Many high school students are experiencing high levels of stress during their first semester of senior year. The due date for college applications is nearing, and the weight of writing a quality essay remains at the forefront of many minds. Alongside the struggle of having to balance busy lives that include jobs, sports, and other extracurriculars, the overwhelmingness of it all may create a heavy strain on students’ shoulders.

The essay component of the application is considered the most crucial piece to numerous people, leading to rising concerns about what constitutes a “good” essay. So, here are a few generalized tips and tricks when it comes to composing an adequate essay.

Uniqueness is key. Application reviewers have to read thousands and thousands of applications yearly, so it isn’t uncommon for them to have read similar essays multiple times. But when essays are similar in this manner, they fail to stand out and catch the attention of the reader. Topics such as a sports injury or a mission trip are frequently used and fall short of fully captivating the application reader. Instead, share a unique piece of yourself or your experiences that can’t be tied to hundreds of other people. If you have no trouble in this realm, then you’re already one step in the right direction. 

Show, not tell. There are many instances in a college essay where you feel the need to tell the reader about how you overcame a challenge or how you’ve grown as a person. But rather than stating the facts of your situation, it is better to show your reader how you’ve overcome the challenge or grown as a person. This can be done by describing a situation where you show these valuable qualities or newfound strengths. It is similar to telling a story, so make sure to include details and be distinct when writing.

An incredibly well-known college essay that employs this tactic is called “I hate the letter S.” Student Abigail Mack speaks on the loss of her mother and how the letter “S” follows her everywhere. She goes on to describe the ways in which she became a “busy kid” by including her daily routine and everything it involves. Here, readers are able to have a first-hand glimpse into her life, a perfect example of showing, not telling. 

One of YLHS’s own counselors, Mrs. Pike (S), shares her largest piece of advice when it comes to writing college essays: “Be authentic! The reader should feel as if they are in the room with them, telling them who you truly are. They want to know what brought you to this stage of life. Who you are as a person and what makes you tick.” She then goes on to remark, “Lastly, proofread your essay! Then read it again!”

The main point here is to always be yourself. Don’t try to change yourself as a person but also remember to be vivid and detailed in your writing. Even if you are a stranger to the admissions counselor, they should feel like they’ve gotten to know a good sum about you as a person once they’re done reviewing your application. Pike also stresses the significance of proofreading a finished essay. It’s likely you won’t notice all your mistakes the first read through, so you should do a thorough check multiple times to ensure the highest quality of essay is being submitted. 

Additionally, Mrs. Ornelas (S), the college and career technician at YLHS, gives a bit of her own wisdom, commenting, “To write a great college essay, first make sure you really get what the prompt is asking. Start with something interesting to hook the reader right away. Stick to one main idea and use specific examples to show your experiences. Keep things clear and easy to follow, and don’t forget to check for spelling and grammar mistakes.”

It is important to understand what the prompt is asking from you in the first place; if you don’t properly acknowledge that, then you can’t truly write a good essay. Another key factor is to entice the reader with a strong starting point, similar to the initial tip of being unique, to ensure your essay stands out. Ornelas reinforces the idea of “show, not tell” by stating that specific examples only make your essay better. All in all, keep things short and sweet, don’t allow overwhelming amounts of stress to complicate what you mean to say. Ultimately, you have to trust in your abilities and believe in yourself. You can do it!