An admissions essay can be a challenging and intimidating piece to the college application puzzle. Usually no more than five paragraphs long, it’s what gives your application a personality. A well-written essay can boost an otherwise unremarkable submission, yet, even the most accomplished writers sometimes struggle with selecting as essay topic or developing a piece that stands out from the rest.

So what do you write about? How do you make your essay memorable?

Sister Mary Brian Bole, Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Dallas, says that “the admissions essay can make or break the application. A poor essay, even in the face of good standardized scores, indicates anything from lack of skills to a lack of sufficient work ethic, thus making the applicant a poor risk”.

Some simple guidelines can help you avoid common mistakes students make in their essays and create an outstanding essay:

• Choose a challenging topic. While passion and interesting subject matter are important, a mere personal biography is dull and too frequent. Select a topic that is complex and academic but demonstrates your unique perspective.
• Follow formal essay format. Admissions reps are looking for a persuasive, academic essay. Have a clear, identifiable topic sentence in your opening paragraph and write two to three paragraphs using clear evidence that supports this topic, followed by a conclusion that summarizes your main point. This is the standard that will be used for most college papers; it will help to show you can write in this style.
• Spell check and proofread. An essay filled with spelling errors, incorrect capitalization and poor punctuation will likely be eliminated. More than one or two errors can cause an application to be rejected, so review it carefully.
• Answer the question posed to you. No matter what topic you select, make sure it relates to the question asked. To keep the essay focused and organized, avoid making your subject too broad. Even the most intriguing essay will likely be discarded if the directions are ignored or the theme is unclear. Not responding to or misunderstanding the question are two common errors students commit.
• Be cautious of tone and style. Though you don’t want to sound too stuffy, a more formal tone is preferable to a conversational one. Remember that this essay is for a college application and should show your ability to fit into a scholastic environment. Slang and overly casual writing will not give this impression.
• Avoid the negative. It is fine to write about overcoming personal obstacles, but avoid selling yourself short by highlighting negative aspects of your past. It may sound obvious, but subjects like drug and alcohol abuse or criminal behavior will not paint you in the best possible light. Remember, this essay is intended to give you an advantage over others, not to make yourself appear undesirable.
• Stay away from emotion. If you choose a controversial topic, treat it with evidence and logic, not emotional pleas. Steer clear from wording on religious and political subjects that might be hurtful or sentimental. Insults or negative slurs should always be avoided. Political topics are appropriate only when treated with reason.

Once you have considered these guidelines, take your time writing the essay. Brainstorm multiple ideas and then form your own personal review committee. Ask a respected English teacher to listen to your potential topics and help you decide which will work best for you.

Impeccable writing skills are the desire of most college-bound students. Even though practice makes perfect, the process of trial and error is a frustrating way to learn the rules of the English language. Awareness of the following common errors will help you pinpoint and correct your bad habits, as well as improve the quality of your writing.

1. Tenses. It is easy to slip from one tense to another when writing. Think about this during reviewing/revising, and make sure your tenses are consistent. Use past tense for essays regarding history and future tense for proposals. Use present tense is most essays; it evokes your active voice, which engages the reader.
2. Prepositions. Become familiar with common prepositions, and do not use them at the ends of sentences. It is fine to close with a preposition in conversation, but do not do so in writing. Rather than “This is what I’m most proud of,” you should write “I am most proud of this.”
3. Thesaurus use. It is tempting to spruce up a writing assignment with highfalutin words. If the thesaurus says it is interchangeable with your original word choice, it must be so, right? Wrong! Often a thesaurus will list related words that have similar, but not identical, meanings. If you don’t recognize a word, look it up in the dictionary to make sure it works before committing to its use.
4. Complete sentences. All sentences must include a subject and a predicate. The subject identifies your topic, and the predicate includes a verb expressing the action. Sentence fragments exclude either the subject or verb, thereby affecting the flow and understandability of your essay. Using single-word sentences for emphasis is okay in certain creative writing instances, but be frugal with them.
5. Commas. Learn the proper uses of commas. According to Lynne Truss’s best-seller Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, the following area few of the proper uses for commas.
   1. Use commas for listing,
   2. Use commas to set off interjections,
   3. Use commas before conjunctions to join compound sentences, and
   4. Use commas before direct quotes.

Learning when and where to place commas will help you avoid excessive comma usage.

For additional information, check out Woe is I by Patricia T. O’Conner or The Deluxe Transitive Vampire by Karen Elizabeth Gordon. These engaging and witty reads will help you master the finer points of punctuation and grammar.

Standing Out in the Crowd: References that Set Your College
Application Apart

With more than 20,000 applications flooding some major universities
annually, it may take a little something extra for your submission to
stand out in the stack.

One key in ensuring that an admissions team sees your positive attributes
is to choose good references. Typically, colleges require the
following information with each application:

• A listing of your academic capabilities (reflected in your grades)

•
A personal essay

•
Two or more letters of recommendation

While your academic achievements and personal essay are aspects you
can "control," you
may feel at the mercy of your references in terms of what they say about
you in the letters they write. These letters are, after all, extremely
significant in terms of providing a third-person perspective on who
you are as an individual. And their extra touch personalizes your application
for admissions officers, adding a human element to the words
on a piece of paper.

But you have more control over the words that go into your letters of
recommendation than you probably realize. That’s because you choose
who will write those letters. Choosing who writes them can make all the
difference in the world.

Who you choose: BE PICKY!

In selecting someone to write your recommendation, you should consider
a number of elements. To help you remember what each of these elements
are, use the acronym BE PICKY and you’ll choose only the best,
most suitable letter writers:

Break down a list of people whom you know well, and who know you well,
also. Consider:
•
Coaches
•
Teachers
•
Employers
•
Musical Directors

Eliminate those who would not be able to state anything specific about
your positive traits.

Prepare
and ask! Make sure you have all the required forms your recommender
may need, including a stamped, self-addressed envelope for each school
for which you are requesting a letter. Remember, these individuals are
doing you a favor! Be as organized and helpful as possible.

Initiate a time to meet with the referrer to explain what you need from
him or her. Simply leaving the request in a mailbox or on a desk or sending
an e-mail message allows opportunities for your request to get misplaced.

Check in occasionally. It is your responsibility to be sure all deadlines
are met. Plus, the person writing your letter may also be writing recommendations
for others with different deadlines for each letter. A friendly reminder
not only keeps you on track, but keeps your recommender on track too.

Kindness is owed! Be sure to show your appreciation for the referrer for taking the time to help you. Remember, this is a favor he or she
is doing for you.

You are on your way! With
solid recommendations from the people who know you best – those who can
offer specific examples in clear,
concise letters – you are on your way to becoming a student at
the college of your dreams!

Always, there were admirers. People who were amazed by her abilities
or, at the very least, intrigued.

For all intents and purposes, she was an intellectual celebrity throughout
high school. Her involvement in several activities frequently made her
the
focal point of attention. She was a math whiz, a cheerleader, an
accomplished pianist. So, when Lissa X. Yu, a 2004 graduate of Dos
Pueblos High School in Santa Barbara, Calif., scored a perfect 1,600
on her Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), it was – and it wasn’t
– big news..

"I wasn’t at all surprised," said Jeffrey Souther, Yu’s
AP Latin instructor for four years. "I had an opportunity to see
her intellect in action, and she was not only superb in foreign languages,
but also mathematics."

In 2004, Yu’s high school academic record, along with her perfect performance
on the SAT, earned her the highly esteemed designation of Presidential
Scholar and an invitation to Yale University. Her rise to the highest levels
of academia, according to her, are not due to sheer genius, but rather
a strong work ethic and a close to perfect upbringing in southern California.

"It was one of those paradise-like childhoods,” Yu said. “My
parents took me to the beach all the time. There was perpetual 70 degree
weather. It was probably the soundest environment imaginable."

Born in China, Yu came to the United States when she was four. The oceanside
hamlet of Santa Barbara, with its lush mountains and beach resorts, was
the backdrop for her educational beginnings..

Childhood bliss

Far from a child prodigy, she was encouraged to learn from an early age.
Throughout her youth, rather than enrolling her in after-school daycare
programs, Yu’s parents instead allowed her to study dance and music.
She also showed a particular fondness for reading.

Her involvement in multiple organizations throughout high school, such
as cheerleading, orchestra and math competitions, introduced Yu to a diverse
group of personalities, though she admits her friends did not always relate
well to one another. Souther said Yu remained committed to her friends
and her hunger for knowledge, which particularly manifested itself her
senior year.

"She asked to meet with me a couple times a week after class to master
the material, not just to get a decent grade," Souther said. "I
thought that was extraordinary for someone with so many commitments."

Her goal in the fall of 2003, like hundreds of thousands of other students
across the country, was simply to do the best she could on the SAT. Yu’s
best was among the best in the nation and landed her selection as a Presidential
Scholar.

A presidential honor

The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by executive
order of the president, to honor the nation’s most distinguished
graduating high school seniors. Each year, up to 141 students who represent
excellence in education are named Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s
highest honors for high school students..

"She is a pretty modest person about her accomplishments," said Yejin
He, Yu’s mother. "I asked her how she did on the
SAT test and she said, ‘Fine. I think I did OK.’ That was after
she got a perfect score. She doesn’t brag about it. We didn’t
expect her to do lots of things until they happened."

A commission appointed by the president of the United States makes selections
from more than 2,700 eligible applicants who have demonstrated exceptional
accomplishments in academics, the arts and public service.

"I was not No. 1 at my high school," Yu said. "I’d
be the first to tell you if you get a ‘B,’ don’t cry.
There were definitely people who scored better than I did every semester
and in special classes. I’ve been fortunate."

A very humbling experience

The Presidential Scholar designation contributed to Yu’s admission into
Yale University in the fall of 2004. Technically her major is undecided,
but she plans to major in psychology with a focus in neuroscience.

"Yale has been a very humbling experience’" Yu said. "My
high school was a great place, but it was a public school. I go to Yale
and find that some people went to private schools where 80 percent of the
student body goes on to Ivy League schools."

Her drive at Yale has turned away from perfection as the material and
coursework have become more involving. At home, the wishes for her well-being
have stayed down to earth.

"I never hoped that she would accomplish anything big
or that she would be a star," her mother said. "I just wanted
her to be a good person and welcomed by society – for everyone to want
to be around her. That was enough for me."

Fashion is like a revolving door. Something can be in one season and out the next. As a college student, you aren’t going to be exempt from the fashion patrol, but who has time to keep up?

When it comes to fashion, there are definite rules to follow. To make it easier for you to balance your schoolwork and wardrobe, KEY fashion editor Nourisha Wells has created a top 10 list of clothing must-haves
for any college campus.

1. Jeans: The beautiful thing about jeans is that they can be dressed down or up. Consider light to medium finishes for those just-crawled-out-of-bed days and darker rinses with a nice top for nights out.

2. College Wear: You’re not an official student until you beef up your collegiate wear. Whether it’s t-shirts, hoodies, shorts or jackets, every student should have school paraphernalia. Show your school spirit!

3. Business Suit: Universities are notorious for hosting networking opportunities. You don’t want to be underdressed. A suit is also useful when it’s time to interview for internships. Try to stick with traditional colors like navy and black.

4. Sweats: Athletic wear has become an acceptable staple in today’s fashion world. This is good news for college students. Not only can you be comfortable, but you can look good at the same time.

5. White shirts: It’s amazing what a crisp white shirt can do for your mood. You can pair one with jeans, slacks or a nice skirt. Whatever your taste, there’s a style with your name on it.

6. Jacket: No matter where your school is, you will probably need a jacket. Plan ahead by purchasing both a dress jacket and a casual one. Try a chic leather jacket to spice things up and an updated denim jacket for laid-back hip.

7. Khaki Kraze: No wardrobe is complete without khakis. Guys – khakis are appropriate for both business and casual. Girls – khakis can be versatile by adding a splash of color in shirts or accessories.

8. Bathrobe: Although the thought of community bathrooms might make your skin crawl, they are a reality at many college dorms. Avoid the embarrassment by packing a bathrobe.

9. Comfortable Shoes: Your feet will thank you as you lug your heavy backpack across campus. Go sports-trendy with a pair of hip gym shoes or nice flip-flops. If you’re wise, you’ll pack both!

10. Tightie Whities: Your mother was right; you can never have enough underwear. I recommend a month’s supply to get you through when studying trumps laundry time.