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Introduction
Choosing
an essay topic can be one of the most difficult aspects of the
entire admissions process. Questions often ask you to think about
your entire life, pick just one thing, and talk about it in great
depth. Even the most reflective writers are left wondering: “How
am I supposed to know the ONE event that has changed my life
or the one thing that represents my entire personality.”
In all likelihood there isn’t just one. But there probably
is one that you can write about most passionately and effectively.
The most important part of your entire essay is finding this
one subject. Without a topic you feel passionate about, without
one that brings out the defining aspects of you personality,
you risk falling into the trap of sounding like the 90 percent
of applicants who will write boring admissions essays. Coming
up with this idea is difficult and will require a great deal
of time. But whatever you do, don't let this part stress you
out. Have fun!
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One Essay, Multiple Applications
By now,
you have figured out that you can save time by submitting the
same or similar essays for the applications to various schools.
If you are creative, you will be able to plug in many of your
answers into some not so similar questions, too. It is fine to
lift whole paragraphs or even entire essays and apply them to
different questions-as long as you do so seamlessly. Be absolutely
sure that you have answered the question asked. Pay special attention
to the introductions and conclusions-this is where cutting and
pasting is most evident. Thorough proofreading is imperative
if you take shortcuts like these. If a school notices that you
have obviously swapped essays without even bothering to tailor
them to the questions at hand, it shows them that you are lazy
and insincere. If the question requires an answer specific to
the school, you should show that you have read the college’s
web page, admissions catalog, and have an understanding of the
institution's strengths.
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From
ESSAYS THAT WILL GET YOU INTO COLLEGE, by Amy Burnham, Daniel
Kaufman, and Chris Dowhan.
Copyright 1998 by Dan Kaufman. Reprinted by arrangement
with Barron's Educational Series, Inc.
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2. Tackling the Question
