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authentic

“I hate my college essay supplements!” It’s OK, we got you.

November 21, 2021 by Sara Nolan Leave a Comment

keep communication simple and direct

Are you stressed as all hell about supplements? Are you starting to get stiff in your language or overwhelmed by the sheer number of prompts, that all feel vaguely similar? I'm here to give you a pep talk about the “Why This School?” essays that are most challenging for students to write well.  Are you starting to write supplemental essays that sound like: “The majestic campus enthralled me and I imagined myself walking down the path to the dining hall….”  GAH. Take a big step back. 3 things to remember that will help you avoid common pitfalls:  1) supplements are a dating game 2) go beyond 1-click research to authentic interest  3) don’t tell them what they already know (OK, and four-- it’s OK to sound like you.) These Tips Will IMMEDIATELY Make Your College Supplements Suck Less The supplements are a dating game and you don’t have to treat them any differently. You might be amazing, and the school might be amazing, but how does that help you be amazing together? It doesn’t. I’ve read so many “vanilla” supplements, with a lot of “right” words but no distinctive flavor about the individual applicant.  If you and this school are really committing to each other (which you are), then use the supplement as a chance to weave in your particular interests. Tell them a little something you didn’t focus on elsewhere-- that you’ve been deconstructing family toasters since you were 3 and are interested in their engineering track. Or maybe you spent all of middle school browsing the library and you’re interested in literacy classes. Or maybe you grew up in a very small town and you’re so excited about their campus cultural initiatives. Make yourself an attractive person to date and commit to.  2.  If you try to stack your supplements with “1-click” research, you look lazy.  Dig into their website! Take a virtual tour and come up with a list of questions. Notice specifics. What research are their professors doing? What is student life like? Go at least  Continue Reading …

Filed Under: Essays, Feedback, Prompts, Solutions, Uncategorized Tagged With: authentic, college application supplements, prompts, supplemental essays, Supplements, voice

What is “authentic” voice?

October 11, 2016 by Sara Nolan

Your authentic voice? answer with an anecdote! The student in my college essay revising workshop tipped dangerously far back in his chair.  Even the chair was nervous. "Can you look at my essay?" He called.  No matter that I was in the middle of a sent-- He handed me an essay draft with tight lips. It was all about how he went from careless to caring about his school work over a few challenging years. "I don't like it." He said. "It's boring." He wasn't fishing for praise.  He didn't like it. "Well, if you are bored by it, it's probably boring," I agreed. I skimmed it.  Yup.  Continue Reading …

Filed Under: Integrity, Questions, Solutions, Uncategorized, Writing Tips Tagged With: anecdote, authentic, college essay writing, JP Morgan Chase The Fellowship Initiative, not boring, personal story, voice

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