The College Application Essay

The Purpose: To introduce yourself to the admissions board as someone who possesses the qualities of a successful college student. You want to be perceived as engaged in your chosen major, thoughtful and reflective, articulate and insightful. The essay should demonstrate not just your writing ability but also a unique approach that separates you from the masses of essays the college board will be receiving.

The Approach: The last thing you wish to do is begin your essay like the thousands of other essays will probably begin…"I am a senior at …..high school."

Further, the keenest, most effective way to reveal your own ethos and insight is to write, not about yourself, but about an issue of great interest to you. That issue ought to be intricately related to the field you plan to study. For example, if you wish to enter the field of education, you might write about accountability or performance standards for teachers. If you are planning to become a doctor, you might write about the ethics of genetic research. If you are planning to become an architect, you might focus your essay on the responsibility to design buildings in harmony with a neighborhood.

The Assignment: Consider an issue related to a field of study that interests you. Form a thesis about that issue. A thesis is a statement that you believe to be true and that you intend to support in your essay. The thesis should advocate a course of action or a particular point of view. The thesis may or may not call for a change, but it should affirm or reinforce a particular position on the subject. Then carefully compose the reasons why that position should be supported or followed. Each reason ought to be further supported with definitions if needed, cause and effect statements, compare/contrast statements, or examples. The conclusion will connect the essay's focus with the chosen major and your desire to attend that college.

The Form: Brief and succinct prose is of the essence. Your essay should not be longer than 250 words, and it should crackle with interest and passion*. The introduction should be terse and to the point, and the body should be full of significant detail or pertinent examples The conclusion should be clear and direct*.

Please type the paper, double-spaced, one inch margins all around. Do not give the essay a title. No cover page is necessary. Put your name, date, and class on the top right hand corner, skip three lines and begin the paper.

Rubric for College Application Essay

Content:

_____You have taken a clear position on an issue related to your field. Your thesis is sound and definite.

_____Your opening paragraph does not mention you or use the word I.

_____The body of your paper is fully developed. You have reasons clearly stated that soundly support your thesis. Each reason is fully developed with either definitions if needed, cause and effect statements, compare/contrast statements, or relevant examples that demonstrate the logic of the reason.

_____Your conclusion links your area of interest with your chosen field. The conclusion also states, briefly and without gushing, your desire to attend the college.

Grammar and Mechanics:

_____Spelling is superior; why wouldn't it be?

_____Punctuation is nearly perfect. _____Prepositions are used well.

_____Sentence structure is good. No fragments, no run-ons, no convoluted clauses that barely connect with each other.

_____Verbs are in the proper form and tense.

_____Modifiers are accurate and well-placed near the word they are to modify.

_____Pronouns agree with antecedents, and antecedents are clear.

_____Diction is strong, with the best word used each time for maximum

connotation. Nor are words used inaccurately.

Based on a holistic assessment of this essay, your score is ____________________