How to Write a College Essay: Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Writing Essays That Will Wow Recruiters

It might seem a bit unfair at times that your entire future might depend on you writing a college essay perfectly. But that's just one way of looking at it. 

You could also conclude that there are many ways to write a college essay, and if you followed some best practices, you could even write one that astonishes every college recruiter reading your application.

That's why we are here. 

We wish to help you learn how to write a college essay that will razzle-dazzle the crowd and make you a shoo-in for every dream university you apply to. 

There are lots of college essay writing tips ahead, so grab a cup of coffee or tea and start reading. 

It All Starts With the Prompt

Almost every college essay application will come with some prompts that are there to help focus your writing. This way, recruiters aren't reading diatribes from college applicants on the most random of subjects. 

That's where your college essay-writing efforts should begin. 

Take the time to analyze the questions and topics provided and identify the key elements and requirements. Pay attention to the specific instructions, word count, and any guidelines given. Understanding the prompt will ensure that your essay is focused and relevant.

Analyze the Prompt

Break down the prompt into its core components. Identify the main question or theme and any sub-questions or elements that need to be addressed.

Research and Gather Information

Conduct thorough research on the topic to gain a deep understanding. Use reliable sources such as books, scholarly articles, and reputable websites to gather information and supporting evidence.

Clarify Doubts

If you have any doubts about the prompt, seek clarification from your instructor or college counselor. It's crucial to have a clear understanding before proceeding with your essay.

Brainstorming and Topic Selection

After understanding the prompt, it's time to brainstorm ideas and select a compelling topic for your college essay. This stage allows you to explore different angles, experiences, and themes that you can incorporate into your essay.

Freewriting

Start by engaging in freewriting. Set a timer and write down any ideas, thoughts, or personal experiences related to the prompt.

Don't worry about grammar or structure at this stage. Just let your ideas flow freely.

Remember that no one is going to read this first draft of yours. It's going to be molded quite a bit until it becomes good enough for the application. So don't worry about making it perfect. 

Perfectionism can be the enemy of getting your college essay done, so stave off those feelings. Your college essay will never be perfect, but it will be perfect enough for the job it needs to do. That is, to get you into the college of your dreams.

Reflect on Your Experiences

Consider your personal experiences, achievements, challenges, and moments of growth. Reflect on events or situations that have had a significant impact on your life.

These experiences can form the basis of your essay and provide authentic insights into who you are. We will talk more about how to be authentic in your writing below, so stay tuned for that. 

Choose a Unique and Compelling Topic

Select a topic that is both personally meaningful to you and aligns with the prompt. Aim to choose a subject that allows you to showcase your strengths, values, or a transformative experience.

Pick something that sets you apart from other applicants and allows you to demonstrate your individuality.

But don't go overboard with this. Your unique experiences must be related to the college essay application somehow. Uniqueness, for the sake of it, isn't relevant. 

Essay Structure and Organization

A well-structured essay is essential for effectively conveying your ideas and engaging the reader. Establishing a clear and logical structure will make your essay more coherent and easier to follow. Here's where you will be getting into the meat and potatoes of your message.

Create an Outline

Develop an outline that outlines the main sections or paragraphs of your essay. This will serve as a roadmap for your writing process and help you stay focused.

Don't worry about sticking closely to your essay outline. It's just a roadmap, and detours are allowed.

Introduction: First Impressions Matter

As you already know, the first paragraph of a book, essay, or article is quite important. It's what entices you and keeps you reading. 

If you read a boring first sentence or paragraph, you might be inclined to ditch the book or article, jumping over to something else more interesting. People have short attention spans (shorter than a goldfish's, apparently). 

So you need to do what you can to charm the readers right away.

Remember that the recruiter is going to read hundreds, if not thousands of essays like yours. What will differentiate you from the thousands of others? 

Begin your essay with an attention-grabbing hook that captivates the reader's attention and makes them want to continue reading.

Introduce the topic of your essay and provide some background or context to set the stage for your main arguments or ideas.

Present a clear thesis statement that encapsulates the main argument or message of your essay.

Body Paragraphs

Each body paragraph should revolve around a single main idea or argument related to your thesis statement. It's easy to ramble on and on about unrelated topics, especially when you are nervous or anxious.

But if you remember to keep each paragraph related to one main idea, this should keep you focused enough. 

Always support your arguments with relevant evidence, examples, or personal anecdotes. It's easy to say that you are confident and outgoing, but it's more important to show that you are.

"Show, don't tell" is going to be an important theme throughout your college essay. Every time you are about to tell the reader what you are trying to explain, try to give a real-life example instead. Pull from a diverse range of situations, not just from your school life. 

For example, you could talk about how you are a role model for your younger siblings when trying to show your leadership skills. Or you could write about how you pick up garbage while going on your daily run to show your patriotism or compassionate nature. You get the idea!

Finally, don't just share stories, but analyze the significance of the evidence you present and reflect on its implications. Demonstrate your critical thinking skills and show how your experiences and insights relate to the broader context.

In the example above, show how your leadership skills with your siblings will translate to the real world. If you can guide little rambunctious children, surely you can guide a team towards success in a group project.

Conclusion

When you read an article, you probably only remember the most recent thing. This is called the recency effect in psychology, and it's an important phenomenon to use in your favor. 

College recruiters will be reading hundreds of essays in their recruiting efforts. So you will want to leave them with a favorable impression. You want them to remember you out of the hundreds or even thousands of others. 

The conclusion comes into play in this regard. Make sure to end your essay with a memorable closing statement or thought-provoking question that leaves the reader with a sense of resonance.

This way they will be thinking about this question or idea long after they have left your essay behind. 

You will want to spend extra time writing your introduction and conclusion since these are two places to draw the reader in and keep them reading. This doesn't mean that you can ignore the body of the essay. However, the intro and conclusion are definitely essential to focus upon.  

How to Embrace Vulnerability and Authenticity

This is going to be an essential college essay-writing tip so perk up. Get another cup of mocha if you are flagging because you don't want to miss any of this. 

The main idea behind college essays is that you want to touch the heart of the reader. College recruiters read hundreds or thousands of essays, so they might get a bit cynical after a while. 

How are you going to cut across that hard shell of theirs? By staying authentic. 

It's easy to add lots of garbled nonsense to an essay that sounds just like everyone else's essay. Things like, "I want to become a medical doctor because I want to help people." Or, "I knew I wanted to become a lawyer the minute I saw an advertisement on the back of a bus."

These are extreme examples, but you get the idea. 

You want to share stories that are true to you. And don't worry if you think your story isn't interesting or that you've lived a pretty boring life until now. Everyone always thinks that about themselves. 

It's your responsibility to stay authentic and honest. Vulnerable and open, you only want to share what resonates with you. 

If you don't like cats, then you don't like cats. And that's that. No matter if you know that the recruiter loves cats or the university is all about cats. 

Be Honest and Genuine

Share your story sincerely and truthfully. Don't shy away from expressing your true emotions or revealing your vulnerabilities. Admissions officers appreciate authenticity and genuine self-reflection.

Write From the Heart

Allow your emotions to guide your writing. Don't hold back or censor yourself.

Be open about your fears, struggles, or insecurities. This vulnerability will create a deeper connection with the reader.

Set the Scene

Paint a vivid picture of the setting, the characters involved, and the emotions at play. Use sensory details and descriptive language to create a rich and immersive experience for the reader.

Avoid Clichés and Generalizations

Stay away from overused phrases or clichés that can dilute the impact of your story. Instead, focus on specific details and personal anecdotes that make your essay unique and relatable.

Use Your Own Voice

Write in a manner that reflects your personality and voice. Avoid trying to imitate someone else's style or using overly formal language. Let your authenticity shine through your words.

Create Tension and Build Anticipation

Structure your storytelling to create suspense and build emotional intensity. Use pacing and carefully timed reveals to keep the reader engaged and invested in your story.

If You Can Say It One Word, Don't Use Three

Another big thing you will want to consider when writing a college essay is succinctness. The urge is to put everything and the kitchen sink onto paper because you don't know what idea or paragraph will touch the recruiter and get you into the college of your dreams. 

But that's the wrong way to go about it. 

It's always important to edit, edit, and edit your essay a dozen times over. You want to remove everything superfluous so what remains is what matters. 

You should also get your essay proofread by people you trust and whose opinions you care about. They will be able to see your essay more objectively than you can. 

Once you receive feedback from all your beta readers, then edit your essay even further. 

Remember what Dr. Seuss said, "So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads."

You don't want reading your essay to be a chore for the recruiter. You want to make it as easy for them as possible. This means editing.

Read Your Essay Out Loud

Don't be mistaken, no one enjoys editing. It's a tiresome act, but it is a crucial one. 

Once you edit your first draft, you will be surprised at how much better it reads and sounds. 

If you are especially not looking forward to the act of editing, then consider this tip. Read the essay out loud and record it into a voice note or recorder at the same time. 

When you read your essay out loud, you are going to easily catch spots that sound funky or don't flow well. Also, you can listen back to your voice recording and catch even more errors that way. 

It might add an additional step to your editing process, but it makes the whole act of editing your essay so much more accessible. 

Some Other College Essay Writing Tips

There's a lot more to say about writing college essays. If you wish to take a bit of a break and come back to it, do so.

It can become overwhelming to use all this feedback. But remember, you don't have to incorporate it all in one go. Bit by bit, you will have the perfect college essay (or close enough to it). 

Some other things to keep in mind:

Experiment With the Unexpected

Due to the anxiety of wanting to get into a good college or university, you might think experimentation is out of the question. You want to stay on a straight and narrow path so you don't end up discrediting yourself. 

But that would be a mistake. If you have a brilliant out-of-the-way idea, don't squash it. Use it!

Who knows, it might turn out to be that big idea that turns recruiters in your favor. It's worth the effort. Don't become too serious about this situation either. 

Don't Focus Exclusively on the Past

It's easy to believe that everything good that happened to you happened in the past. But what are you working on right now? What brilliant projects or ideas are you building at this moment in time? 

Perhaps you have started knitting a sweater a week for displaced refugees. Or maybe you are going to visit Thailand to take a meditation course from a Buddhist monk you follow. 

Add these experiences in as well. They are relevant, even if they are happening in the present or the future.

Avoid Using the Thesaurus Too Much

Flowery words be thy nemesis. There's no problem if you look at the thesaurus once or twice to find words you are missing. 

But in general, try to write in your own words. This doesn't mean slang or urban dictionary. 

It means that you will want to use simple language that is easy to read and comprehend. You don't want the recruiter going to the dictionary every time they read a new word in your essay. 

Be Your Brilliant Unique Self

You are unique and brilliant. Believe it!

There is no need to compare yourself to others around you. There's no way they are better or worse than you. Everyone has their own way to glimmer. 

And that's what you want to focus on. What is your shininess all about? Share that with the college recruiter in your essay. 

Don't Discredit the Stuff That Matters to You

If you love esoteric Japanese anime characters, flaunt that. Have a collection of photographs of all the astronauts that visited space; work it!

It's all about you. Don't put down or insult your interests in the essay.

You are uniquely you, and you have varied interests. So what? 

If the recruiter doesn't see your beauty and authenticity, then that's their loss. But in most cases, they will see it and appreciate it. 

Being Funny Is Difficult - Don't Try Too Hard

A priest, a rabbit, and a fox went into a bar... Ahem.

There's no need to start creating jokes or trying to be funny when writing your college essay. 

Unless you are actually funny and find it easy, then go for it. But most people aren't going to be good at writing comedic college essays. So why bother? 

Your goal or responsibility isn't to make the college recruiter laugh (out loud). It's to make them connect to you and your deeper self. And to make them realize that you are a great fit for the university and that they want you there.

Funniness will not get you there. Authenticity will.  

You are a real human being with real experiences. So share those on paper. This is what will make your application successful. 

Stay Away From Pessimism

Not everything is rainbows and roses; we get that. The college recruiter gets that as well.

But there's no need to write a Dostoyevsky-esque essay where everything goes to hell in a handbasket and optimism is far, far away.

Not only do you not want to make the recruiter laugh, but you also don't want to make them cry. That, again, is not the goal here. 

Ensure to write your stories from the heart. That doesn't mean that you need to be as positive as Mary Poppins or as somber as Charles Dickens. 

Everyone has both misery and joy in their life. The recruiter realizes that.

You want to focus on both. Don't just bring one side or the other into your storytelling. 

Practice Storytelling

It's hard to tell a good story. It might sound brilliant in your head, and then it falls flat in a crowd of people. So practice the storytelling craft.

Write out several versions of the stories you want to share and rewrite them after getting feedback from your beta readers. Over time, they will have the effect that you wish for them to have on the readers. 

How to Write a College Essay That Captures Hearts

You are not Shakespeare, so you aren't necessarily trying to create a masterpiece here. But you have your own special voice and story. And that's what you want to share in your college essay. 

Hopefully, we got that across in the article above on how to write a college essay. 

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