Counseling Education

How Your Teen Can Craft the Perfect College Entrance Essay

 Is there anything that strikes more fear into the heart of a teenager than the dreaded college entrance essay? The race to get into the best colleges is a highly competitive one, and these days it's not just test scores or extra-curricular activities that can secure a student that all-important placement. College entrance essays give a university not only a way to assess the abilities and personality of an applicant, but to also judge their thought processes and creativity. So how does one hit the essay jackpot?

Understand The Topic 

This is not a time for knee-jerk reactions in writing, but rather an opportunity to map out the perfect response. Have your teen brainstorm a list of response ideas and suggest that they try creating an outline before putting pen to paper. It's also helpful for them to discuss their topic with you, their friends or teachers to help flesh out new ideas and perspectives they may not have thought of.

Think Outside The Box 

Have your child think of a college essay from the perspective of the Admissions Dean reading it. There are going to be a lot of boring, poorly-written essays coming across their desk, so why not add some flair? Your child needs to think of new, creative or interesting angles to grab their attention and to make the essay stand out from the crowd.

Let Their Personality Shine

At this point in the admissions process, this is where the college or university is basically "meeting" the applicant for the first time. While a paper on World War II may be very well-written, it's not going to tell them anything about who your student is or how they think. Your child should try writing about himself or something he is passionate about, and let his perspective and personality come shining through.

Rewrite, Rework, Re-Do 

Although allowing the very first draft to flow freely can bring great ideas and phrases to light, editing is the key to a truly polished essay. Have your teen read every draft out loud to help identify mistakes. He can also enlist the help of friends, teachers and family to seek out opinions and possible mistakes. A paper riddled with misspellings and grammatical errors will only hurt him in the long run.

Get Some Outside Help 

If he's really stuck or just wants to ensure that he will be handing in the absolute best essay he can, try enlisting the help of a professional editor or coach. Coaching has become hugely popular and these "gurus" are widely available. For example, if you live in Florida, look into hiring a life coach Miami-based, to help your child hone the perfect essay. These professionals know all the "tricks of the trade," and can help your child draw out a perfectly polished paper.

Be Honest and Genuine 

One of the most important things to remember for a college essay is to always be honest, genuine and true. Remind your child that the Admissions Deans read thousands of essays every year, and they're pretty quick to recognize when someone isn't presenting a clear picture of themselves. Also, remaining genuine makes for a better essay overall.

While writing that perfect essay may seem like a daunting, if near impossible task for your teen, taking the time to really give it his all will result in a clear and concise reflection of who he is. Give his chosen college or university the best impression possible, and he is sure to land the spot of his dreams.

Debbie Nguyen is a freelance designer and blogger with a son who will be starting the college admissions process soon. Noomii is a directory that matches you up with a life coach Miami, New York or any other major city worldwide so you can reach your life goals.

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