by John Chang
When you fill out the Common App, you will probably feel that it is somewhat limited in allowing you to truly express yourself. In all, you will have a small amount of space to provide your input and answers, as well as the opportunity to write two essays. One essay should be generic. The other should be school-specific. Aside from these opportunities, you may also submit some supplemental materials.
To make the most of this opportunity, I suggest you follow these five tips:
1. Focus on selling yourself. You may have a very entertaining story to tell, but if it doesn’t illustrate the kind of person you are and what you have accomplished, it will not serve it’s purpose.
An applicant may submit a very wonderful essay recounting childhood experiences and family tales; however, this sort of essay does not tell the examiner the two things that are necessary in determining whether or not to admit an applicant.
-The story did not give me any idea of the applicant’s accomplishments. -The story did not give me a well-rounded picture of the applicant’s personality.
For these reasons, the applicant was put on the wait list. Of course, the essay was not the sole reason for this decision, but it was one of the reasons.
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2. Talk yourself up!
Modesty is common among overachievers. They downplay fantastic accomplishments and sell themselves short by saying things like:
“Naturally, there are many others who are just as worthy as I am of attending Harvard, if not more so.”
Or the equally self-deprecating,
“Being accepted to Stanford will be the luckiest day of my life! I know there are others who have worked just as hard to earn it.”
Simply do not say things like that.
Of course, you don’t want to be an obnoxious braggart and make wild claims about your brilliance, but don’t sell yourself short! Take pride in your accomplishments. You earned that right. Talk openly and honestly about how hard you have worked to achieve your goals, win prizes, and accomplish things that were impossible for others.
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3. Share your life stories.
Tell interesting stories and anecdotes about yourself and your life. For example, the girl whose family adopted dogs certainly stuck in my mind. If her story had been a little bit more goal-oriented, it might have served it’s purpose.
4. Accentuate the positive. Talk about all the good things you have done. You are not required to detail your failings.
This is not the place to share the fact that you only got third place in the first track meet you ever participated in. The only exception to this would be if that event acted as the springboard to your winning the state championship.
Avoid talking about ancient history, like the very first short story you ever published, unless that event led to your becoming seriously committed to creative writing, which in turn lead to winning serious contests and national recognition.
5. Avoid gratuitous name-dropping.
Many times I have read essays with this kind of statement prominently displayed:
“I know Fred Smith, who is a freshman here at Harvard. He is a very dedicated student, whom I deeply admire. That is why I am most interested in attending Harvard.”
It is certainly no better to drop the names of well-known professors or alumni. This impresses no one.
If you must name-drop, only do so if the name you are dropping is really integral to the information you are conveying. If you can leave the name out without affecting the meaning of your essay, do so.
About the Author:
John Chang was a B+ student who got into Harvard, Stanford, and Yale. I then spent 3 years in the Admissions Office.
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