School is one of the most important institutions for a child’s life. It is where they learn to be a good person, and it helps them develop cognitive skills and emotional intelligence. It is also where they learn the value of a good education.
But writing the perfect school essay can be tricky, especially for students who don’t know what to write about. While it’s easy to fall back on well-worn themes, such as overcoming obstacles or sharing an impressive accomplishment, admissions officers are looking for something more unique and genuine.
The best way to avoid falling into well-worn territory is to have a strong sense of direction before you start writing your essay. Try to brainstorm ideas before beginning the writing process, and be sure to pick a topic that is both interesting to you and relevant to your application.
Ultimately, a school essay is about the experiences and events that shaped you into the person you are today. Admissions counselors want to hear about the realizations you made through adversity as well as success, and they want to see how you’ve grown as a result of your experiences. Don’t be afraid to be bold in your essay, but remember that it’s crucial to show, not tell.
Another trick to keep in mind is to avoid describing your story as too “real” or having too much drama or action in it. It’s tempting to exaggerate and embellish when retelling your stories, but the admissions committee will be able to spot that immediately. A true story should have conflict and a climax, but it shouldn’t be overly dramatic.
Finally, it’s important to write the essay in your own voice. Even if you’re being helped by a parent or teacher, it should still sound like you in the end. It’s also a good idea to set the essay aside for a few days and then read it again. This will help you catch any grammatical or spelling errors that you might have missed on a first read-through.
In addition to addressing the student’s fit with UPenn through their specific academic interests, this student also demonstrates commitment to their cause by listing the many ways in which they’ve worked towards that goal (academic and extracurricular). They also take a risk by naming more controversial aspects of their background, such as being a first-generation student or being a feminist who stands behind abortion rights.
Despite their controversies, this student’s essay is compelling and shows that they’re both passionate about their cause and committed to achieving their goals. They’ve also done their research and named specific campus resources that they believe are highly relevant to their interests, which will help them stand out from other applicants.
