Tag Archives: college essay

Do I need to share past trauma in my college essays?

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As the college application process becomes more competitive every year, students are looking for ways to make their applications stand out from the rest. One way to do this is by writing a compelling personal statement that showcases their personality, strengths, and achievements. However, there is a common misconception that to write a successful personal statement, a student must have experienced personal trauma or hardship. This is simply not true.

 

While it’s true that some students may have experienced personal trauma that has shaped them into the person they are today, this is not a requirement for writing a strong personal statement. In fact, many successful personal statements are about everyday experiences, hobbies, or passions that have shaped a student’s character and influenced their goals and aspirations.

 

It’s important for students to understand that personal story that highlights the hardships that they may have faced does not define them or their ability to succeed in college. Admissions officers are looking for students who can contribute to their campus community, and who have the potential to succeed academically and personally. A personal statement is an opportunity for a student to showcase their unique qualities and strengths, regardless of their life experiences. The whole idea is to share a facet of the student’s life that can really paint a compelling portrait of the personality and character.

 

So, what should a student write about in their personal statement if they haven’t experienced personal trauma? Here are our insights and ideas:

 

Share your personal journey:

Begin your personal statement by sharing your personal journey, including your background, experiences, challenges, and achievements. Highlight how these experiences have shaped you into the person you are today and how they have influenced your desire to attend college.

 

Highlight your unique qualities:

Share your unique qualities, skills, and talents that make you stand out from other applicants. This could include your leadership skills, creativity, problem-solving abilities, or any other characteristics that demonstrate your potential to contribute to the college community.

 

Discuss your community involvement:

Share your involvement in your community, such as volunteer work, community service projects, or leadership roles in clubs or organizations. Explain how these experiences have helped you develop a sense of civic responsibility and a commitment to making a positive impact in your community.

 

Share your future goals:

Discuss your short-term and long-term goals and how attending college will help you achieve them. Highlight your aspirations and what you hope to accomplish during your college years and beyond.

 

Address challenges and adversity:

If you have faced challenges or adversity in your life, discuss how you have overcome them and the lessons you have learned. Share how these experiences have shaped your character and resilience, and how they have prepared you for the rigors of college life.

 

Discuss your cultural or diverse background:

If you come from a diverse cultural or ethnic background, share how it has influenced your perspectives, values, and identity. Discuss how your cultural background has shaped your worldview and how it has prepared you to thrive in a diverse college environment.

 

Reflect on your interests and hobbies:

How do you choose to spend your free time? Share your passions and hobbies and how they have influenced your personal growth and development. Discuss how these interests have shaped your character, skills, and goals, and how they will contribute to your college experience.

 

 

In summary, a student does not need to have personal trauma to write a compelling personal statement for college applications. Admissions officers are looking for unique qualities and strengths that a student can bring to their campus community. Best of Luck and happy writing!

College Supplemental Essays: Making a Strong Impression

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College supplemental essays can make or break an applicant’s chance of being accepted to their dream school. These essays are a vital part of the college application process and provide students with an opportunity to showcase their personalities, interests, and goals. While the Common Application essay is a standard requirement for most colleges, supplemental essays are specific to each college and allow admissions officers to gain a deeper understanding of an applicant’s fit with their institution.

 

Types of Supplemental Essays

Supplemental essays come in many different forms and are tailored to each college’s unique admissions process. Some essays may ask students to describe their academic interests and goals, while others may focus on extracurricular activities, community involvement, or personal experiences. Certain colleges may have creative or open-ended prompts, while others may require responses to specific questions.

 

Regardless of the prompt, supplemental essays provide a valuable opportunity for students to demonstrate their writing skills and express themselves in a way that the standard application essay may not allow. By showcasing their unique qualities and experiences, students can differentiate themselves from other applicants and show why they are a good fit for the college.

 

Struggle with “WHY” Essays? Check out our ultimate insights on “why college” and “why major” essay.

 

Tips for Writing Supplemental Essays

Writing strong supplemental essays requires careful planning and attention to detail. Here are some tips to help students create compelling essays:

 

1. Research the College:

It’s important to have a deep understanding of the college’s values, culture, and academic offerings. This will help students tailor their essays to show why they are a good fit for the school and what they can contribute to the campus community.

 

2. Be Authentic:

Admissions officers are looking for genuine and honest essays that showcase the student’s personality and passions. Students should be true to themselves and avoid writing what they think the admissions committee wants to hear.

 

3. Follow Guidelines:

Each college has specific guidelines and word limits for supplemental essays. It’s important to carefully read and follow these guidelines to ensure that the essay meets the requirements and doesn’t get disqualified.

 

4. Proofread:

Supplemental essays should be well-written and free of errors. Students should proofread their essays carefully and have someone else review them before submitting.

 

5. Use Examples:

Including specific examples in the essay can make it more compelling and memorable. Students should think about personal experiences that demonstrate their qualities and why they are a good fit for the college.

 

Read more: Overcoming Writers Block

 

In conclusion, supplemental essays are an important part of the college application process and provide students with an opportunity to showcase their unique qualities and fit with the college. Remember, admissions officers are looking for genuine, well-written essays that demonstrate a student’s fit with the college and their potential to contribute to the campus community.

 

 

Written by Priya Singh

This article is written by Insight College Admissions Counselor Priya Singh.

Priya Singh is a College Admissions Counselor and also an avid yogi. She often uses yoga and meditation to help students with learning and stress management during the college admissions process. Since 2014, she has helped many high school students, including students with learning disabilities, to reach their best-fit schools. Read her full bio here.

College Essays: How to Slay Your First Draft?

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Things I hear during application season:

“I read a bunch of college essays on ____ site to help me understand what I should be writing.”

“My friend/parent/older sibling told me I should do _____ – is that OK?

And on it goes.

Write College Essays DraftWhy is writing for college applications so very difficult? Why does it stir up so much doubt? Because of fear. Fear of looking silly. Fear of writing the wrong thing. Fear of being REJECTED.

When it comes to college essays, you often feel that the stakes could not be higher.

What should you do? Reframe the task. College admissions officers want to hear what you have to say. They are not out to play “gotcha” – they actually want to get to know you. That’s what your college essays are all about. How can you help them to see the real you? Let’s dive into that first draft!

 

 

How important is your college essay? Check out our post on Why The College Essay Matters

 

brainstorming and plan your college essay contentInsight #1: Channel Your Creativity!

Great writing starts with great…pre-writing. Yes, brainstorming! A simple pen with paper will do. So will sticky notes, or, if you like being able to move, erase, etc. your ideas, I highly recommend using a mind-mapping software (Coggle and Miro are examples). Check your environment – is being at home too distracting? Hit the library or literally take a hike (and bring your notebook with you).

 

 

 

 

Insight #2: Let Your Inner Editor Wait Its Turn

 

let your thoughts flow when you write your college essay draftsIf you are worried about your writing, while you are writing it, this means your editor and writer selves are battling for control. Who is the captain? The editor or the writer? If the answer is “both” that means the boat goes nowhere (“boat” in this metaphor being your draft). When you notice your inner editor interfering, questioning, or otherwise stopping the writing process, try thanking it for showing up and asking it to wait a while until it is time to work. When will that be? AFTER the first draft.

 

Writer’s block? Read more about Overcoming Writers Block

Insight #3: You are Feeling the Pain of Learning How to Write About…You

Quick, grab any adult you know and show them some of these college essay questions. Would they love to answer these? Of course not. They are difficult! So part of this process is learning that the discomfort of learning how to write about yourself doesn’t mean you are “good” or “bad” at it – it just means you are learning.

 

Insight #4: Everyone Can Do A GREAT Job

No matter how you feel about your writing skills, it is highly unlikely that you have written anything like this before. Do you think that my students who have written novels and scripts, or have worked on their school newspapers sailed through the applications process without a care in the world? Nope! If you write well, your fears may be even more pronounced than someone who feels less confident about their writing. Why? Because you know that you can always do a better job.

What if you struggle in English classes? That is also OK. I have worked with students who aren’t native English speakers, and they are still able to express themselves well in their college applications. How??? The fact that the process of writing your college essays is difficult. Keep in mind that your first draft does not predict the later quality of your work. At Insight, we work with students through one draft after the next, and every iteration pushes their college essays toward greatness. Don’t feel discouraged if your first few drafts aren’t perfect. Keep putting one foot in front of the other and making consistent progress – that is what matters!

 

Insight #5: You Are The Expert of Your Life

Lastly, something to remember is that you have had 11 years of people telling you to listen and follow their lead. It can be shocking to realize that colleges want to hear from you. It is a completely different dynamic. My goodness – now someone wants to hear what I have to say? It takes some acclimatization. However strange it may sound, you are actually an expert – on your own life. You are 100% qualified to discuss it.

 

Want more college essay tips? Check out 5 Tips for Your College Essays

 

I hope these college essay insights help you as you move through your drafts this summer/fall. Happy Writing!

 

Need help with your college essays? We are here for you! Schedule a 1-hour personalized college planning session with an Insight Counselor today to learn how we can help you write your college essays!

 

Written by Meilin Obinata

This article is written by Insight Senior College Admissions Counselor Meilin Obinata.

Meilin Obinata is a Senior College Counselor who enjoys learning from her students. She believes education is a creative endeavor and creates a space that allows students to explore new ideas. As a Bay Area native who grew up in Santa Cruz, she is familiar with the local schools. Read her full bio here.

What are College Admissions Officers Looking for?

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insight into college admissions interview

An Interview with Santa Clara University’s Claire Kreeft, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions

I conducted an interview via email with Ms. Claire Kreeft, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admission at Santa Clara University (SCU).  Ms. Kreeft provides invaluable insights into the admissions process at SCU.

 

Please note that this interview was conducted shortly before SCU announced that it will be going test-optional for the next two years (meaning SAT or ACT scores will not be required to apply to SCU for the next two years), so please keep that in mind when you are digesting Ms. Kreeft’s responses.

 

Insight counselor Jason:  What are the most important factors in a student’s application?  Why?

 

Ms. Kreeft:  At Santa Clara University we have a holistic application review process. What we mean by that is that we consider all parts of the application to paint a larger picture for each student. We do not have a minimum GPA or test scores (although those are still important factors in the application), so we balance those hard data points with the student’s story they share with us through the personal statement, involvement, and supplemental questions.

The different parts of the application are indicators of different things and are thus all-important. GPA, test scores, and transcript help us determine if the student is academically ready for SCU. The personal statement, extracurriculars, and service work help us determine if a student would be a good fit for our campus and if we can support what that student wants to do.

That being said, if a student is well below the average in both GPA and test scores, it is tough to make a case for a positive admission decision. 

 

Jason: What sets accepted applicants apart from the rest of the pack?

 

Ms. Kreeft:  A student that can articulate what they want to do, how they have practiced this so far, and why they want to continue it on my campus stands out. What makes an applicant memorable is when they can show us how they have maximized their opportunities so far and how they plan to take advantage of what we offer at SCU, it is not one magic factor like the right number of APs. At one high school taking 10 APs before you graduate may be rare, whereas at another high school it may be the norm.

What we want to see is how a student pursues their interests and passions.

If you want to be an engineer, what projects or clubs have you invested yourself in to further explore this? If you want to partake in undergraduate research, have you looked into what ongoing projects we have and if professors on our campus are engaged in your topics of interest? 

 

Jason:  What is the best advice you could give to prospective applicants?

 

Ms. Kreeft:  The best advice I can give to prospective applicants is to think about your non-negotiables.

What will you need on a college campus to feel comfortable and successful? Size and location are two of the most impactful features of a college campus that the individual student cannot change, so think carefully about the type of environment you want when crafting your list of schools to apply to.

When you have that list, be sure to communicate to those colleges why they are on your list. Don’t just regurgitate the school’s mission statement, be intentional and specific. I can tell pretty quickly when reading a student’s application if they are truly considering SCU or if we were just another college to apply to. 

 

college application advice from undergrad admissions office

 

Jason:  Other than grades and standardized test scores, what is the most important part of the application?  Why?

 

Ms. Kreeft:  In holistic admissions, this is a difficult question to answer (and one that doesn’t really have one answer), because the whole point is that the elements of the application complement each other to give depth to a student.

One factor that is often overlooked, but is very important, is rigor (or strength of schedule). When we see your high school transcript we see what your choices were for classes. Especially in a college landscape with increasing test-optional application routes, a student still needs to demonstrate the strength of their academic career. Rigor becomes especially important for students seeking admission to our more specialized programs in Business and Engineering.

Just taking a standard college prep course load will not be enough. Also, a student is more than just the things they study and the tests they took. Use the story part of your application (essay, involvement, supplements) to give life to your file. 

 

 Jason:  How much does an applicant’s choice of major factor into whether they are accepted or not?  Are there certain majors that affect admissions decisions more than others, and if so, which majors?

 

Ms. Kreeft:  At Santa Clara University, it is actually the choice of school that matters more than the choice of major when it comes to selectivity. When you apply to SCU, you will choose to apply to the College of Arts and Sciences (about 55% of the undergraduate population), the Leavey School of Business (about 30% of the undergraduate population), or the School of Engineering (about 15% of the undergraduate population).

While it is the same application process for each of the three schools, the way we read the applications is a bit different. With our more specialized (and smaller) programs of Business and Engineering, we take a closer look at a student’s academic history in certain areas.

For Business that would be in math, specifically looking for calculus. For Engineering that would be math and science, specifically looking for calculus and physics. The one major that has the greatest impact on an application, and is our most selective, is Computer Science in the School of Engineering. Students admitted to this major tend to have our highest average GPAs/test scores as well as having demonstrated a prior interest in and commitment to this field.

 

 Jason:  What advice can you offer regarding application essays?

 

Ms. Kreeft:  The biggest piece of advice I offer students regarding application essays is to centralize your experiences in your own voice.

No matter what the prompt says, an admission office is trying to learn more about who you are and how you will be in their community.

I have read some beautiful essays about how influential a student’s grandmother has been in their life, and then by the end of the essay I want to admit the grandmother and I have learned very little about the student. My first big tip is this: after you write your essay, highlight every sentence that has to do with you (the student) making a decision, reacting to experience, learning a lesson, etc. If this isn’t at least 50% of your essay you need to rewrite it.

My second tip is this: have a few people close to you read over and give you feedback on your essay.

Sometimes we think we know how we sound, but having a fresh set of eyes review your work can make sure you communicate the message and story that you intend to. 

Another important thing to consider, use the additional information section to give more context! This is an optional section in the common application that is essentially bonus free words. There is no prompt; it is not an additional essay. It is simply space for a student to give us more context. If you have something you need to explain, like a poor grade in a class or a personal situation that has impacted your high school career, this is the place to tell us about it. Save your personal statement for the story of who you are and what you care about.

 

Written by Jason Katz

This interview article was conducted and written by Insight Counselor Jason Katz.

Jason has helped hundreds of students gain admission to their best-fit universities. In addition, he wrote more than 170 college admissions/college life columns for the Palo Alto Daily News and the San Jose Mercury News.