On Writing the College Application Essay: The Key to Acceptance and the College of your Choice
From Library Journal
Writing the college application essay can be frightening, exciting, and laborious (much like writing a book review). The desired result is to make the essay stand out from 1000 othersto make the college admissions officer blink his or her heavy eyelids. Bauld gives entertaining and thought-provoking methods of accomplishing the task. His use of examples and corresponding responses from admissions officers is excellent. Despite the title, this book has value f…
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March 29th, 2010 at 3:45 am
Though it would initially seem aimed at applying to undergraduate schools, “On Writing the College Application Essay” is excellent for essay writing in general (including MBA applications
.
The first half emphasizes the importance of knowing your audience. Although we’re inclined to think nobel laureates will pore over our applications, the reality is they’re screened by the Sarah Bleary and Henry Haggards of the world: real folks who see so many applications, that they struggle to differentiate them.
Knowing your audience is only one part of the equation. In the essay, you must convince the reader that you’re YOU. Instead, many applicants portray themselves based on what they think the admissions committee wants, often to the extent of sweeping banalities. Bauld explores several of these with his sharp wit. Perhaps the funniest is Pet Death: “As I watched Buttons’ life ebb away, I came to value the important things in this world.”
In the second half, Bauld suggests you take a chill pill, then start keeping a notebook of any ideas an observations — anything. Eventually you’ll start to relax enough that your writing will come alive. However, before it can come alive, you must get something on paper.
You’ll continuously refine and tighten your opus, and the author gives several suggestions of how to approach this, with examples of first, second and third drafts.
Finally, Bauld includes several different essays, a few from college applications, and most not. Each of these conveys a different style but illustrates the crux of the book: you gotta be you.
March 29th, 2010 at 4:49 am
I’ve read several books on the college application process and it is clear that the essay plays a major role in determining whether or not an applicant is accepted. Mr. Bauld has written an entertaining, informative and very easy-to-read book that is also thankfully short. No long-winded, self-congratulatory filler here! It gets right to the point and is generous with excellent examples. In fact, this book is a great resource not only for those prepping to write a college application essay, but it contains great advice for writers in general. This book is well worth its reasonable price for the ideas, motivation and examples it provides. Now I need to get a clue from Mr. Bauld and keep this short and to the point. Bye.