{"id":33019,"date":"2019-05-23T10:38:32","date_gmt":"2019-05-23T14:38:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/?p=33019"},"modified":"2023-10-18T19:56:37","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T23:56:37","slug":"what-are-colleges-looking-for-in-application-essays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/what-are-colleges-looking-for-in-application-essays\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Colleges Looking for in Application Essays?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After four years of classes and multiple Saturdays spent taking the SAT<\/a> or ACT<\/a>, the college application essay may seem like a big drag. But don\u2019t give up now. Essays are a very important factor in the college admissions process, as they are your opportunity to set yourself apart from the crowd and show college admissions committees what you are truly passionate about.
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Grades, strength of curriculum, and admissions test scores still take the cake as the most important factors in college admissions<\/a>, but application essays are not to be dismissed or downplayed.
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If you\u2019re a middle-of-the-road applicant, your college essay can make or break you.
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But we at The University Network (TUN) understand how stressful and difficult it can be to put together a powerful, unique essay. So, to help you out, we spoke with an admissions expert and conducted extensive research. <\/p>\n\n\n

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”Q4hCZ4wn” upload-date=”2021-06-18T11:15:46.000Z” name=”What Are Colleges Looking For In Application Essays?” description=”Here’s how to write an essay that will land you in your dream school!” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is what we gathered: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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#1 — There are 4 different types of essays <\/strong>
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Throughout the application process, you will likely come across many different essay questions. But, typically, they can be boiled down into four categories: the \u201cwho are you?<\/em><\/strong>\u201d essay, the \u201cpersonal growth<\/em><\/strong>\u201d essay, <\/strong>the \u201cwhat inspires you?<\/em><\/strong>\u201d essay, and the \u201cwhy this school?<\/em><\/strong>\u201d essay.
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1. The \u201cwho are you?<\/em>\u201d essay<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With good reason, the \u201cwho are you?<\/em>\u201d essay is one of the most common. Grades and test scores can only tell so much about an applicant. The \u201cwho are you?<\/em>\u201d essay gives admissions officers the opportunity to learn something unique and personal about the students applying. Generally, these types of essays encourage students to spotlight their academic or personal interests.  
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Here are some past example essay questions from the Common App<\/a> and Brown University<\/a>:
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The Common App essay prompt <\/strong>
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Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Brown University essay prompt<\/strong>
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Tell us about the place, or places, you call home. These can be physical places where you have lived, or a community or group that is important to you.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What you should consider when writing \u201c<\/strong>who are you?<\/em><\/strong>\u201d essays <\/strong>
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It\u2019s important to remember that you shouldn\u2019t explain your life story in these types of essays, for that could cause you to ramble and fail to ever get to the meat of your essay. It is better to take a deep dive into one specific event, idea or thing and explain how that has shaped or influenced you.
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2. The \u201cpersonal growth<\/em>\u201d essay<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Colleges and universities use the \u201cpersonal growth<\/em>\u201d essay to gauge how resilient and driven applicants are. Generally, by way of these questions, applicants will have to recall a time where they overcame adversity or faced a fear. College isn\u2019t easy, and schools want to guarantee that the students they admit have the mental strength to graduate.
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Here are some past example essay questions from the Common App<\/a> and Stony Brook University<\/a>:
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The Common App essay prompt <\/strong>
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The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Stony Brook University essay prompt <\/strong>
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Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What you should consider when writing \u201c<\/strong>personal growth<\/em><\/strong>\u201d essays<\/strong>
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Students who choose to write a \u201cpersonal growth<\/em>\u201d essay should remember to be honest and modest. Don\u2019t spend your entire essay giving background information or boasting. The meat of your \u201cpersonal growth<\/em>\u201d should come from explaining what effect a specific event or challenge had on you.
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3. The \u201cwhat inspires you?<\/em>\u201d essay<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cwhat inspires you?<\/em>\u201d essay is a college admission department\u2019s attempt at seeing the intellectual and creative aspirations of applicants. Generally, these questions are best fit for students who already have an idea of what they want to study in college and pursue after graduation.
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Here are some past example essay questions from the Common App<\/a> and Yale University<\/a>:
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The Common App essay prompt<\/strong>
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Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Yale University essay prompt <\/strong>
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What inspires you?<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What you should consider when writing \u201c<\/strong>what inspires you?<\/em><\/strong>\u201d essays <\/strong>
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When answering \u201cwhat inspires you?<\/em>\u201d it is easy to get sidetracked and bounce around to moments throughout your life. But, again, the best essays are stories about one specific event, person, place, or thing that had a deep, lasting impact on your life.
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4. The \u201cwhy this school?\u201d essay<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many colleges and universities want to know why each applicant wants to attend their school. Each school has a unique culture and focus, so they want to make sure applicants will fit in and excel once admitted. Additionally, many prestigious schools want to guarantee that they only admit students who are deeply committed and eager to attend.  
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Here are some past example essay questions from Columbia University<\/a> and Yale University<\/a>:
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Columbia University essay prompt <\/strong>
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Please tell us what you value most about Columbia and why.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Yale University essay prompt <\/strong>
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What is it about Yale that has led you to apply?<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What to consider when writing \u201c<\/strong>why this school?<\/em><\/strong>\u201d essays <\/strong>
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When writing \u201cwhy this school?<\/em>\u201d essays, it\u2019s important to be sincere. Don\u2019t just ramble on about how great a school is. Instead, tell an honest story about what motivated you to apply. And if you are just applying for the sake of applying, maybe think again. College is expensive, and can be difficult. Don\u2019t waste four years of your life at a school you aren\u2019t passionate about attending.
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#2 — Past essays can shed some light on what works<\/strong>
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Sometimes the best way for applicants to gauge what makes a good college application essay is to take a look at what worked in the past.
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Students don\u2019t always have to follow a set path, but the essays below, which were written by students in the past, can give today\u2019s applicants a good idea of what a successful essay looks like.
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Johns Hopkins essay examples<\/strong>
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