construct your essay as a single, in-depth personal narrative that serves to exemplify your finest traits and qualities. This approach allows you to immerse the reader in one defining life experience, challenge overcome, or pivotal moment that profoundly shaped your development.
However, one approach you should strive to avoid is the traditional five-paragraph essay structure that is commonly taught in high school:
- an introductory paragraph
- three body paragraphs
- a conclusion.
Colleges are seeking students who can construct a thoughtful, insightful personal statement that delves into much deeper levels of reflection and sophistication. Admissions officers want to see a mastery of written expression that goes well beyond the capabilities of this model.
Formatting your essay
Keep the formatting clean and straightforward as admissions officers review numerous essays rapidly. Remember, if pasting your essay into a text field, certain formatting like italics may not transfer successfully.
Present your essay in an easily readable format like 1.5 or double spacing. Should you choose to attach your essay as a file, submitting it as a PDF ensures consistent display across different systems. While not required, you have the option to include a title for your essay if you feel it meaningfully frames or introduces your narrative.
Most critically, strictly adhere to the specified word count, typically 500-600 words for strong application essays. With this length constraint, prioritize concision while avoiding unnecessary repetition or wordiness.
The formatting should enhance readability rather than serve as a distraction from your essay’s substance. Your primary focus should be communicating your story engagingly and clearly within the provided guidelines.
Outlining the essay
After brainstorming potential essay topics, but before you begin drafting, take time to map out your writing: how you plan to open the essay, develop the narrative, and bring it to a meaningful conclusion.
Consider if you want to structure your essay chronologically, following the natural progression of an experience or event over time. Alternatively, you could employ a “sandwich” structure – introducing a core idea, diverging from it temporarily, but then circling back to it by the end. There are various structural approaches available (with strong example outlines provided below). The key is contemplating how you’d like to architect your narrative flow before putting pen to paper.
While an outline provides a foundational blueprint, you don’t need to adhere strictly to your initial plan. Once the writing process begins, you may find that the structure you originally envisioned doesn’t quite work as intended. If that’s the case, feel free to adjust your approach as needed. Producing multiple drafts allowing for revision is vital to refining your final essay.
Regardless of the specific structure you choose, it should remain clear, easy to follow, and feasible to execute within the prescribed word count. Avoid any writing that could confuse the reader. Remember, your audience will be reviewing your essay relatively quickly.
Structures that work: Two example outlines
When it comes to structuring your college application essay, there are several effective approaches you can take. Two formats that tend to work particularly well are presenting a series of vignettes tied together by a common theme or focusing the entire essay on one comprehensive narrative story.
Vignettes with a common theme
This structure allows you to showcase different facets of your life, personality, values, and experiences through several distinct vignettes or illustrative anecdotes. Despite being separate mini-narratives, they are all unified by an overarching message or central theme that you reinforce throughout.
Vignette structure
Single story that demonstrates traits
Alternatively, you may choose to frame your entire essay around one comprehensive personal narrative or transformative life episode. This structure enables you to explore a pivotal experience or challenge in depth, demonstrating how it fundamentally shaped your growth mindset and positive characteristics.