ToddIf your child is applying to American or British universities, he or she will be required to write a brief essay (400-600 words) as part of their application. Some schools, particularly California universities, require answering specific questions. These compositions are a crucial part of a college application because they are more than just numbers like GPA, SAT, and ToEFL scores. Good essays reveal some parts of the student’s personality or character and potential contribution to the college community. When academic numbers among applicants are mostly the same, an effective essay can tip the scales in favor of acceptance over rejection.
Writing a college application essay, however, challenges most students, especially if they feel like they have nothing interesting to say or if they lack confidence in their English writing skills. That’s why our BIPH College Counselors will be meeting soon with all Grade 11 students for five weeks to help them start the college application process. We will address all aspects of applying to colleges, and we will get students started on the essay-writing task, including brainstorming ideas and crafting the unique story they choose to tell. You can help your child by occasionally asking where they are in the process and maybe asking to read what they have done so far. Here are a few other specific ways you can assist your student in telling his or her story.
Encourage your child to brainstorm thoroughly topics that reflect their passions, interests, and experiences. Many students tend to write about academic achievements or extracurricular activities that they think will impress admission officers. But these topics are often too common and boring, and they don’t show your child’s individuality or authentic voice. Instead, help your child find topics that demonstrate their personal growth and insights from their experiences. Ask them questions about their hobbies, challenges, goals, and values. As a pre-writing activity over the next couple of weeks, suggest that they list words or phrases that describe themselves, imagine scenes from a documentary of their life, or read sample essays from successful applicants.
Help your child focus on what they learned rather than what they did. Many students tend to write factual descriptions of their experiences without explaining how they were affected or what they learned. But mere facts make the essay dull and superficial, and they don’t show your child’s critical thinking and reflection skills. Guide your child to write about what they learned, how they overcame failure or adversity, or how they changed their perspective or behavior as a result of their experiences. Encourage your child to use specific examples and details to support their claims and show their personality.
Provide constructive feedback and support throughout the writing process. Writing a college application essay is stressful for many students, especially for non-native English speakers. As a parent, you can support your child emotionally and academically throughout the writing process. Have them translate and read their drafts to you. Provide feedback, but avoid editing their essays for them, or allowing an agent to rewrite or edit. Instead, you can point out the strengths of their essays, suggest areas for improvement, and encourage them to revise and proofread their work. Encourage them to work with their college counselor and not to procrastinate. (They should have essays ready in the early weeks of Grade 12.) Praise their efforts, celebrate their progress, and remind them of their potential.
Writing an effective college application essay is a difficult but important and rewarding task. Working together, you, your child, and our college counseling team can help your child write an essay that highlights their unique story and potential to admission committees.