I have the great pleasure of working on a team devoted to helping students and their families demystify and understand the college application process.
My colleagues and I have either read and evaluated applications on the admissions side or helped prepare and submit them from the high school end. We have not tallied the number of college essays we have read, edited, or frankly, skimmed, in our lives, but it is hundreds and hundreds of thousands between us.
Here’s what we know makes a difference in how an essay is structured:
1. Use every single word.
The Common App’s main essay, a.k.a. personal statement, allows for 650 words. Use every single one. Above all other factors in the application, this main essay is an opportunity to hear your voice; not your teacher’s, not your counselor’s. This is your chance to reveal who you are beyond a transcript or letter of recommendation. Use every word.
2. Be clear.
With four to five minutes to read an entire application, and sometimes less than a minute to read the essay, don’t obfuscate. Don’t get mired in building up to a great final sentence. Make your point clear in your first paragraph. And if it is good enough, it will hook an admissions officer to continue reading.
RELATED READING: My Secret Tip for Writing an Unforgettable College Essay
3. Break it up.
When I was an admissions officer, the essay was my favorite part of the application to review. But admissions officers have a lot to read and need your essay to be easily digestible and efficient. Help the admissions officer by breaking it up into shorter “chunked” paragraphs, each one powerful and continuing to draw in the reader.
4. Vary your sentence structure.
Part of the art of crafting a powerful essay relies on varying your sentence structure. There’s a skill to inserting a short declarative sentence for impact after a long compound-complex sentence. An essay should flow, but it should also show a writer’s agility. Structure has the potential to support a message, guiding a reader not just through content but through form.
5. Use the preview function.
Write your main essay in your own Word or Google document. When it’s time, copy and paste it into the Common App section. Then click the “preview” button to see what it looks like to an admissions officer. Make sure the paragraph breaks are formatted correctly. Make sure nothing is cut off. The way it is structured reflects how you present as a writer.READ MORE: 5 Overused College Essay Topics to Avoid
It is tempting to build to a crescendo in the college essay, to weave dense metaphorical patterns in order to show your writing chops, but subtlety is lost when a reader is on a tight time schedule. In the college application process, the essay is the one chance you have to let admissions officers hear your voice. Structure your essay well. Make your point clear in the first few sentences. Use shorter paragraphs. Help them get to know you not just by what you say in this essay, but how you present it.
