Do Colleges Really Care About The Sat Essay?

Do Colleges Really Care About The Sat Essay? Yes, your letters of recommendation tell us about you, but they’re written from someone else’s perspective. Thus, the college essay is an invaluable component of your application because you're able to speak to us directly. You have the space tell us what you’re thinking about and how you’re thinking about it. Rachel chooses her favorite book, Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. The best way to move forward is to see a college essay as a conversation. If they could, colleges would welcome you to campus and ask you questions for hoursâ€"but if they did that, no one would be admitted to college until they were 43. To accelerate the process, they want you to talk on paper; let them get to know you by giving them a guided tour of your heart, your brain, and your life. If you succeed, they will look up from reading your essay, and be surprised you aren’t in the room; indeed, they will swear the chair next to them is warm from your having sat in it since Tuesday. To put it another way, in a world where everything else is equal between the applicants, a good essay can make a difference. Regardless of which IvySelect college counselor you work with, you’ll be in great hands. For example, our Senior College Admissions Consultant has a wealth of experience, having read literally thousands of essays in her role as a member of an admissions committee at one of the Ivies. If she writes 500 wordsâ€"well under the limit for GMU, but fine for a tightly written essayâ€"it will be easier to shorten the same essay for UVA. She digs out a paper she wrote on this book, but she’s aware that most colleges do not welcome academic writing, so the paper will mostly serve as inspiration. You might think you’ve read or heard the perfect opening someplace elseâ€"a book of sample essays, a speech, a line in your favorite movie, etc. But pirating someone else’s writing is plagiarism, and every college I can think of would frown on an applicant who steals other people’s work without crediting the source. It’s okay if you haven’t won the Nobel Peace Prize. Or built a school brick by brick, with your bare hands. We read essays about the most mundane things - solving a crossword puzzle, taking a walk with a sibling, collecting zany socks - but the way the applicant writes the piece makes it effective. When we begin evaluating your application, everything can seem pretty standard - grades, test scores, activities, lists of AP classes. There are, however, different ways to write college essays that can increase your chance for an admission offer and things you can do that may hurt your chances. The Great College Essay Project combines the existing free college writing support that’s been provided by 826 National’s chapters since 2002 with Reach Higher’s expertise in creating a college-going movement. Through the project, students from underserved communities can access free, individualized essay coaching and feedback through dedicated workshops at 826’s nine chapters and four other cities nationwide. Hiring an essay coach to help craft college essays is common in many well-off communities â€" it’s not unusual for a coach to charge $1,000 or more for their services. But every student, regardless of their zip code or the amount of cash in their parent/guardian’s bank account, should have access to a trusted adult who can provide essay help. The admissions department at UC Berkeley will read about 20,000 application essays and Stanford will read about 16,000. The college essay may be your only opportunity to show your personality to the admission office. If you are witty, show the reader your sense of humor (But be cautious. What you think is funny, someone else may not.). Statistical websites like College Factual are tremendously helpful here as well, as are blogs from current and former students, Vlogs, Instagram feeds â€" anything and everything is fair game. Cite a wide range of sources in your essay to show the depth of your research. There’s always that chance that your reader could recognize what you’re sharing. And if they have even the slightest suspicion, the answer will always be just a Google search away. Your essay should read like a short English paper about yourself. Start with a main idea and cite specific evidence to support your statement about yourself. Describe your feelings when you found your career or major goals. Our Director has experience as an editor at a major New York publishing firm and is an award-winning writer. He possesses exceptional skills in helping students craft their essays. Should you work with him, you will receive guidance on your essays from an Ivy League graduate with a special talent and training to teach you how to write standout essays. Students without the proper counseling often write essays that are bereft of passion and that fail to delineate who they are. Writing the College Essay can be one of the most intimidating aspects of the college application process. If you are more thoughtful, take on a slightly more serious tone. You may have an amazing story to tell for your college application essay, but your writing is going to fall flat if it doesn't use an engaging and effective style. For your essay to truly shine, you need to pay attention to not justwhat you say, but also how you say it. These style tips can help you turn a bland and wordy admissions essay into an engaging narrative that improves your chances of being admitted. In order to write multiple essays that are of the same elevated, high quality as your main essay, you need to spend the time, do the hard work and receive informed guidance.