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first lines

First line, first impression

November 4, 2015 by Sara Nolan

Your first sentence of your essay decides if you have a future... That is, if your college essay has a future in the eyes of your reader. There, got your attention.  See? First impressions matter.  Your college essay is no exception.  And your first line of your personal statement is your first impression, so here's how to make it good and have the adcom begging (well, maybe not begging, but ready) for more. Consider Context You wouldn't go for a job interview with tomato sauce rubbed across your face, go on a first date in a stained shirt, show up for the first day of school with a busted notebook from last year. Don't start your essay without thoughtful craft-- you want it to entice. In fact, make that first line work for you so you have the best chance at getting the prize-- that is, the adcom's attention. Figure out the techniques Here's Stanford University's sample first lines from admitted students. If you take a few minutes to study each first line, you'll see that A) there is a range of winners and B) there is no formula and C) each line has a reason it's successful.  We'll look at a few different ones to give you a primer on why they work. First Lines of college essays we love "I change my name each time I place an order at Starbucks." First, clever, and why not, do you have an obligation to be you?  Second, the reader is given a fact, but no explanation for it: perhaps the writer likes the freedom to swap out identities in low-stakes situation; perhaps the applicant hates his or her first name; perhaps something traumatizing happened with a Starbucks employee -- point is, we have just enough information to be intrigued, but not enough to be satisfied. Simple sentence, but big opening. "When I was in eighth grade I couldn't read."  Again, simple fact, but begs the biggest question: Why?  (Especially, perhaps, because we know this student was submitted to Stanford at least partially on the strength of the essay). "On a hot Hollywood evening,  Continue Reading …

Filed Under: Practice, Revising, Solutions, Uncategorized, Writing Tips Tagged With: a twist, adcom, attention, college essay, college essay tips, first lines, good impression, reader, Stanford University Magazine, student sample writing, subvert expectations

Procrastination got your college essay? Try this!

October 28, 2015 by Sara Nolan

Is your college essay due this weekend, or next week, and you've been procrastinating epically?  Here's how to beat the procrastination paralysis and crank out a college essay by deadline. Note & Plug! The photo featured above shows gung-ho participants in a customized Essay Intensive college essay writing workshop, Just Write, at The TEAK Fellowship.  They beat procrastination, just like you will, and punched out some quality personal essays!  So, speaking of-- back to you. The moment is Now It's beyond crunch-time. You're panicking that you don't have time (because you screwed yourself) to be all that you need to be in your college admissions essay: insightful, creative, authentic, reflective, and thoughtful.  (You're wrong-- keep reading). You're seriously considering writing your college essay on your dog's midlife crisis as you watch him limp after spastic squirrels. And ending it with a line about the pointlessness of striving in this world. Think again. Let your dog have his own crisis. Seize your loaded moment for what it's worth, and use our tips to write.  Continue Reading …

Filed Under: Practice, Revising, Solutions, State of Mind, Writing Tips Tagged With: audience, conclusion, first lines, freewriting, good topics, introduction, positive traits, procrastination, prompts, Stanford magazine, topics, writing tips

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