What’s the Point?

There are two reasons why colleges ask you to write an essay as part of your application:

  1. 1. To show the admissions committee who you are, in addition to what you’ve done.
  2. 2. To show the admissions committee you can write.
Reveal Yourself

By the time the admissions committee gets around to reading your essay, they already know about all the activities, AP classes, and accomplishments you have under your belt. What they really want to learn from the essay are things not found in your application. Through the topic you choose, the details you include in your essay, and your voice and writing style, the admissions officers will learn a tremendous amount about your personality, your values, how you think, and what makes you tick. With only an approximate 500- word limit you won’t have space to reveal everything about yourself, but you will have an opportunity to highlight a slice of who you are. You want that slice to be interesting and engaging.