How to Ace Your College Essays

Overview of College Admissions Essays

Personal Statement

Supplemental Essays

You should approach both types thoughtfully and carefully, taking the opportunity to show admissions officers another side of who you are.

Personal Statement

Students will choose one of seven prompts to answer in 650 words or less.
Think of this as your opportunity to speak directly to the admissions officer reading your application.
Show something about who you are that they cannot learn elsewhere in your application.
Captivate the readers with the very first sentence.
Demonstrate intellectual vitality and diversity.

Supplements:

Supplemental essay prompts will vary depending on the colleges on your list.
Use your supplemental essays to show another side of you, your goals, and your interest.
Read your supplements alongside your personal statement to ensure you are showing as many sides of yourself as possible.
Personalize every supplemental essay for each school, rather than using a “copy and paste” approach.
Be authentic and reflect your character andpassions.

Example: Supplemental Essay

Columbia: Why are you interested in attending Columbia University?
Bad Answer: Because it’s an Ivy League school in New York City.
Good Answer: Show research, refer to specific professions and courses in the Core Curriculum and ways you will participate to be an active student body member.

Common Mistakes:

Coming off as one-dimensional.
Writing about current events like COVID-19.
Oversharing/TMI.
What you think admissions wants to read.
Writing about others instead of yourself or about yourself as a child, rather than who you are today.
Ignoring the directions or word count limit.
Lazy proofreading.

Make the most of your personal statement and supplemental essays to show who you are.

Give yourself ample time to write and revise each essay, including your supplements.

Balance your essay writing with your schoolwork and extracurricular activities.

Ask for help!

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