Writing A College Essay

Writing A College Essay So now post-Covid, do you still advise most of your students to take the writing exams, or feel that there is “more upside than downside” to taking them? My 11th grader previously did the SAT w/essay and scored 760 R&W, 650 M, and 4/4/5 on the essay. Despite the decline in colleges requiring an SAT or ACT essay, Compass still advises many of our students to make the essay a part of their testing plans. It may be the differentiating factor between two students. I would look at the student profile at a college that is essay optional. Just as important, it’s uncommon for an ACT or SAT essay to be a significant negative factor on an application. With a minimum amount of practice, most students can reach the 25thâ€"75th percentile score ranges of even the most elite colleges in the country. In other words, there is more upside than downside when looking at an extended test day. Your students’ college essay is their opportunity to reveal their best qualities and to show an admission committee what makes them stand out from other applicants. Not only should your essay reflect well-constructed writing, but it's your opportunity to tell your unique story. Be creative and present yourself in such a way that embodies the real you. Overall, college admissions typically value students with a difficult course load and grades that represent strong efforts and upward trending scores. But in addition to curriculum and grades, colleges also look at students’ scores on the SAT or ACT. While high scores on these exams do not compensate for low grades, colleges do value solid scores on the SAT or ACT, and like to see that they are consistent with high school grades. A common recurring theme that colleges look for in students is depth, not breadth, of experience. Colleges like to see angled and proficient students with focused passions, not necessarily well-rounded students who are marginally adept in many different things. A well-written application essay that offers insight into your personality, values, and goals can go a long way in helping you stand out during the admissions process. Your college application essay should be both highly personal and thoughtful. In other words, substantive commitment to a few select activities is preferred over widespread participation in several activities that have minor significance. When preparing your college applications, write a detailed outline or résumé to showcase any extracurricular activities or meaningful involvement you’ve had outside the classroom. It's one of the most commonly asked questions by high school students interested in attending a reputable college. But because students often have little understanding of what colleges look for in applicants, much of the stress as a college-bound high school student surrounds the admissions process. If I’m understanding correctly, the only students who need to be taking the writing/essay exams are those applying to the first 9 schools on your list that are “required” or “recommended”? We are in CA so it used to be needed for the UC’s but as you noted even that has changed. Skipping the essay can leave a student scrambling to fit in an additional test date should his or her college plans change. Some colleges requiring the essay will not superscore test dates without the essay. With greater understanding as to what colleges look for in high school students, you can better prioritize your time, effort, and curriculum into the areas that matter most. In turn, you can maximize your potential in getting accepted to your top-choice colleges. Work with your students to help them with this important piece of their application. You might be used to turning in your writing assignments on a page-limit basis. While some colleges provide page limits for their college essays, most use a word limit instead. This makes sure there's a standard length for all the essays that a college receives, regardless of formatting or font. It is not looked at as heavy as GPA, Course Rigor or test scores, but for some colleges it is looked at.