Flickr user Jacqueline Torres Lopez
One of the more stressful aspects of your college application can be the application essay. Sometimes schools give you clear directions while others allow you to explore a bit more with a generic or general question. Whichever one you’re given, there are ways to make unique college application essays.
Get Creative
Writing an essay for your application doesn’t mean you have to stick to the format of five paragraphs from high school. You’re free to structure it however you like. Some prompts may keep you to a certain word limit, but you can organize the paragraphs however you like. Just make sure it follows a concise path and tone. You don’t want it jumping all over the place.
A “unique” and creative example could actually be how I approached my college essay. The prompt for one particular school was just asking for us to tell them about ourselves. It was a college within a “hippie” city, so being a huge Beatles fan, I loosely told my life story using Beatles song titles. I ended it with a different spin on Lennon’s quote, “I hope I passed the audition.” You don’t want to use this specific example, but it gives you an idea of how far you can stray off the normal path.
Think outside the box and don’t be afraid to do something unusual. Displaying your creative side can help show the college that you can look at a prompt in a different way, approaching the prompt in something other than the standard 5 paragraph format.
Don’t Be Afraid To Be Controversial
While you don’t want to bring up religion or politics at the Thanksgiving table, it doesn’t mean you can’t bring it up in your college essay, especially if it pertains to something that is important to you. Prompts may also lead you to this path if they ask you about what you would change in society, what you think could improve your community, what could solve problems on campus, or similar questions.
However, if you do bring up religion or politics, be mindful. You don’t want to go on a rant or come off as hateful. These are sensitive subjects and approach them with care. Argue your points in a balanced way and back up your points with evidence. Don’t make any offensive remarks.
Show Passion
Nothing can shine through a paper-like passion. Whatever topic you write about, whether it be personal, about your degree, or how you can make the world a better place somehow, show your passion for the topic.
Back up your interests with experiences and show your identity in the essay. Don’t be a robot and make it dull, similar to thousands of other essays the college will receive. The admissions department has a lot of essays to read through. Make yours one they remember due to its passion for whatever the topic.
No matter what prompt you receive from a college, you can still write unique college application essays. Consider the topic carefully. Don’t just write down whatever comes to you first. Think about what would make it an interesting read while showing your personality and your passion. However, do remember to stick to the guidelines of the prompt. Failing to do so could hurt your admission chances.
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