If you came to this blog post of hopes us telling you that the best college essays are about sports, extracurricular activities, or the global pandemic, bear with us as we go in another direction. The best college essays are about you. Yes, you. This might seem like an oversimplification, but it’s true. You are the only person who can write an essay that is uniquely about yourself, so we’re going back to basics by diving into a brainstorming process that’s been successful with some of our TKG clients.
Stop thinking about extracurricular activities, grades, and test scores.
In fact, pretend that you’re applying to college with students who have the same exact academic profile as you do. We know that you all work hard outside of school, whether on a sports team or on student government. A vast majority of TKG clients come to us and say “I want to write about this extracurricular because it shows how dedicated I am!” But when you submit your application, the admissions team will read through your activities section immediately before they read your essay. If anything is listed there, you shouldn’t write about it. Every aspect of your application should say something new about you, and doubling down on something they’ve already seen is a sure way to bore the reader and miss your chance to diversify your application.
Accept the fact that you will not be able to write an essay that encapsulates every single aspect of your personality.
“Yes, I’m a good listener, but I’m also funny and curious and adventurous!” We get it, truly. It seems impossible to pick just one thing, or maybe it feels impossible to pick anything. These are both normal reactions. No one is expecting you to explain everything about yourself, they just want to know something. Something new, a story that can’t be discerned from the rest of your personality.
Make a list of 15-20 “truths” about yourself.
You can write anything. Don’t limit yourself! Anything from “I like to read feminist novels” to “I love taking my dog to the park and talking to pet owners” and “Running is my favorite form of self-care.” After you’re done making your list, ask your friends and family to describe you in a few words. Write down the words and phrases they use to describe you then sit down with your list and the suggestions from your friends and family.
Congrats, you’re done with steps one through three! What you have by now is a list of personality traits, characteristics, and truths about yourself. Sit with your list. Look it over a few times. What entries feel most genuine? A crucial step is to cross off anything that appears anywhere else on your application. Narrow your list down to a few traits that you believe are worth showcasing, and then brainstorm stories around your streamlined list.
From there, start writing out a story. A story with a beginning, middle, and end. You’re looking for the story that is complete, and by that mean it doesn’t require you to break form and tell the reader what they’re reading. Don’t get discouraged if it takes a few tries! Keep writing then edit, edit, and edit some more.
Drop us is a line if you’re feeling uninspired.