Are you looking for some revision tips for the common app essay to help tell your story, connect with college admissions officers, and strengthen your college application overall? I bet you hear about the importance of revising essays all the time.
“If I knew what to revise, I would have done it already!”
Does this sound like you? Well, you’ve come to the right place. I am here to share what I know about what colleges are looking for in an essay and some of my best tips for making essay revisions.
I work with students who are in the midst of writing their personal essays for college applications. They come to me at every step of the process, from brainstorming ideas to taking their essay “to the next level.”
I have read through hundreds and hundreds of essays and have compiled a list of the most common essay revisions I find necessary. I am so excited to share my essay revision tips with you.
Before we get into it: if you are searching for powerful tips on how to write the common app essay, check out my blog post here. You can also download my free “Crush the College Essay Workbook” which will guide you through the writing process. If you are looking for more personalized college application essay help, you can also book a session with me. No matter where you are on this journey, take a breath and remember – one thing at a time.
What are colleges looking for in an essay?
You might be wondering, “What are colleges looking for?” or “Why does the writer need to revise the personal statement?”
I want to provide some context about how the common app essay fits into the overall college application before we get ahead of ourselves. There has been a significant shift in what schools are looking for from potential students: less of an emphasis on standardized test scores and more of an emphasis on the “student experience.”
In fact, many universities are considered “test-optional” meaning students can choose to submit their ACT or SAT scores or choose not to. This change tells us a lot about where college admissions is headed and what is deemed “important.”
Colleges and universities are viewing prospective students from a zoomed-out lens. They see you as a whole person filled with experiences, outlooks, and dreams. They want to know what you care about, who you are, and what defining qualities you possess that make you an excellent addition to campus.
This is why revising essays for college is more important now than ever.
The bottom line? It is now more crucial than ever to put your energy into the personal essay requirement. College admissions officers want to know who you are. They see all of the other parts of the application: the letters of recommendation, the honors/awards, your GPA, and your extra-curricular activities.
While these elements of the college applications are certainly important, you are a lot more than that! Enter – the common app essay.
What is the common application essay?
The common application essay is a large part of the common app – an organization created to streamline the college application process. The common app essay prompts can be found at commonapp.org. The current prompts are listed here:
- 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.
- 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?
- Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
- 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?
- Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
- 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?
- 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.
Keep reading to check out my favorite college essay revision tips!
Powerful Revision Tips for the Common App Essay
As I mentioned earlier, I am a college essay coach, working with students at every step of the college essay process. I always start off the sessions by reading a personal essay example, as I believe it to be the best place to start.
A simple search will lead you to some wonderful examples. Once you have looked at some personal statement examples and have gone through the college essay writing process, follow these tips for essay revisions.
Revision Tip #1: Create a captivating hook
When writing your essay for the common application, it is vital to put your best foot forward from the start. We cannot get that first impression moment back! We all learn about writing hooks in elementary school, and the premise remains the same: your essay should captivate the readers’ attention from the beginning. There are several ways to hook a reader. Here are three ideas that I find highly effective:
Starting in the action: One of my absolute favorites for the college essay is “starting in the action.” With this strategy, writers create a time-travel experience that piques the reader’s attention and leaves them wanting more. We start the story at the middle or the end and then work our way backward.
Example: Curled up in the back seat, the car comes to a screeching halt.
Writing an inner thought: I often encourage my students to begin with a vulnerable thought. Think through what you could have been actually thinking and go from there. The more relatable, the better! I also like to combine this strategy with “starting in the action” and reveal a thought from the height of the action.
Example: This is it. I either burn the macaroons or I win.
Painting a picture: When you only have words, it is your job as a writer to transcend that barrier and paint a picture for your reader. Where exactly were you? What did it look like? Sound like? Smell like?
Example: The sweet smell of Grandma’s pancakes filled the room and as I viciously tapped my foot against the floor, I knew I had to tell her.
Revision Tip #2: Find moments for specificity
I would say this tip is by far the most commonly used revision tip for my students. Specificity is KEY when it comes to the common app essay and here’s why: your goal is to tell a small-moment story that paints a clear picture in the college admissions officer’s mind. All you have are your words!
I was working with a student who wrote about the moment she realized she was epileptic. When she arrived at the session, her writing was generic and vague.
Original writing: “I didn’t remember what happened. I just saw my mom and grandma when I woke up.”
I coached this student by asking her specific guiding questions. “This is an important moment, but for some reason, I can’t picture it. Can you close your eyes and put yourself back in that room and tell me everything you see?”
She closed her eyes and said, “I remember I passed out and I woke up with a grilled-cheese sandwich in my hand. The red door and blurry faces were the first things I saw.”
Here new writing became…
Revised writing: “I woke up to three blurry faces and the nurse’s calm voice in the background. As I stared at the bright red door, the smell of my half-eaten grilled cheese filled the air.”
Revision Tip #3: Clear the Cliché
We get it. You “love being challenged” and “cannot wait to start your college journey.” While these phrases could be and feel genuine, they lack authenticity and dilute your real story and personality. It’s like going on a job interview and dodging the questions by using filler and cliché expressions. “I am determined and a hard worker.” Take some time to read your essay through this lens and clear the cliché!
Revision Tip #4: Evoke an Emotion
I want you to take a minute and remember the point of the common app personal statement. Great! Hopefully, you realize that the sole purpose of this essay is to showcase your defining qualities. Colleges know your academic records, your letters of recommendation, and your honors/awards. The essay should now make them FEEL something. Reread your essay. Does it make you laugh? Does it make you cry? Do you get the chills? If not, revise!
Revision Tip #5: Stick to the script
Now this one might seem obvious, but I cannot tell you how many essays I have read that take me on a tangential journey. If the essay prompt is asking you to recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure, it is crucial that you answer that question! Go through and make sure your story flows, sticks to the script, and fully answers the common app prompt.
My free Crush the College Essay Workbook will take you through the entire writing process, so feel free to check it out! It also comes with a revision essay checklist. If you are looking for personalized college essay feedback and more tips for the common app essay, feel free to book a session with me!
Remember – you have a story to tell. You just need to figure out a way to tell it. I have loved sharing these powerful essay revision tips for the common app essay with you and you are on your way to crushing the college essay!
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5 Easy Tips for the Common App Essay for College Applicants
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