b'35Write Your College EssayThe college essayor personal statementletsVirtual Interviews you tell your story in your own words. This is yourYour college interview may be opportunity to express who you are beyond yourStrategize for virtual, conducted over videoApplying to Collegegrades and test scores. conferencing software suchas Zoom. To prepare:Know Your Audience Install and test the software in advance.Your essay is intended to demonstrate your writing Make sure your Wi-Fi is secure. Practice beforehand with a friend or family member.skills. Give yourself enough time to craft your essay,Strategize forproofread and edit it, and show it to several otherFind a quiet space with good lighting and no distractions.people. Start it the summer before your senior year.Admissions officers read hundredssometimes Focus on the content first and save grammarthousandsof essays each year. The way to standand spelling for later. For help, see Revise and out is to write honestly, clearly, and authenticallyProofread Your Essay on p. 37.about yourself.Know that admissions officers are looking for Ask for honest feedback on your essay from yourstudents who can and will succeed at their school.college prep team.Your essay should convince them you are a studentAfter each draft, set your essay aside for a daythey want to acceptsomeone who will be a goodor two, then reread and revise.fit for their school. Proofread for grammar, formatting, and typos. There is no right topic to write about or right Read it out loud to hear how it sounds. Print it out to voice to use. The best topic to write about is one catch mistakes missed on the screen. Ask someonethat matters to you and conveys what makes you else to proofread your essay to catch any errors you a unique applicant. The best voice is yoursbemay have missed. Read it one more time to make yourself, use language that feels comfortable to sure your grammar and spelling are perfect.you, and tell your story.Avoid These Essay Topics Conquer the Blank PageYour admiration for a role model, family member,Getting started is the hardest part. Follow these stepsor celebrity. The essay should be about you.to write a strong essay:A traumatic experience, such as the illness or deathBrainstorm topics, letting ideas flow. Use the activity of a family member or friend, unless you write about on p. 36 to help jumpstart your essay. how it affected you and the resilience you gained Organize your ideas in an outline. from the experience.Allow your first draft to be just thata first draft. Do not stress about it. Just write and know you will revise it later.Take a break from writing and then return to your draft. Reread and revise it. Be creative in tellingyour storystart with an anecdote or find a wayto relate your story back to the college.Look for unnecessary words that do not add to your story. Make sure your details matter and arenot just taking up space. The best essays make every word count. Bentley University'