In my first career after college and graduate school, I was a high school teacher in Southern California for about eight years. That seems like a lifetime ago, mostly because it was, but it is an experience that has impacted my current work as a psychotherapist most profoundly.
A few years ago, people who knew I had experience in education and who appreciated some of my blogs, asked if I would meet with their children to help them write their private high school or college applications. I thoroughly enjoy talking with students about their interests, their educational goals and their excitement about continuing education. I also enjoy helping students have a competitive chance to get into the school that fits them. This continues to be a service that I offer through Moriah Ventures but I want to share some ideas to keep in mind if you are currently in this process.
Risk being vulnerable.
By the time your application gets to the “read the essay” stage, you have already made that particular school’s cut for SAT or ACT score and grade point average. They know that you have the ability to learn in the classroom at the level they require. The essay is an opportunity to let the institution know that you have learned something important from life, outside of the walls of academia.
What has happened in your life that has been a challenge or has rocked your boat in a way that changed you forever? Don’t be afraid to share a time that you overcame adversity or experienced something painful. It shows a depth that not every kid has at 17 or 18. While there is a temptation to share victories, make sure you are focusing on something different than the resume already attached to the application or at least highlighting the event in a more descriptive way.
Show the JOURNEY in process.
If your essay highlights an event in your life, make sure that the reader knows that the experience did not end there. Show that the learning is ongoing and will continue to impact your performance at the next level. If your experience made you, for example, more compassionate, how does that affect what you are hoping to study or what organizations you plan to join?
Be unique.
The folks reading the applications are reading essays from people who are all the same age and stage. Ask yourself if the experience you are sharing will make you seem like everyone else in the application process, or will it highlight the special something you are going to bring with you to their institution. If you feel like you might be using an experience common to many, find a way to show how the impact was different for you than most others, or how you interacted a little differently with the event because of your cultural or personal uniqueness.
Proof, proof and proof again.
The process of getting all the words down on paper can be exhausting but you want to make sure that the message you are trying to get across is clear, to a person who has never met you face to face.
Try reading your essay out loud. People have a tendency to visually correct mistakes without even realizing it. You will be surprised at how many mistakes you can hear, but you missed when you read the essay 100 times.
Have other people read your paper and tell you the points that resonated with them. If they are not getting the message you had hoped, ask them for their advice on how to better communicate your ideas.
Don’t send an essay with grammatical errors. While your friends may love what you had to say, they may not always have the ability to proof well. Ask your favorite teacher or a friend who always gets good grades in English, to give your paper a combing through.
As always, let me know if I can help.
Sonia
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