When it comes to the college essay, parents and other well-meaning adults often focus on the beauty of the prose, the \u201chook\u201d and the topic. Be careful. That\u2019s not what colleges want.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s August, the month our phones ring off-the-hook every year. Students are nervous or stuck, and their parents do not know how to calm them, or help them with application essays.<\/p>\n
The first college application deadline is just months away, and many rising seniors are still unsure of what\u2019s expected. They don\u2019t know where to start, or even why colleges are asking them write one essay or five. Do you know what colleges want? We can help<\/a>.<\/p>\n The College Essay is About Reflection<\/strong><\/p>\n At its core, the college essay is all about reflection; it\u2019s a thinking task. Readers are not looking for perfection. Colleges want insight into your child\u2019s character. Will they fit in? The essay should put a face to that huge pile of paper and help round out the application package.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s value-added,\u201d says long-time admissions professional James Cotter, the Dean of Admissions at Michigan State University.<\/strong> \u201cAt a moderately selective school, the essay can pull a student on the cusp up. At a highly selective school, a poor statement can make the difference between being admitted or not.\u201d<\/p>\n College admissions pros are delighted when they read narratives that highlight positive personal traits and characteristics, but they get frustrated by essays that detail experiences or brag about accomplishments.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat does the experience mean to you? Why was it important? That is what we want to know,\u201d explains Calvin Wise, Director for Recruitment, Johns Hopkins University.<\/strong><\/p>\n To stand out, applicants need to follow the instructions and share some genuine insight. You can help your child get ready for the essay<\/a>, but be careful because it is easy to overstep your role \u2013 even unintentionally.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve been doing this a long time and have never worked with a student who was not up to the task. We can teach your child how to brainstorm for ideas, and how to answer any type of prompt using their own words and own voice so college admissions officers will want to read it. Our students get into their top choice colleges, year after year, including all the Ivies, and dozens of selective public and private schools. Your child should, too.<\/p>\n The application essay is not as easy as students would like it to be, but it does not need to be so difficult, either.<\/p>\n \u201cAnswer the question,\u201d says Shawn Felton, Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Cornell University<\/a>.<\/strong> \u201cSince so many students don\u2019t do that, you could actually stand out by doing that very basic thing.\u201d<\/p>\n Is your child prepared for the journey? Do they know how to get the right kind of attention inside the admissions office?<\/p>\n