{"id":3409,"date":"2023-04-10T12:20:55","date_gmt":"2023-04-10T16:20:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/giombettiassoc.com\/?p=3409"},"modified":"2023-04-10T12:20:55","modified_gmt":"2023-04-10T16:20:55","slug":"how-to-write-an-impressive-college-essay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/giombettiassoc.com\/learning-lab\/how-to-write-an-impressive-college-essay\/","title":{"rendered":"Applying to School: How to Write an Impressive College Essay"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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If you\u2019re in high school and feel intimidated by the college application process, you are definitely not alone. Not only do you have to narrow down the schools you want to apply to, but you need to assemble a wide variety of documents, such as your transcript, test scores and teacher recommendations. One of the most important parts of your application, however, is your college essay. Here are some tips on how to write an impressive essay so you can feel more confident in your application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing the Essay<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A key section of the Common App<\/a>, a standardized college application accepted by over 1,000 private and public universities across the globe, is a 250\u2013650-word essay. The section offers multiple writing prompts to choose from as well as the option to choose a topic of your own. Some colleges will also ask you to answer supplemental questions along with an essay, but the writing process for both is relatively similar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you consider potential topics, make sure to choose one you\u2019re comfortable writing about and that \u201cspeaks\u201d to you in some way. Oftentimes, you can use an anecdote from your life to frame your essay, as the Common App prompts are usually open-ended and self-reflective. When you have your topic, take some time to think about your approach, putting any ideas that come to mind on paper\u2014you may not use all of them, but writing them down is a way to get your creativity flowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve collected some solid thoughts on paper, start to think of a thesis, or main theme, around which to build your essay. Then, refine and organize your notes into an outline that includes an introduction, body content and a conclusion. Be sure to connect each idea back to your thesis, supporting your arguments with examples when you can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve completed your outline, you\u2019re ready to write. First, try to think of an engaging hook for your introductory paragraph. One way to think of a captivating intro is to ask yourself, \u201cIf I were evaluating this, what would make me want to continue reading?\u201d After you\u2019ve crafted your introduction, start fleshing out the body paragraphs. Here are some things to remember as you write:<\/p>\n\n\n\n