1. Crafting the College
Essay
The Process!

2. Today's Goals
• Start Talking about the College Essay
• Brainstorm Ideas
• Upload Brainstorm to Naviance

3. Why Write an Essay?
• Apples to Apples- Tip the scale in your favor
• Writing well- Show them you can do it!
• Personality, life experience, unique narrative

4. What if I Don't Feel Like
Writing One?
Well, it's a required element on the Common
Application.
Write one anyway. You'll need it in your
back pocket, even for CCP.
A great college essay can also function as a
scholarship essay.

5. The Common Application
Q: How long can your essay be?

6. The Common Application
A: 250 words minimum...
don't exceed 500.
WHY???

7. The Common Application
You have one chance to impress the
Admissions Committee
They read tons of essays
They will spend 3 minutes looking at you
You have to grab/hold them right away!!

8. The Common Application
Essay topics:
• Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you
have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its
impact on you.
• Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or
international concern and its importance to you.

9. The Common Application
Essay topics:
• Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe
that influence. Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a
creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on
you, and explain that influence.
• A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences
adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background,
describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity
in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance
of diversity to you.

10. The Common Application
Essay topics:
• Topic of your choice.
Ms. Dunn's editorial comment: Unless this is your ONLY
option, choose another one from the list. This is WAY too
open ended and can lead to a meandering, wandering
essay.

11. Let's Brainstorm
What have you done that you're proud of?
What experience has shaped you?
What challenge(s) have you overcome?
Who has helped shape you into who you are?

12. Let's Brainstorm
More ideas can be found here:
http://tinyurl.com/7v4m87v

13. What's Next?
1. Open a document on your computer
1. Start a brainstorm list
1. SAVE IT
1. Log onto Naviance
5. Go to the About Me tab

14. What's Next?
1. Scroll down to JOURNAL
2. Click "JOURNAL"
3. Click "START NEW ENTRY"
Type: MY ESSAY
Subject Line: Brainstorming College Essay
6. Share with: Counselors and Teachers
7. Click "Upload File/Attach File"
8. Click "Add Journal Entry"

15. What's Next?
Draft your essay over the summer
We will work on the essay in Sept/Oct
College Essay Writing Workshops- Fridays
Other supports (Ms. Block, Mr. Pahomov)