Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I begin to write my essay?

A: If you’re reading this, you’ve already begun. In this guide you’ll find some ideas on how to brainstorm and structure
your essay. Our favorite exercises are the Essence Objects and Values Exercises.

Q: How long should my essay be?

A: It depends. Your main Common App essay can be up to 650 words, while the essays for the University of California
(UC) schools are around 350 words each, and your supplemental essays will vary.

Q: How many essays will I need to write?

A: Around 15 is average. You'll likely write a main personal statement for your Common App, perhaps some separate
essays if you're applying to public schools (the UCs require four, for example), plus you'll write supplements for most
selective schools, which number anywhere from 6-20, depending on the number of schools you apply to.

Q: What should my essay be about?

A: In a word, you.
Q: What are college admissions officers looking for?
A: They're looking for the answers to these three questions:
1. Who is this person?
2. Will this person contribute something of value to our campus?
3. Can this person write?

Q: How do college admissions officers evaluate my essay?

A: Each school has its own criteria and different readers will prefer different elements. Michael Gulotta (Associate
Director of Admissions at American University) for example, has told us he most looks to the essay to assess a
student's writing ability. But Rick Diaz (Regional Director of Undergrad Admissions at SMU) is less interested in writing
ability and more interested in a student's story.

Q: So which is more important: your story or your writing skill?

A: Both are important. A good story, well told. That's your goal.
Q: When should I start writing my essay?
A: Today. Right now.
Q: How do I structure my essay?
A: You’ll learn about two options in this workshop: Narrative Structure and Montage Structure.

Q: How much do essays matter?

A: It depends on the college, but generally between 10%-30%. Essays tend to matter more for small schools, or schools
who look at applications holistically.

Q: If my grades are bad, can I get into Harvard with a great essay?
A: Nope. Schools look at your GPA, course rigor and test scores more than anything. When you're being compared to
other students with similar GPA/SAT scores, that's when the essays can make or break your chances. Harvard is
great, but there are a lot of other awesome schools too. For a list of Colleges That Change Lives, Google "Colleges That
Change Lives." (Really.)

Q: Can a bad college essay negatively affect my application?

A: Yes.

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 COMMON APPlication PROMPTs

Choose one of the following prompts. 650 words, strict limit
1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application
would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you
faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the
outcome?

4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How
has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding
of yourself or others.

6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate
you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different
prompt, or one of your own design.

COalition application PROMPTs

Choose one of the following prompts. 500-550 words.
1. Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

2. Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss
the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.

3. Has there been a time when you’ve had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How
did the challenge affect your beliefs?

4. What is the hardest part of being a student now? What’s the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling
or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?

5. Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.

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 Essence Objects Exercise

- Excerpted from College Essay Essentials: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Successful College Admissions Essay

To listen to the College Essay Guy guide you through this exercise, go here:

www.collegeessayguy.com/guide-objects-exercise

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 The “Feelings and Needs” Exercise

Adapted from an exercise created by Nonviolent Communication Expert LaShelle Lowe-Chardé (http://www.wiseheartpdx.org).

When I saw/heard/experienced… ___________________________________________________________

(What event, positive or negative, did you experience?)

I felt…
_________________________________________________________________________________
(Choose 2-3 emotions from the list below)

Because I needed…
________________________________________________________________________________
(Choose 2-3 needs from the list below)

FEELINGS NEEDS
Delighted Relaxed Scared Angry
Relieved Intimacy Purpose
Joyful Apprehensive Furious Empathy
Happy Rested Dread Rage Competence
Amused Mellow Connection Contribution
Worried Irate Affection
Adventurous At ease Panicky Resentful Efficiency
Blissful Light Warmth Growth
Frightened Irritated Love
Elated Vulnerable Learning
Content Understanding Challenge
Frustrated Acceptance
Thankful Cheerful Nervous Disappointed Discovery
Glad Caring
Appreciative Jittery Discouraged Bonding
Moved Comfortable Anxious Disheartened
Order
Pleased Compassion Structure
Touched Restless Impatient Communion
Tender Clarity
Friendly Vulnerable Divine Union Focus
Expansive Shocked
Sexuality
Grateful Affectionate Disturbed Information
Tense
Loving Cranky Stunned
Passionate Autonomy Celebration
Excited Stiff Alarmed Choice
Appalled Mourning
Enthusiastic Energetic Stressed Freedom Aliveness
Overjoyed Overwhelmed Concerned Spontaneity
Exhilarated Horrified Humor
Fervent Agitated Independence Beauty
Giddy Exuberant
Vigorous Aggravated Respect Play
Eager Sad
Honor Creativity
Ecstatic Hurt Grief
Alert Despair Joy
Thrilled Focused Pain Security
Agony Gloomy Predictability
Awake Sullen
Honesty
Satisfied Clearheaded Anguish Consistency Integrity
Fulfilled Heartbroken Downhearted Stability
Hopeless Authenticity
Gratified Peaceful Lonely Trust Wholeness
Tranquil Torn Reassurance Fairness
Interested Serene Depressed
Curious Disconnected Ambivalent Partnership
Calm Confused
Peace
Absorbed Detached Mutuality Groundedness
Despondent Puzzled Friendship
Confident Hope
Healthy Secure Dejected Companionship
Empowered Bored Jealous
Safe Support
Alive Envious Collaboration
Hopeful Bitter
Robust Tired Belonging
Burnt Out Embarrased Community
Exhausted Ashamed Consideration
Lethargic Contrite Seen/heard
Guilty Appreciation

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 The Values Exercise

Here’s my other favorite brainstorming exercise and it’ll help you figure out the second half of your
essay in about five minutes.

To begin, pick your top 10 values from the list below.

personal development wealth courage

recognition creativity self-love
accountability knowledge ritual
inspiration inclusion purpose
music curiosity privacy
helping others gratitude freedom
peace faith quiet
diversity communication compassion
expertise interdependence cooperation
vulnerability efficiency growth
global awareness stability authenticity
hunger humor practicality
my country truth nature
sleep order objectivity
productivity excellence leadership
intuition religion wisdom
culture beauty respect
healthy boundaries meaningful work strength
second chances trust flexibility
listening self-expression financial stability
family fun empathy
excitement rationality belonging
travel democracy equity
adventure self-control resourcefulness
laughter balance decisiveness
entrepreneurship adaptability competence
wonder success collaboration
health and fitness independence spirituality
love variety social change
close relationships community honesty
humility patience mindfulness
art challenges grace
responsibility autonomy _______________
safety loyalty _______________

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Next, Pick your Top 5 Values. Once you have those, pick your Top 3.

__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________

__________________

__________________

And then, yes, pick your #1 value. Remember that you’re not losing any of the others, you’re
just picking the most important value for you today.

__________________

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 TWO APPROACHES TO STRUCTURE

Narrative Structure
You can think of Narrative Structure as classic Hollywood movie structure, focusing on a challenge that
fundamentally changed your life. You can think of this approach to writing an essay as breaking down into
three basic sections:

Challenges + Effects
This part gets into specific detail regarding a specific challenge the student has faced, and the
various effects of that challenge. Tough stuff you’ve been through. Big experiences. Their subsequent
impacts. Various obstacles you’ve had to overcome.

What I Did About Them

Actions you took to overcome those challenges and their effects, often to meet specific needs. These
actions help to illustrate your values and growth.

What I Learned
Lessons and insights you’ve gained through these experiences. Reflection on how your experiences
have shaped you and why that matters.

Montage Structure
What is a montage?
Montage is something you’ve likely all encountered before, but some may not be familiar with the word itself.
It’s a technique that involves using separate elements (pictures, words, music, etc.) to create a new whole. In
filmmaking, the montage effect is used to condense space and time so that information can be delivered in a
more efficient way.

Take the classic “falling in love” montage, commonly used in romantic comedies. We don’t see every single
interaction. Instead, we see: one surprises the other at work, probably with flowers; they walk through the
park; they dance in the rain; they pass an engagement ring store. You get the idea.

Finding a Thematic Thread

If you’re going to build a montage, you need to find a way to make the different experiences you’ll use feel
connected. Think of it this way: if I just had a paragraph on growing up in Latin America, speaking of which
religion, speaking of which literature is important to me, speaking of which… you’re going to feel
understandably confused. So I need to have something that threads the pieces together.

The sample essay below (“Laptop Stickers”) was written by a student who collected stickers on her laptop.
Each sticker connected to different values and experiences. Stickers are her thematic thread.

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 What had to be done (Narrative)

At six years old, I stood locked away in the restroom. I held tightly to a tube of toothpaste
because I’d been sent to brush my teeth to distract me from the commotion. Regardless, I knew what
was happening: my dad was being put under arrest for domestic abuse. He’d hurt my mom physically
and mentally, and my brother Jose and I had shared the mental strain. It’s what had to be done.

Living without a father meant money was tight, mom worked two jobs, and my brother and I
took care of each other when she worked. For a brief period of time the quality of our lives slowly
started to improve as our soon-to-be step-dad became an integral part of our family. He paid attention
to the needs of my mom, my brother, and me. But our prosperity was short-lived as my step dad’s
chronic alcoholism became more and more recurrent. When I was eight, my younger brother
Fernando’s birth complicated things even further. As my step-dad slipped away, my mom continued
working, and Fernando’s care was left to Jose and me. I cooked, Jose cleaned, I dressed Fernando,
Jose put him to bed. We did what we had to do.

As undocumented immigrants and with little to no family around us, we had to rely on each
other. Fearing that any disclosure of our status would risk deportation, we kept to ourselves when
dealing with any financial and medical issues. I avoided going on certain school trips, and at times I
was discouraged to even meet new people. I felt isolated and at times disillusioned; my grades started
to slip.

Over time, however, I grew determined to improve the quality of life for my family and
myself.

Without a father figure to teach me the things a father could, I became my own teacher. I
learned how to fix a bike, how to swim, and even how to talk to girls. I became resourceful, fixing
shoes with strips of duct tape, and I even found a job to help pay bills. I became as independent as I
could to lessen the time and money mom had to spend raising me.

I also worked to apply myself constructively in other ways. I worked hard and took my
grades from Bs and Cs to consecutive straight A’s. I shattered my school’s 1ooM breaststroke record,
and learned how to play the clarinet, saxophone, and the oboe. Plus, I not only became the first
student in my school to pass the AP Physics 1 exam, I’m currently pioneering my school’s first AP
Physics 2 course ever.

These changes inspired me to help others. I became president of the California Scholarship
Federation, providing students with information to prepare them for college, while creating
opportunities for my peers to play a bigger part in our community. I began tutoring kids, teens, and
adults on a variety of subjects ranging from basic English to home improvement and even Calculus.
As the captain of the water polo and swim team I’ve led practices crafted to individually push my
comrades to their limits, and I’ve counseled friends through circumstances similar to mine. I’ve done
tons, and I can finally say I’m proud of that.

But I’m excited to say that there’s so much I have yet to do. I haven’t danced the tango,
solved a Rubix Cube, explored how perpetual motion might fuel space exploration, or seen the World
Trade Center. And I have yet to see the person that Fernando will become.

I’ll do as much as I can from now on. Not because I have to. Because I choose to.

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 MY LAPTOP STICKERS (montage)

My laptop is like a passport. It is plastered with stickers all over the outside, inside, and
bottom. Each sticker is a stamp, representing a place I’ve been, a passion I’ve pursued, or community
I’ve belonged to. These stickers make for an untraditional first impression at a meeting or
presentation, but it’s one I’m proud of. Let me take you on a quick tour:
“We <3 Design,” bottom left corner. Art has been a constant for me for as long as I can
remember. Today my primary engagement with art is through design. I’ve spent entire weekends
designing websites and social media graphics for my companies. Design means more to me than just
branding and marketing; it gives me the opportunity to experiment with texture, perspective, and
contrast, helping me refine my professional style.
“Common Threads,” bottom right corner. A rectangular black and red sticker displaying the
theme of the 2017 TEDxYouth@Austin event. For years I’ve been interested in the street artists and
musicians in downtown Austin who are so unapologetically themselves. As a result, I’ve become
more open-minded and appreciative of unconventional lifestyles. TED gives me the opportunity to
help other youth understand new perspectives, by exposing them to the diversity of Austin where
culture is created, not just consumed.
Poop emoji, middle right. My 13-year-old brother often sends his messages with the poop
emoji ‘echo effect,’ so whenever I open a new message from him, hundreds of poops elegantly
cascade across my screen. He brings out my goofy side, but also helps me think rationally when I am
overwhelmed. We don’t have the typical “I hate you, don’t talk to me” siblinghood (although
occasionally it would be nice to get away from him); we’re each other’s best friends. Or at least he’s
mine.
“Lol ur not Harry Styles,” upper left corner. Bought in seventh grade and transferred from my
old laptop, this sticker is torn but persevering with layers of tape. Despite conveying my fangirl-y
infatuation with Harry Styles’ boyband, One Direction, for me Styles embodies an artist-activist who
uses his privilege for the betterment of society. As a $42K donor to the Time’s Up Legal Defense
Fund, a hair donor to the Little Princess Trust, and promoter of LGBTQ+ equality, he has motivated
me to be a more public activist instead of internalizing my beliefs.
“Catapult,” middle right. This is the logo of a startup incubator where I launched my first
company, Threading Twine. I learned that business can provide others access to fundamental human
needs, such as economic empowerment of minorities and education. In my career, I hope to be a
corporate advocate for the empowerment of women, creating large-scale impact and deconstructing
institutional boundaries that obstruct women from working in high-level positions. Working as a
women’s rights activist will allow me to engage in creating lasting movements for equality, rather
than contributing to a cycle that elevates the stances of wealthy individuals.
“Thank God it’s Monday,” sneakily nestled in the upper right corner. Although I attempt to
love all my stickers equally (haha), this is one of my favorites. I always want my association with
work to be positive.
And there are many others, including the horizontal, yellow stripes of the Human Rights
Campaign; “The Team,” a sticker from the Model G20 Economics Summit where I collaborated with
youth from around the globe; and stickers from “Kode with Klossy,” a community of girls working to
promote women’s involvement in underrepresented fields.
When my computer dies (hopefully not for another few years), it will be like my passport
expiring. It’ll be difficult leaving these moments and memories behind, but I probably won’t want
these stickers in my 20s anyways (except Harry Styles, that’s never leaving). My next set of stickers
will reveal my next set of aspirations. They hold the key to future paths I will navigate, knowledge I
will gain, and connections I will make.

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 Home (montage)
As I enter the double doors, the smell of freshly rolled biscuits hits me almost instantly. I
trace the fan blades as they swing above me, emitting a low, repetitive hum resembling a faint
melody. After bringing our usual order, the “Tailgate Special,” to the table, my father begins
discussing the recent performance of Apple stock with my mother, myself, and my older eleven year
old sister. Bojangle’s, a Southern establishment well known for its fried chicken and reliable fast
food, is my family’s Friday night restaurant, often accompanied by trips to Eva Perry, the nearby
library. With one hand on my breaded chicken and the other on Nancy Drew: Mystery of Crocodile
Island, I can barely sit still as the thriller unfolds. They’re imprisoned! Reptiles! Not the enemy’s
boat! As I delve into the narrative with a sip of sweet tea, I feel at home.
“Five, six, seven, eight!” As I shout the counts, nineteen dancers grab and begin to
spin the tassels attached to their swords while walking heel-to-toe to the next formation of the
classical Chinese sword dance. A glance at my notebook reveals a collection of worn pages covered
with meticulously planned formations, counts, and movements. Through sharing videos of my
performances with my relatives or discovering and choreographing the nuances of certain regional
dances and their reflection on the region’s distinct culture, I deepen my relationship with my parents,
heritage, and community. When I step on stage, the hours I’ve spent choreographing, creating poses,
teaching, and polishing are all worthwhile, and the stage becomes my home.
Set temperature. Calibrate. Integrate. Analyze. Set temperature. Calibrate. Integrate.
Analyze. This pulse mimics the beating of my heart, a subtle rhythm that persists each day I come
into the lab. Whether I am working under the fume hood with platinum nanoparticles, manipulating
raw integration data, or spraying a thin platinum film over pieces of copper, it is in Lab 304 in
Hudson Hall that I first feel the distinct sensation, and I’m home. After spending several weeks
attempting to synthesize platinum nanoparticles with a diameter between 10 and 16 nm, I finally
achieve nanoparticles with a diameter of 14.6 nm after carefully monitoring the sulfuric acid bath.
That unmistakable tingling sensation dances up my arm as I scribble into my notebook: I am
overcome with a feeling of unbridled joy.
Styled in a t-shirt, shorts, and a worn, dark green lanyard, I sprint across the quad
from the elective ‘Speaking Arabic through the Rassias Method’ to ‘Knitting Nirvana’. This
afternoon is just one of many at Governor’s School East, where I have been transformed from a high
school student into a philosopher, a thinker, and an avid learner. While I attend GS at Meredith
College for Natural Science, the lessons learned and experiences gained extend far beyond physics
concepts, serial dilutions, and toxicity. I learn to trust myself to have difficult yet necessary
conversations about the political and economic climate. Governor’s School breeds a culture of
inclusivity and multidimensionality, and I am transformed from “girl who is hardworking” or
“science girl” to someone who indulges in the sciences, debates about psychology and the economy,
and loves to swing and salsa dance. As I form a slip knot and cast on, I’m at home.
My home is a dynamic and eclectic entity. Although I’ve lived in the same house in
Cary, North Carolina for 10 years, I have found and carved homes and communities that are filled
with and enriched by tradition, artists, researchers, and intellectuals. While I may not always live
within a 5 mile radius of a Bojangle’s or in close proximity to Lab 304, learning to become a more
perceptive daughter and sister, to share the beauty of my heritage, and to take risks and redefine
scientific and personal expectations will continue to impact my sense of home.

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 Easter (Narrative)
It was Easter and we should’ve been celebrating with our family, but my father had locked us
in the house. If he wasn’t going out, neither were my mother and I.
My mother came to the U.S. from Mexico to study English. She’d been an exceptional
student and had a bright future ahead of her. But she fell in love and eloped with the man that
eventually became my father. He loved her in an unhealthy way, and was both physically and
verbally abusive. My mother lacked the courage to start over so she stayed with him and slowly let
go of her dreams and aspirations. But she wouldn’t allow for the same to happen to me.
In the summer before my junior year I was offered a scholarship to study abroad in Egypt.
Not to my surprise, my father refused to let me go. But my mother wouldn’t let him crush my dreams
as well. I’d do this for myself and for my mothers unfulfilled aspirations. I accepted the scholarship.
I thought I’d finally have all the freedom I longed for in Egypt, but initially I didn’t. On a
weekly basis I heard insults and received harassment in the streets, yet I didn’t yield to the societal
expectations for women by staying indoors. I continued to roam throughout Egypt, exploring the
Great Pyramids of Giza , cruising on the Nile, and traveling to Luxor and Aswan. And before I
returned to the U.S. I received the unexpected opportunity to travel to London and Paris. It was
surreal: a girl from the ghetto traveling alone around the world with a map in her hands And no man
or cultural standards could dictate what I was to do. I rode the subway from Cambridge University to
the British Museum. I took a train from London to Paris and in two days I visited the Eiffel Tower,
the Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral, and took a cruise on the Seine. Despite the language barrier I
found I had the self-confidence to approach anyone for directions.
While I was in Europe enjoying my freedom, my mother moved out and rented her own
place. It was as if we’d simultaneously gained our independence. We were proud of each other. And
she vicariously lived through my experiences as I sent her pictures and told her about my adventures.
Finally, we were free.
I currently live in the U.S with my mother. My father has gradually transformed from a frigid
man to the loving father I always yearned for. Life isn’t perfect, but for the moment I’m enjoying
tranquility and stability with my family and are communicating much better than ever before.
I’m involved in my school’s Leadership Council as leader of our events committee. We plan
and execute school dances and create effective donation letters. I see this as a stepping-stone for my
future, as I plan to double major in Women’s Studies and International Relations with a focus on
Middle Eastern studies. After the political turmoil of the Arab Spring many Middle Eastern countries
refuse to grant women equal positions in society because that would contradict Islamic texts. By
oppressing women they’re silencing half of their population. I believe these Islamic texts have been
misinterpreted throughout time, and my journey towards my own independence has inspired me to
help other women find liberation as well.
My Easter will drastically differ from past years. Rather than being locked at home, my
mother and I will celebrate outdoors our rebirth and renewal.

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The “Feelings and Needs” worksheeT

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