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The Questions Behind the Question:
What Admissions Officers Ask Themselves as They Read Your College Essay
You know the question: “Evaluate a significant experience… and its impact on you.” Yes, you need to address it. Most critical, though, is how you answer the questions admissions officers don’t ask directly. These implicit questions shape their decisions more than the actual essay prompt. You need to know the questions!
“Is your writing succinct?”
Don’t get fancy. Short, concise sentences are usually best. Admissions officers have very little time. They may not have the luxury to peruse your essay. They will read more thoroughly if it flows seamlessly. Watch passive voice; use active verbs. Which sounds better? “Within hours of the evening event’s start, thousands of dollars were raised from the silent auction emceed by me” or “We raised thousands of dollars within hours of the Big Star Silent Auction I emceed.”
“Can you write?”
Use your essay to demonstrate that you will excel academically on their campus. Grammar, punctuation, and spelling must be flawless. Edit and re-edit until you know each sentence by heart. Read your statement aloud. If a sentence sounds awkward to you, it sounds awkward on paper to the reader. Friends and family who know you well should read your essay, but think hard about who you ask. Keep the editor list short so you don’t lose your voice. Ask them one question: does my writing reflect who I am? You want admissions officers to enjoy the ride and they want to embark on a seamless journey through your essay. Do not let poor grammar, awkward sentences, or inauthentic work trip them up. Don’t give them any reason not to admit you.
“Do you show or tell?”
Show! Think of your story as a conduit through which you describe who you are. Your story is secondary to what is reveals about you. What is more compelling: “I am a strong person” or “I realized only after I planted my feet atop the bald mountain peak that I arrived there on my own?” One tells while the other shows. Admissions officers are most interested in how you express your message. Your message may stay simple: “I want to go to Grinnell” or “I am a leader at school.” The real art of the college essay lies in how uniquely and sharply you express a simple idea.
“Am I bored?”
Be specific! Admissions officers enjoy reading vivid accounts of specific themes as opposed to general ones. Describe using dialogue and expressive detail. Make sure the reader can “see” the scene: Is it cold outside? What does the woman with whom you talk look like? Make the reader see, hear, feel, and smell the moment you describe. Hone in on a specific, narrow moment in time. This will allow you to delve into detail. Focus on depth, not breadth. Take “one afternoon on my camping trip” instead of trying to describe the entire five day trip.
“Are you a kind person?”
Admissions officers always ask themselves this question. Be true to your own voice. Don’t try to be funny, evocative, or emotional in a way that’s not really you. If you write from your heart, your writing will reflect who you are. It is the role of the college admissions office not just to bring the brightest students to their campus, but also those who will contribute to the campus community.
“What will you bring to campus that no one else will?”
Every applicant is unique. The key here is to highlight.Unique does not necessarily mean that you “are the best” at or “struggled the most” through an endeavor. What admissions officers value most is what you have done with the experiences you’ve had—wherever they fall on the life experience spectrum. They want to learn about your personal growth that your experiences reveal. The strength of your story is all in the way you express your unique attribute(s). Always ask yourself “Am I showing my readers what I will add to the campus community? Why do they need me at their college/university?”
And finally—“Do I have a sense of who you are?”
Remember that this is a personal statement. Don’t be afraid to express true emotion. Be reflective, honest, and self-aware. If your voice is passionate, funny, or sensitive, convey that voice. Your voice is, after all, a reflection of you. This essay may be the closest the admissions officer gets to uncovering who you are, especially if that school does not interview.
You’re on draft 47,000,000 and you think this is the one. Ask yourself this final question before you click “submit:” “when the reader meets me in person (after they admit me, of course!), could they match me with my application?” Yes? Then click.