When writing your college essays, it’s crucial to understand what admissions officers are looking for. The college application process requires you to focus on the right elements and strategies that showcase your unique qualities, experiences, and potential.
Here are some key things that colleges seek in essays, along with examples and tips to help you effectively demonstrate them.
Context: What sets you apart
Admissions officers want to get to know you as an individual, beyond your grades and test scores. Your essays should provide context about your background, experiences, and perspectives that have shaped who you are and what you value. Consider discussing:
- Unique aspects of your identity, such as your cultural heritage, family background, or personal interests
- Significant challenges or obstacles you have faced and how you have grown from them
- Moments of self-discovery or personal transformation that have influenced your goals and aspirations
Sharing these contextual details helps admissions officers understand what sets you apart from other applicants and how you would contribute to their campus community.
Positive character qualities
In addition to your academic achievements, colleges are looking for evidence of positive character qualities that indicate your potential for success and leadership. Some key qualities to highlight in your essays include:
Self-reflection and vulnerability
Self-reflection is a crucial aspect of personal growth and maturity, and it can significantly enhance the quality of your college application essays. Admissions officers are not just interested in your accomplishments; they also want to see that you have the ability to introspect, learn from your experiences, and demonstrate vulnerability.
When writing your essays, don’t be afraid to discuss your mistakes, failures, or challenges. By doing so, you show that you are self-aware, humble, and willing to grow. Colleges understand that no student is perfect, and they appreciate applicants who can authentically share their flaws and the lessons they have learned from them.
Initiative
Colleges highly value students who demonstrate initiative, as it indicates a proactive and engaged approach to learning and personal development. Admissions officers seek candidates who not only have the potential to succeed academically but also have the drive to contribute positively to the campus community and beyond.
When crafting your essays, focus on experiences that showcase your ability to take action and create change. Instead of simply describing events that happened to you, highlight moments when you took the lead, solved problems, or made a meaningful impact.
Proof: Show, don’t tell
When discussing your qualities and achievements, it’s important to provide concrete evidence rather than simply making claims. Admissions officers want to see specific examples of your actions and impact, not just a list of adjectives describing yourself.
Bad examples: Claim without proof
- I am an incredibly creative person, always coming up with innovative solutions to problems. My teachers and peers constantly praise me for my out-of-the-box thinking, and I believe this creativity will serve me well in college and beyond.
- As a natural-born leader, I have always been able to inspire and motivate others to work towards a common goal. People gravitate towards me and trust my judgment, which has helped me succeed in various leadership roles throughout my life.
In both of these examples, the writer makes claims about their qualities (creativity and leadership) without providing any concrete evidence or specific examples to support those claims. This approach can come across as vague and unconvincing to admissions officers.
Good examples: Showing instead of telling
- When faced with the challenge of creating a memorable and engaging campaign for our school’s annual food drive, I proposed an unconventional idea: a “Hunger Games” themed competition among homerooms. Each homeroom would compete to collect the most canned goods, with daily “tribute” announcements and prizes for the winners. My creative approach paid off, as we collected a record-breaking 5,000 cans, surpassing our goal by 25%.
- As the captain of my school’s debate team, I noticed that many new members felt intimidated and unsure of their abilities. To address this issue, I organized a mentorship program pairing experienced debaters with newcomers. I led training sessions on public speaking, research skills, and argumentation techniques. Through my leadership and guidance, the team’s membership doubled, and we went on to win the regional championship for the first time in school history.
These examples demonstrate the writer’s creativity and leadership skills through specific, concrete examples of their actions and the resulting impact. By showing rather than telling, the writer provides tangible evidence of their qualities, making their essay more credible and memorable to admissions officers.
Two strategies for finding your essay’s topic
When brainstorming ideas for your college essays, consider these two strategies for finding a compelling topic:
Option 1: Start with your qualities
Start with your qualities, such as leadership, creativity, or perseverance. Identify 2-3 positive traits that define you, brainstorm experiences that demonstrate these qualities in action, and choose the most meaningful example to focus on in your essay. This approach allows you to showcase your strengths and values through a specific, engaging narrative.
Example: Starting with your qualities
A student wants to highlight his creativity and problem-solving skills. He reflects on instances when he used these qualities to overcome challenges or create something unique. He remembers how he designed and built a custom bookshelf for his room when he couldn’t find one that fit his space and style. He also thinks about how he developed a new inventory management system for his part-time job at a local grocery store, which improved efficiency and reduced waste. Finally, he considers how he used his creativity to write and direct a short play for his school’s theater festival, which received praise from the audience and faculty.
Option 2: Start with a story
Reflect on moments of triumph, challenges you have overcome, or turning points that have influenced your perspective. Choose a specific story that reveals something important about your character and potential, and use the qualities and lessons it illustrates to guide your essay’s narrative.
Starting with a story
A student wants to highlight his creativity and problem-solving skills. He reflects on instances when he used these qualities to overcome challenges or create something unique. He remembers how he designed and built a custom bookshelf for his room when he couldn’t find one that fit his space and style. He also thinks about how he developed a new inventory management system for his part-time job at a local grocery store, which improved efficiency and reduced waste. Finally, he considers how he used his creativity to write and direct a short play for his school’s theater festival, which received praise from the audience and faculty.
Example: Starting with a story
A student’s family moved to the United States from India when she was in middle school, and she feels that this experience has significantly shaped her identity and perspective. She reflects on how the transition challenged her and helped her grow:
- She became adaptable and resilient, as she had to learn a new language, navigate a different culture, and make new friends in a short period.
- She developed a strong sense of cultural identity, as she learned to embrace and celebrate her Indian heritage while also integrating into American society.
- She gained a global perspective, as her experience living in two different countries taught her to appreciate diversity and understand the world from multiple viewpoints.