Crafting Compelling College Application Essays
Chris Renaud, Kenyon College
Duncan King, Reed College
Liam George, Sarah Lawrence College
Application Essay Writing for Liberal Arts
Colleges
The What, Who and Why of the Essay
1.
What is an essay?
2.
What will it do and
not
do for you in the
admissions process?
3.
Who is reading it?
4.
Why do colleges ask you to write it?
The Essence of the Essay
1.
Topic
– the situation/story
and
its meaning
1.
Voice
– yours and yours alone
1.
So What?
– why is this topic important?
1.
Mechanics & Process
– are you writing at a
college level?
EXERCISE: Topics
The Essence Object Exercise
◻
Imagine a box
◻
Inside is a set of “essence objects”
◻
My example: heaping pile of index cards
◻
Your turn!
EXERCISE: Topics
◻
What is the most meaningful tradition in your day
or week?
◻
When are you happiest? Where are you happiest?
◻
What big idea have you been obsessed with lately?
◻
What is the best lesson you have learned?
◻
Finish these sentences:
•
I wouldn't be who I am today without _______.
•
My life forever changed when _______.
TOPIC: How to find one
◻
There are NO wrong topics
◻
A subject or story where you – or your
observations – are at the center
◻
A topic or experience that you are trying to
figure out
◻
A story in which you experienced a change
◻
Something you feel strongly about and why
(but be careful here)
◻
A topic with a good “keyhole”
“Topic” Example
My sewing machine, Autumn, sits perched on the
undersized desk hiding behind the slouching couch.
Hills and valleys of fabric lay on the table in front of
me, brimming with potential. Nylons and cottons.
Textures and patterns. Blues and teals. Shades, hues
and colors explode onto the table. Images of possible
creations rush through my head. Oversized hoodies.
Drop Crotch Pants. Minimalist Tee Shirts. Sweats.
Endless promise is confined in uncharted fabric in
front of me, and only I can set it free.
VOICE: Finding Yours
◻
Use
your
natural voice.
•
Your writing style.
•
Your tone.
•
Write about what you know.
◻
Tell
your
story (“talk” to us).
•
Don’t be afraid to write about “common” experiences.
•
Your story is not a resume and cover letter.
◻
We want to hear different voices
•
(but not in the same essay!)
“Voice” Example #1
I do truly adore lobster fishing. My love for it
extends past the obvious: past the fact that I make
money, past the fact that I get to work outside, in
the beautiful summer weather. It extends far
beyond the free lobsters, even past the blossoming
friendships that I have with my colorful coworkers. I
owe it a vast debt of gratitude. Lobster fishing
opened my eyes to hard work and determination
and in doing so allowed me to flourish substantially
in high school.
“Voice” Example #2
I have ridden a pig.
Stay with me here. I mean this in
the most literal sense possible. I. Rode. A pig.
I was four. We were visiting Mom’s
family friends on their farm. They had a hog
that was roughly the size of a fridge, if you
knocked that fridge over and gave it a horrible
stink. Mom’s friend thought it would be just
grand if I rode it a while. I was smallish, and the
hog was huge-ish… surely this was a no-brainer.
(I promise I am going somewhere
with this.)
So What?
•
Get to the heart of the essay
•
Move beyond description alone
■
25% description/75% “so what?”
•
Consider beheading
•
Tell us why this topic is important
“So What?” Example
My father was hardly exaggerating about stars shooting
from his fingertips because on this night, the water was
teeming with what my dad nerdily, but correctly,
identified to be bioluminescent dinoflagellates. If I had
decided not to go in the water, I would have never seen
their light because it is only revealed when you make
strokes in the water. Growing up doesn't mean losing
your sense of wonder; it means being open enough to
experience it even when the stakes are higher. I owe this
newfound dedication to experiencing awe to my father
who taught me, and continues to teach me, how to
splash secrets and swim in the stars.
◻
Matching with Values
Common App Topics 2020/21
1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent so meaningful they believe their application would be
incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, please share your story?
2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a
challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the
outcome?
4. Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query,
an ethical dilemma — anything of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps
you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of
yourself or others.
6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you?
What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different
prompt, or one of your own design.
Simplified
Common App Topics
◻
1. What part of your
identity
would you be incomplete
without?
◻
2. How did a
challenge
affect your life?
◻
3. When have you questioned a
belief
?
◻
4. What problem would you like to
solve
?
◻
5.What event sparked
growth
and
new
understanding
?
◻
6. What
idea
makes you lose track of time?
◻
7. or… a topic of your choice!
But make sure you read/respond to the entire question!
Putting It All Together
•
Write
◻
Write! Write! Write!
◻
Use various exercises to
identify great topics
◻
Consider writing drafts of
two full-length essays
◻
Don’t worry about the
word count at this stage
•
Edit
◻
The challenge of too
many ideas
◻
Worry about word count
◻
The thesaurus is not your
friend
◻
Read aloud
◻
Proofreading is your
friend
Questions?
◻
Chris Renaud – Kenyon College
•
renaudc@kenyon.edu
◻
Duncan King – Reed College
•
dunking@reed.edu
❑
Liam George – Sarah Lawrence College
•
lgeorge@sarahlawrence.edu
Unlock the secrets of exceptional college application essays! Understand the significance of your essay, know your audience, and discover the essence of your story. Get inspired with exercises to find meaningful topics and develop your unique voice. Learn how to bring your experiences to life and make your essay stand out.
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Presentation Transcript
Application Essay Writing for Liberal Arts Colleges Chris Renaud, Kenyon College Duncan King, Reed College Liam George, Sarah Lawrence College
The What, Who and Why of the Essay 1. What is an essay? 2. What will it do and not do for you in the admissions process? 3. Who is reading it? 4. Why do colleges ask you to write it?
The Essence of the Essay Topic the situation/story and its meaning 1. Voice yours and yours alone 1. So What? why is this topic important? 1. Mechanics & Process are you writing at a college level? 1.
EXERCISE: Topics The Essence Object Exercise Imagine a box Inside is a set of essence objects My example: heaping pile of index cards Your turn!
EXERCISE: Topics What is the most meaningful tradition in your day or week? When are you happiest? Where are you happiest? What big idea have you been obsessed with lately? What is the best lesson you have learned? Finish these sentences: ? I wouldn't be who I am today without _______. ? My life forever changed when _______.
TOPIC: How to find one There are NO wrong topics A subject or story where you or your observations are at the center A topic or experience that you are trying to figure out A story in which you experienced a change Something you feel strongly about and why (but be careful here) A topic with a good keyhole
Topic Example My sewing machine, Autumn, sits perched on the undersized desk hiding behind the slouching couch. Hills and valleys of fabric lay on the table in front of me, brimming with potential. Nylons and cottons. Textures and patterns. Blues and teals. Shades, hues and colors explode onto the table. Images of possible creations rush through my head. Oversized hoodies. Drop Crotch Pants. Minimalist Tee Shirts. Sweats. Endless promise is confined in uncharted fabric in front of me, and only I can set it free.
VOICE: Finding Yours Use your natural voice. ? Your writing style. ? Your tone. ? Write about what you know. Tell your story ( talk to us). ? Don t be afraid to write about common experiences. ? Your story is not a resume and cover letter. We want to hear different voices ? (but not in the same essay!)
Voice Example #1 I do truly adore lobster fishing. My love for it extends past the obvious: past the fact that I make money, past the fact that I get to work outside, in the beautiful summer weather. It extends far beyond the free lobsters, even past the blossoming friendships that I have with my colorful coworkers. I owe it a vast debt of gratitude. Lobster fishing opened my eyes to hard work and determination and in doing so allowed me to flourish substantially in high school.
Voice Example #2 I have ridden a pig. Stay with me here. I mean this in the most literal sense possible. I. Rode. A pig. I was four. We were visiting Mom s family friends on their farm. They had a hog that was roughly the size of a fridge, if you knocked that fridge over and gave it a horrible stink. Mom s friend thought it would be just grand if I rode it a while. I was smallish, and the hog was huge-ish surely this was a no-brainer. (I promise I am going somewhere with this.)
So What? ? Get to the heart of the essay ? Move beyond description alone 25% description/75% so what? ? Consider beheading ? Tell us why this topic is important
So What? Example My father was hardly exaggerating about stars shooting from his fingertips because on this night, the water was teeming with what my dad nerdily, but correctly, identified to be bioluminescent dinoflagellates. If I had decided not to go in the water, I would have never seen their light because it is only revealed when you make strokes in the water. Growing up doesn't mean losing your sense of wonder; it means being open enough to experience it even when the stakes are higher. I owe this newfound dedication to experiencing awe to my father who taught me, and continues to teach me, how to splash secrets and swim in the stars.
Common App Topics 2020/21 1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, please share your story? 2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? 4. Describe a problem you ve solved or a problem you d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma anything of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution. 5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. 6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more? 7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.
Simplified Common App Topics 1. What part of your identity would you be incomplete without? 2. How did a challenge affect your life? 3. When have you questioned a belief? 4. What problem would you like to solve? 5.What event sparked growth and new understanding? 6. What idea makes you lose track of time? 7. or a topic of your choice! But make sure you read/respond to the entire question!
Putting It All Together Write Edit ? ? Write! Write! Write! The challenge of too many ideas Use various exercises to identify great topics Worry about word count Consider writing drafts of two full-length essays The thesaurus is not your friend Don t worry about the word count at this stage Read aloud Proofreading is your friend
Questions? Chris Renaud Kenyon College ? renaudc@kenyon.edu Duncan King Reed College ? dunking@reed.edu Liam George Sarah Lawrence College ? lgeorge@sarahlawrence.edu
