11 Things Students Should Include In Their College Application Essay

11 Things Students Should Include In Their College Application Essay He went back to ScholarMatch, and this time he wrote about his family’s move from Panama, and the challenges he faced starting over in a new country where he didn’t speak the language. Many first-to-college kids don't realize they have stories that colleges want to hear. You can write conversationally, but the grammar and spelling still need to be correct. And don’t solely rely on your computer’s spell-checker. If you had a difficulty, don’t give the admissions committee a list of complaints. You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @USATOpinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To submit a letter, comment or column, check oursubmission guidelines. Some college traditions are no longer applicable in today’s society. Last year, Harvard’s admissions rate dipped to a record low, with only 5.3% of applicants getting an acceptance letter. Reveals a specific core or “defining” quality (creative, resourceful, fierce, resilient, driven, etc.) about the writer, rather than trying to describe many qualities. “It was the first time I really looked at myself,” he recalls. I tried to adapt socially and academically.” Ye Luo enjoyed high school far more than middle school, he made friends, joined the wrestling team, and took his GPA from a 1.9 to a 4.0. Ye Luo wasn’t accepted at Middlebury and he was devastated. Looking back, he thinks he may have been rejected, at least in part, because his essay was so scattered. Leverage your native culture, traditions, and experiences. If you’re an international applicant, Native American, or otherwise non-traditional student, don’t try to “Americanize” or “mainstream” your application. The goal is to stand out and not appear to be like all the other applicants. Demonstrate how you are compassionateâ€"don’t just tell readers you are. A storyteller absorbs the sensations and the happenings of life, and then shapes them into narrative objects of various sizesâ€"here a tall-tale, there a parable, here a quip and there an epic. A storyteller sizes up an audience and bends her/his story to the attentions of those present. A storyteller never tells the same story the same way. Or better yet, a storyteller never tells the same story. Don’t just write about what you’re comfortable with, but don’t take a risk that might swallow the essay whole. If so, you need to know what makes a great essay to know how to start brainstorming and writing your own. If you include Step Three in your essay, you will reveal how you are able to take a life lesson beyond how it affected you, as well as your ability to think critically and reflectively. There is an important distinction between telling a story and being a storyteller. Anyone can tell a story, but only a true storyteller can pull a captivating narrative out of the most mundane parts of life. A storyteller is equal parts collector and sharer, observer and raconteur. The best way to approach the admissions essay is to see it as a first conversation. To make a great impression, what would you talk about? What about yourself would you be willing to share honestly? What kind of language are you most comfortable using? And most importantly, what do you want to know about your interlocutor? Where can there be space in the conversation not only for your own curiosity, but also for the curiosity of the other speaker? Framing your essay around this setup will help you make a strong first impression, and one that is organic, personal, and authentic. Let’s come up with a new solution that allows all children fair access to academic institutions. And let’s keep the personal in the essay by not allowing third parties to ghostwrite our children’s future. Students are essentially paying a third party to ghost-write their story in an essay which is supposed to be a culmination of their skill set, not a professional’s. An admissions essay is not an opening statement in a debate tournament, nor is it a litany of personal accomplishments. “I never saw a phenomenal essay suddenly make up for everything” Heaton agreed. “We listen to their experiences and give them feedback,” says Urrutia Gedney. These are the kinds of things colleges want to know,'” says Urrutia Gedney. Ye Luo says that their words gave him a sense of pride and determination to succeed.