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The best
essays tell a story about the applicant. The essay does
not have to be the story of your whole life, but rather
a glimpse of it--one that is rich with meaning, alive
with imagery, and clear in purpose. It often helps to
think about the impact that past events have had on you.
A good strategy is to select one significant event upon
which you can expound at length, using vivid details and
thoughtful commentary.
You should
begin with an engaging introduction, drawing your reader
into the story. A creative way to do this is to drop the
reader into the middle of the action and then fill in
the before-and-after facts: Consider director Quentin
Tarantino's movie "Pulp Fiction" as an example of how to
engage your audience by telling your story out of
sequence. Then present the rest of your anecdote,
followed by insightful analysis of the experience--why
it was important, what you learned, and how it will help
you in the future. Stay away from creating an
introduction that includes cliched ideas or
generalizations and then inserting your anecdote. By the
time the admissions officers get to your experience,
they may already be soured by your generic assertions.
Sample
Essays And Comments
1.
Well Done Story Essay
2.
Poorly Done Story Essay
Use
Detail
"Write
about the specific rather than the general, the concrete
rather than the abstract."
-- Admissions Officer, Stanford University
How will
your essay stand out, even if you think you are writing
about a topic common to most applicants? Details,
details, and more details. The reader needs to know what
makes your story unique. To differentiate yourself from
other applicants and help your essay stick in the minds
of admissions officers, you need to incorporate, for
example, names of people and places, times and dates,
colors and textures of objects, and degrees of
feelings.
Too often,
an essay with an interesting story will fizzle into a
series of statements that tell rather than show the
qualities of the writer. As a result, the essay succumbs
to the usual cliches: "the value of hard work and
perseverance," "learning from mistakes," and so on. The
following example will help you understand the
difference:
Before: I developed a new compassion for the
disabled.
After: The next time that Mrs. Cooper asked
me to help her across the street, I smiled and
immediately took her arm.
The first
sentence is vague and could have been written by
anybody. The second sentence, however, evokes a vivid
image of something that actually happened, placing the
reader in the experience.
Admissions
officers will appreciate good use of detail. They will
be able to assess that you are a mature candidate
capable of getting others to understand the uniqueness,
significance, and value of your experiences.
Sample
Essays And Comments
1.
Well Done Detail Essay
2.
Poorly Done Detail Essay |
