College Essays DO’s and DON’Ts

Today I want to give you some do’s and don’ts about writing your college application essays.

DO write on a topic you care about: your passions and your intellectual curiosity. DON’T write an essay on the topic you think colleges want to hear, because then it will come through that you don’t actually care about what you’re saying.

DO let someone help you by editing your essay—maybe a parent or a teacher. DON’T let them over-edit it until your voice is missing.

Speaking of your voice, DO make sure that your voice comes through in your essay. This is your chance for college admissions officers to get to meet you. DON’T use a bunch of quotes from famous people or sprinkle in a bunch of big vocab words that you won’t actually use in your day-to-day language. 

DO let adults and other family members and friends in your life help by giving you ideas on topics to write about. But DON’T—and I cannot stress this enough—let them write it or even type it for you because it’s going to show. College admissions officers know what they’re looking at.

If you have more questions about the do’s and don’ts of college essays, don’t hesitate to reach out to at 732-556-8220. We are here to help.