6 Thoughts You’ll Have While Writing Your College Essay

Applying to college. To say the least, it’s a daunting task. You want to get out of your house and onto a college campus, though, so you’re approaching the task head-on. You’ve done your research and taken your visits. You’ve selected your top 5-10 schools, ranging from your dream school to your dream safety school (ideally you should genuinely want to attend every school to which you’re applying, obvs). The application is a breeze — that is — until you get to the essay. You scan the Common App prompts and remember that writing your college essay is a key component to securing your spot at the school of your dreams. Thoughts, both rational and ridiculous, start flooding your brain. That’s why we’re here to break down the real meaning of what you will most likely be thinking while writing your admissions essay. We might even dispense some advice on how to conquer the essay, and appease those voices in your head.

1. A college essay? Piece of cake…I’ll be done in an hour.

Sometimes we dream that we win the lottery too, but then we quickly come back to reality. Rome wasn’t built in a day and you can’t write your college essay in an hour (that is, if you want it to be any good). You’ll realize pretty soon that it’s going to take a little longer than one episode of Orange is the New Black to perfect your application masterpiece.

2. Yep, I have no idea what to write.

Suddenly, you’ve forgotten everything you’ve ever known about yourself. You feel like you have no interesting stories to tell. How could you have had any experience worth writing about — you’re only seventeen! seventeen? It starts to sink in that you’ll probably have to sacrifice a few Pokemon GO expeditions to finish this up.

3. That’s it, I’m not going to college.

You’ve given up. *Furiously researches colleges that don’t require an essay*.

4. Whatever, who needs college anyway?

Yeah, you’re right, who wants to have rich experiences, train to be a professional in your selected field and dive deeper into learning about whatever your heart desires?

5. I’ve got it!

Finally…the perfect topic! And look at that, it relates to Common App prompt #4 about a problem you have solved or want to solve!! Suddenly the ideas rush from your head to your fingertips, flowing onto the page and (after some careful rewriting and editing) into a perfect 500-650 word personal statement that perfectly expresses something compelling about you that admissions would never have known about you otherwise.   

6. EUREKA! I’m done. I never have to write another college essay ever again!

If only it wasn’t for those pesky supplements…

Just remember that even though it may seem impossible, you have all of the skills and knowledge to write your college essay — you just need to channel it. So, get to brainstorming and soon enough you’ll be waiting for the acceptance letters to roll in.

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