One of the best parts of writing a school essay is the opportunity to highlight your passions. However, you have to be careful not to over-hype your experiences and accomplishments in an attempt to impress admissions officers. Adcoms can quickly tell if your essay is full of cliches and over-emphasis. Whether it’s talking about your love of the university or a desire to be part of the student body, it’s important that your enthusiasm comes across as genuine.

Often, when students write a “Why our School” essay, they focus on their past experiences and the school’s history or reputation. While this is okay, it can also be a missed opportunity to discuss how the school will get them from where they are now to where they want to be in the future.

To avoid falling into this trap, make sure to research the university and talk about specific aspects of their programs that appeal to you in your essay. Including details about unique opportunities or faculty members that you are interested in can set your essay apart and show your excitement for the school. Using specific examples is better than general cliches and tropes, as they will be easier for the reader to identify as authentic.

When planning your essay, start by brainstorming. It’s helpful to take notes while brainstorming so you can refer back to them when drafting your essay. It is also a good idea to write a draft and reread it afterward, especially if you can find someone to give you feedback. This will help you spot grammatical errors or awkward phrases that you may not have noticed when you were reading it.

Once you’ve done a brain dump, go through and see what ideas stick out the most for you. Try to narrow down the most prominent ideas to about 4-7 values or traits that you are passionate about. Think about the different experiences you can use to demonstrate each of these values, and then choose a theme that connects them all. For example, you could connect your love for music with your interest in social justice.

Finally, once you have your ideas, start putting them together in an organized way. It can be helpful to make a table or chart to help you map out your ideas. This will help you figure out the best order to present them in your essay. You can then go back and fill in the gaps with additional experiences to strengthen your argument. Having an outline will ensure that your essay is cohesive and compelling. It will also make it much easier to edit when you are finished.