Common Application Prompts & Essay Writing

Hi everyone, welcome it looks like her numbers are kind of leveling of.-.

So feel free to keep introducing yourself in the chat. We have about 70 people logged in so we might have a few more that join us from based on registration. But just to be cognizant of time, will go ahead and dive into our fun topic today. So this is our 4th Tiger tip and Swanee session, so the common application prompts an essay writing process.

So I'll dive right in, I'm Taylor Baird. I work here in the office of admission. If you were on Tiger tip too, I was off screen. Tiger tip three it's good to see you again, so thanks for tuning in again. This is a series of really how you can make the most of your summer. So we're rolling out these topics and then will host a web and are in the same week just to kind of keep you guys on track. Most of you here are all rising seniors, so really gearing up for the admissions process.

So just as a tool to get to know Swanee, but also the admissions process more broadly. So especially today as we talk about the essay writing process, I'm really going to walk through a mentions wanting specifics, 'cause we obviously want to give you that lens, but it will also be more broadly about the essay writing process an application review process as a whole, so keep that in mind as we move forward in the chat. I do have the moderated chat on, so as you type in, if you don't see it appear immediately.

I know that I've received it and a lot of the Q Nail kind of hold to the end, so we'll have time for questions. But if you kind of it comes into your mind and you want to chat in the question, go ahead and feel free to do that, but don't panic if you don't see it initially.

So it's just me and I'm going to multi task and hopefully I'll be able cognizant of those comments as they come in. So let's dive right in.

So before we talk about the essay prompts themselves and really dive into the common application, I wanted to just preface this conversation with.

The types of essays that you might run into and then also types of application review, so that's to be mindful of that as you go through this process, understanding that hopefully you're looking at Swanee getting to know us and learning about our school and community, but also you know the reality that you probably are exploring other schools and that might they might not all be small liberal arts schools with the same review process as Swanee, so one it kind of paint that full picture for you of what the application process might be like for you on your end. And then also how might be.

Interpreted in, reviewed once, it's submitted so types of application essay review. The first bullet point is the holistic review process, so this is where Swanee falls in an. There are different types, you know, schools will approach holistic review in a couple of nuanced ways, but know this kind of as a broad term. When we say holistic review, you're looking at the application as a whole, so kind of each individual story and person academic path, and that's where the essay can be a big component.

It's usually waited, you know, in the holistic review process, more so than some of these other bullet points, because it is. It's really geared towards the full picture of a student so often times what testing or a transcript might not tell us. These components are really helpful in building that out, so that could include a personal essay, which is really what will focus on today. It could include a personal statement or statements, specific questions from colleges, universities, or the opposite admission.

Or supplements or a supplemental essay, so I'll breakdown those terms as we move forward. But just to keep those in mind, if you're really framing the holistic admissions process, a couple of other ones. Dimension again, this is going to be different than in Swanee Swanee's holistic review, but you might run into more of like an automatic admission review process, so that may be where a University system or a particular college University clearly states minimums for admission so X GPA or X scores.

You're eligible to be admitted into that college or to that person, so it's not automatic. You're so applying right? But it's more straightforward of here's the threshold. If you meet that, you know it's not going to be a selected in that way, so that makes sense. Again, will get to questions at the end, but if you have questions as we go so you don't forget, feel free to type in.

A hybrid process might be where there is that threshold, so kind of blending an automatic process. So if you are, if you have a 3.0 an you know 25 on the AC T, that might be the threshold right? But so you have one of those, but you weren't quite meeting the test scores, maybe so the hybrid process might be there might be some avenues for admission if you're missing one of those components. So a bridge program or a summer school program, or you might need to take a dual enrollment.

Or some remedial work? Um, to kind of make sure that you're at that threshold, so again, not swannies process but helpful to know in the General College in machine World, Open in mission is going to be sort of again. You're so applying, but if you are applying, it's open enrollment, so that might be some technical programs, or, you know, cause universities that their goal really is to educate students until welcome into that environment.

And this is sort of a tangent, but as you think of essays that you might right, we're going to focus on the personal essay for admission. But you may through the application process at different schools, have a separate scholarship essay or a fellowship essay. So will kind of talk about that as we go. But know that her application that type an number of essays are statements you might write will fluctuate, so hopefully that gives you some framework as we move forward.

All right, and I think it's important as we task you with writing the essay and you spend some time figuring this out. I mean, you're tuning in on a Thursday afternoon, or different time zones. You might be might still be could be morning where you are, I don't know. But we have some international students and then West Coast to East Coast. So you're taking the time to explore this topic and get to know Swanee an exo. I'm reading that as you're invested in this process so as we're tasking you with that and you're taking that an actively.

I think it's helpful to know then why is essay important? You know why do we have you write this? What's the role of it in the process? So these are a couple of points.

You know, it might not one essay that you're writing might not mark all of these, but I think it's helpful to understand again why this is an important piece of the application, so it's not one living dynamic piece of your application, especially for Swanee, so we do not require an interview. Were happy to meet with students, and we often do like off campus appointments, but as far as you telling your story in your student voice, coming through an application, that's a huge role of the essay.

So it's at dynamics or the living component of your application.

Um, obviously we get to see a written communication skills providing context beyond what I mentioned earlier of transcript in GPA. So there's your academic story. But then there's this essay that comes in, and for that holistic piece that's really helpful.

And and some of these points at towards the end kind of overlap, but we're gaining insight into your life experiences, something that you actively want to share with us, something that's important to you that helps us understand who might you be in our community. You know what shaped who you are or where you're going. Sometimes their forward thinking.

Is an opportunity for you to express yourself, so think of it as you're telling that story. You're starting that conversation, so I love that word for that one bullet point. A conversation between the student and the NSA reader.

And so as we move along, keep that framework in mind as well.

Alright, so hopefully that gives you, you know some context of where we're heading now. Will kind of get into the meat of OK, the common application. What are those prompts in? How can you move forward? We're focusing on the common application. We mentioned this in some of the previous one E sessions. Because Swanee is a common app exclusive school, so that is the way that you will apply to Swanee.

Some schools might use other application platforms, or it might just live on their website, so it's kind of a homegrown school specific application, but at Swanee we utilized the common app, so we're really going to frame the process around that because that's how you're going to apply for admission. So these are for the last bullet points are related, but these are important updates just for you guys, as rising seniors to be aware of, so you might have heard of the common app through high school, older friends and peers, maybe siblings applying to school so.

If you haven't already dug into the common app, kind of like we focused on last week, you probably are familiar with the term at a website, so it is that common application base where you can really utilize that to apply to multiple colleges.

And so there I think, around 40 new member schools, so schools are utilizing the common app so that bunch the number up to 921 college universities worldwide that use.

As a way to apply so again kinda access platform. That's a neat update, so just include that so you know there's some growth there.

And that they've announced that the essay prompts that were rolled out last year, our remaining the same. So if you did go into the common app and junior year, if you were doing any essay prep with your school or English class or counselor, those problems are the same. So you might already be familiar with them or have seen them before.

Or if you did any work on the common app that's rolling over into this year, no big changes, so hopefully that's helpful news and one really important piece.

You know, I I mentioned this last week. If you were on the session that you guys are all going through this adjustment academically. Personally, socially Healthwise with COVID-19. So obviously the admission cycle is going to be different across the board, so not just it's Ronnie so com app as actually making a supplement which will dive into where you can have intentional space dedicated space if you need or want it.

To talk about the impact of the pandemic, you know, like it says on your personal academic life. So again, it's optional. Will recap that in just a second.

But just to know that as you think about your essay and what you want to share, uhm, that it can be sort of a protected space, so you'll have your personal essay. And then there will be this other supplement where you can talk about COVID-19 so it it could infiltrate your essay, but it's sort of a separate space where you can still share both aspects of who you are.

All right, so this is the question. Again. It's on the website. I'm going to see here.

I'm gonna put the link to this actual blog post in the chat, so you'll be able to see directly on the common app. They have a really great blogs where they make announcements and so the question that you see on this slide. Right now I'm going to send that link in the chat, but this is what it will look like. So there disclaimer and it will basically ask you as you move through the writing section, do you wish to share anything yes or no, and so there's sort of some logic built in that if you say yes, obviously you will be given that space to share.

If you decline, then it's not a required part of your application.

And then as the side says, it will be limited to 250 words, but hopefully again protected space for you to share that.

All right?

So I hope everyones hanging in there and look at the chat box. So yes the recording with the slides will be posted to our tagger tips landing page by tomorrow. So I'm not Michael we you'll have access to the recording in these slides.

Perfect alright, so a little mental break will settle into the common app writing section so again last swimming session which the recording is on the landing page. We kind of did. An overview of the common app building your list. What is included in walking through the common app itself. So probably one of the biggest Ann.

Uhm, I think one that you have the most control over, so you know if you think about your transcript, that's going to show us for years. Three of those years you've already completed, so there's still room for growth and excitement. But it's almost kind of retrospective. Same with your activities. Put in that work. And so when I talk about the essay being living in dynamic, it means is the most recent component that you're adding to your application at your crafting kind of real time. Whether it's a flashback or past experience, you're really cultivating that in the moment.

Hopefully that makes sense. So kind of frame that section. There are Seven big sections on the common app. This is one of the last ones that you complete.

With with some power an an excitement in authority to say like I get to tell my story. So I think we there's anxiety and probably you know inherent stress around writing your college essay, think that's merited, because it is important. We want you to take it seriously, but I don't want it to be.

Paralyzing in a sense that you should still enjoy this part of the process if you aren't enjoying it, then you might not be writing about a topic that's like that's firing you up, so hopefully that's you know some framing as you as you brainstorm, so I'll walk you through the common app writing section itself. So these are the three.

Kind of largest components, so I'm not prove Owens question will talk about the difference between a personal essay, an personal statement, so this will kind of get into some of that. So when we think of the college essay, that is probably going to be the common app personal essay, so everything, especially in the lens of Swanee. This is the essay that you write. So colleges can either make that personal essay optional or required for Swanee it's required.

In the writing section of the common app tab, so.

Flashing back as you've added schools to your list so you make this common app list of schools that you plan to apply to.

What's really neat is, as you work through the common app, you know it's gonna give you an internal chart that says, OK, Swanee University of South is one of my schools in replying to it will show you what is required, not required optional.

So that is something that you have prompts in reminders an of what you need to be thinking about per school that you're applying to.

And I'm going to put in a link there too. So there's a really cool, you know, we think about like you're building your list or how you filter school so you could filter by writing requirements. So I'm going to paste another link in from the common app and that talks. It's their applicants support page, which is helpful. You can kind of troubleshoot, but writing requirements there will be kind of a search box and you could put Swanee click on it and it will show you exactly what those requirements are. So how it's helpful to fact find and.

Add tools, but once you actually in the application you know it's a d'octobre. You're in the throes at everything applying. You'll have reminders there too.

Alright, so that's the personal essay that's going to range from 250 to 650 words, so that's the parameters set by the common app so.

More again, that'll be a recap in just a moment, but.

That is sort of the range that you can expect, particularly with the common app.

You might also find that second bullet point college specific questions. So for Swanee we don't have any college specific questions, but that could include those the personal statement so, and that might be, you know, that's where you might have like a short answer, paragraph, uh, specific essay prompt that they want you to respond to on top of your personal essay.

And again, a personal statement really driven. It's about you.

And then writing supplements.

I see some college will will require a separate a separate writing supplement. Again, not all colleges do that. So again, it's like it depends per college. Build that into your vocabulary is it's really going to differ per school.

The idea of a writing supplement could be in some of them may be prompted. So like one of the supplements within common app is going to be the disciplinary history. So if you say yes, you have had a disciplinary kind of note on your record or violation or however the terminology that your school might use, it's going to kind of flag. OK, we might need that supplement. That's going to be something that you wouldn't want to explain, so it could.

Like it says, some colleges will only request is based on how you answer that question. Again, that sort of conditional logic of similar to the COVID-19 question. If you say yes, it might prompt this other item that you would need to fill in, or a specific supplement.

So those are probably the three main components, and then I put in his recap of when you think of the personal essay kind of probably what you tuned in for today. The one that you have the most kind of, like a timing control over that is the 256 hundred word essay that most most colleges are. If they have an essay, and that's the general utilizing the common app prompts, that would be what you're thinking of. So there are 7 problems that will go through.

Then the college specific questions, if applicable. You know probably a prime example of that would be, you know YX school. So you know.

Why David center why Michigan? So I know those are two schools that have that type of essay where they want to hear something specific to their community or their school that they ask you to think about and write about on top of your personal essay.

Again, if applicable, optional for lots of schools.

Then those writing supplements.

Um and again some of those might be the display history, if applicable. If that's something that's flagged uhm and additional information. So this is optional, but if you have something, maybe you've transferred high schools or some family dynamics that had been really impactful to you. Anything that you don't think merits writing that full essay about auras. Maybe sort of just factual information that still relevant to your student experience, who you're going to be on our campus that you really feel like.

We need to know as we were be your application, that mean live in the additional information section. That's what that's built for. So if it's kind of nuance information.

But you're not including your essay, but is integral to your application. That's the perfect place to put that kind of information.

Again, I you know, I think I know for our office, but for most offices of admission, if you're unsure of maybe what you might right there or where to put it, just call or email and have that conversation. But the additional information helps you put in exactly what it sounds like. Digital information is your application without taking away from the short amount of words that you have to use in your personal essay.

And then this new COVID-19 oriented question that again is optional. 250 words Max.

Um, so that's going to be a recap of white lives in the common application writing section.

Um, for Swanee you will only write the one personal essay and you can choose from any of the Seven promise that we will cover next. So that's if you're learning just specifically about Swanee. It's just the one personal essay that we require. Again, will accept additional information. This COVID-19 question and all that.

All right, so here we go. Will dive into the actual prompts themselves.

And.

Yet again I have a link for you, so that way if you're ever you're referencing this back, you can always access the links.

Apply if you want to pull up real time right now, so there are Seven prompts. Like I've mentioned, um, I'll let You Digest these three, so the first one is really going to be kind of sharing your story, so if it's something very integral into who you are, again, there are so many ways that you might interpret this prompt in what you write. That's kind of the beauty of these that they are specific. But yeah, open ended enough that it allows you as a student and the.

Writers and flexibility to share.

So know if you're thinking like, Oh, I could go so many directions at so seems vague. That's intentional, because again, you are a driver in that creative process, and in you know who you are authentically. What are you writing an essay? There are probably. I'll give you some guidance on.

Hum.

You know how helpful topics are ways to write about certain topics, but there's not sort of this specific list of good or bad topics because everyone has their own specific.

Journey and experience in route to college and.

We're not. We're not going to tell you where I won't sit here and tell you that you cannot write about XY, Z, or you should definitely right about this. Uhm you you you get to certain a lot of that. Uhm so #2 again, I'll let you read that for yourself, but that's really going to focus on learning from an obstacle or obstacles.

I'm so the obstacle prompt is that you might hear.

I think this one can be challenging only in the sense that.

You definitely don't want to lose your voice here, so you want to share the obstacle, but also, are you still overcoming that? Did you overcome it? And what's the reflection? So that would be my only. Uhm, you know, speaking for myself as a counselor, I can't. You can't speak for everyone that I know. All of these problems are equally merited, but that one particular obstacle prompt is just make sure you don't lose that student boys. So we get that take away.

As the reader.

Alright, #3 is really kind of staying true to who you are or sharing a belief that you hold and that could be a belief or idea of any sort.

You know, so when it adds.

Religious, is it political? Is it something simple that maybe your family instilled that you didn't realize until later in your life until you got to highschool? Uhm, you know it doesn't have to be this broad, huge philosophical idea. It can be absolutely, but could also be something small, an idea of a belief, that kind of nuance that you that you're just recognizing.

Or that you love about yourself? Or maybe that you're trying to challenge and change.

Alright, so there are so many that I had to have built two sides so number for uhm I would say three and four are really creative focus so #4 as you can tell is really orange around solving a problem.

Why no, he doesn't ethical dilemna, uhm?

Personal importance, no matter the scale, so again, this is going to be one that could be very specific, or it could be very open ended depending on how you read that and interpret it.

And if you're, you know, kind of digesting all this. This is exactly why we love doing these sessions in the summer because you have a lot of time to work through all Seven of these and figure out which one you like. You identify with what you know, what you know, kind of making your brain turn. That's the benefit of doing this now rather than cramming it into the fall is there's. There's more intentionality and connection behind the essay, and which prompt keep chosen.

#5 discussing an accomplishment, event or realization that sparked personal growth. So that's the focus. The personal growth, identifying that an reflecting on it.

And our pause right there to say.

I've mentioned some of these kind of like big terms or kind of heavier things. I think of reflecting and understanding whether that's closure or like this key takeaway that can be hard for anyone to articulate, so know that and know that we understand that you're 1618 years old while you're writing these essays, so we're not expecting them to be.

Often times they are profound in their own way, so I don't want it to negate it that way. But you're not. You're writing for the voice of who you are. You're writing with the voice of a high schooler, and with again 16 to 18 years on this earth. So know that we understand that.

You know these two hundred 56150 word essays have limitations at their own, so don't put too much pressure on yourself. You know you're not writing the next great novel you might be on your way there, but, um, know that the reader. It's our job to to work through a lot of that, and that we as an office talk about that a lot. You know that you are not exempt from very real heavy experiences that you might want to share or reflect on. Or you might want to write a silly essay.

I'm so not that you're not experiencing very adult. Uhm, I don't like that term. You know 'cause you might be experiencing that feels like the most important thing that you've gone through so.

Not that you can't write an essay that that captures that, but don't put that pressure on yourself on the forefront to do that. If that's not your story to tell.

Hopefully that makes sense.

Um #6 so a topic or idea or concept you find so engaging that you lose track of time, so again, you know we're getting to know you were getting to know what makes you. Click that, if maybe if we set down at a counselor appointment and like I met you at a penny rap for off-campus appointment, and we were having a Cup of coffee or a smoothie. And you know, I said well what's important to you, or what do you spend your time doing? That's when you think of the conversation between the writer?

He was a student and the reader that prompt makes a good connection point of, you know, what really kind of nights that academic passion or where do you really focus your time and his high school students. You don't have you very structured in time of activities, family, academics, kind of becoming your own person. But if you you know in those pockets of free time or you have nothing, no expectation.

Where do you get lost? Or channel your time?

And #7 is open ended. So when you think about the comment, I'd like to tell soon as you can really write about anything. So depending on which of the Seven prompts you choose, there's a lot of flexibility in leeway in what you're able to write and provide back to us.

So if you think 07 props like I don't know if that's going to click for me, hopefully in one of these you might have felt bad connection today.

And then you have lots of time to explore.

Alright, so this isn't directly correlated to those Seven prompts, but oftentimes maybe if you've done some Googling or talking with your counselor or friends you know about this process. There's sort of this like types of essays, which is not untrue, but so kind of unpacking that I wanted to take a moment. You know, when you think of a narrative essay, it's about a real life experience that you're recounting. So you are crafting or passing on that narrative through the.

Beer.

On where I serve at Descriptive essay might be it is about your experience, but almost kind of that fictional lens of your painting. That story for us. So taking us through that moment in time or taking us through that particular trip or conversation with your parent in the car. Or, you know, moment at the grocery store. It could be anything, but your painting that very realistic picture again of placing us both there in a moment or experience that tells me more.

About you and how, maybe that was formative to you too, who you again who are going to be on our campus? That's again that kind of the main corrects of the essay is you get to leave the conversation and we get a good idea of alright like we can see that student driving here, we can serve you as a student and then you're going to bring all these exciting things to our campus community.

Exposit Tori were kind of just the facts you are moving with that. That kind of factual.

There isn't any factual narrative, but that would be counter intuitive or I guess, contradictory.

We know, but basically an essay where you're you're not revealing your emotion as much, but you are relaying a very factual encounter or a factual.

Observation.

And then persuasive essay. Not argumentative, always, and it's sort of a hybrid type. Or you can also have an argument of essay, but one where you are trying to convey of certain points or relay to the reader.

You know confirming or affirming something that they had asked you to think about. So again, maybe those Y.

Why college essays? Um, are persuasive in nature. Because you're saying, I've discerned, and I've explored why, I want to go to this school and why I would be a good fit. You're basically persuading that reader, to some degree of here's what I've sent the size and why I can't get it.

So hopefully that helps, just as you, again not every prompt will fit directly into one of those categories. They might overlap, but I think it's helpful just to kind of understand some of that framework.

And then I like to remind students of what's your, what's the main focus of the topic or prompt that is in front of you is the main focus. U as the student and your experience? Or is the focus Y us? So like why Swanee why this community? Why this program? Or is it creative? So asking you to think outside of the box of you know, kind of the classic essay of if you could have dinner with anyone you know living or dead, who would that be and why so kind of asking you to think.

Creatively, or if you could solve one you know, national or.

A global issue, would that be so just as you explore that? That's helpful, especially in brainstorming. OK, identifying the prompt and then who is my audience as I as I go through this process.

Alright, so now will go into the process itself and I will preface this by saying there isn't a one size fits all process.

Writing your college essay will probably feel very different than writing for school. Um, it's a new way of thinking about yourself. And again, like I said before, being reflective anyway, that you're not often challenge to do in the classroom.

And so I think you.

You kind of have to understand that and maybe embrace that to some degree. Uhm, but just like you would approach an assignment or an essay or project or goal that you want to achieve all 72 of you on this web and R right now are probably going to approach it differently. So if this what I've outlined doesn't work exactly for you, only take like one or two points, that's totally fine.

Keep that in mind.

But I like the phase one's brain storming um number one, you know, kind of recommendation would be you do need to set aside time to get this done, so you're off to a great start because you were tuning into this morning session about the essay writing process. So again, I can tell that you are eager and you care.

Uh, which is awesome.

But continue that like keep that momentum. I uhm, I think that when you think of the essay.

Earn college application process unless there's an extra class or an extra activity where that might seem a little burdens, and I think it helps you frame like, OK, I've gotta find time to carve out. It doesn't have to be something I think about every day, but I've gotta carve out some time. You know, in the summer and fall as I move through my first semester of senior year to get this work done.

A man, however much you know you want to devote, or you're able to devote to that does often times you know campus, see that return on the other end, or you. Or you can hit submit and say, I feel so confident that that application is a reflection of who I am in my ability. That's the feeling that you want.

So just getting started like an hour a week can be helpful. Again, that might not be like the precise time that works for your schedule, or that you're able to commit, but sort of aim for something around that.

Then you're in a chooser prompt and then work to really understand that prompt. So again comb through those Seven prompt. See which one works for you and get going, and you're free to change your mind as you as you move along.

In really identify the central question for the essay so that kind of goes hand in hand with choosing the prompt and understanding it, but but what in the prompt?

You know, are you really working to answer 'cause some of those have a couple of different questions? So what is the one that you're going to take away?

Set a timer for 15 minutes and brainstorm. So again does not be 15 minutes on the dot, but I think some free flow writing where you're less concerned about typos or sentence structure or this and that and just kind of get that on paper and that could be. Maybe it's better for you to type it, or you might want to have a pen and paper and scribble it out. Just start somewhere.

And then again, this is a little philosophical, but research yourself. You know why it's meaningful to you. If somebody kind of asked you that, it might be sort of out of the blue question, but.

Hopefully at this point, as you're thinking of what types of colleges you might want to go to that that's on your mind. You know who are you becoming? What do you love about your high school experience? What do you dislike?

What do you care about? Uhm and start to connect those dots? So what are those moments or beliefs or experiences that align with the topic you've chosen and how can you bring that together?

All right?

So not though, I'll be easy. So then you interphase to whether you know that takes you the rest of the summer or whatnot. But then you'll kind of come into this first draft rough draft stage.

Come again working to answer the question. You've identified it. Now your job is to answer that in whatever way that you want to do, but I think it's helpful as you work to keep that prompted an question at the top of your page or just central to the work that you're doing. Because if you can't, you know maybe your friend walks up and says, oh like what prompted you choose or what are you trying to answer and you can't quickly articulate that back. That may be a sign that you're not really feeling that that prompt. Do you have an identified there?

Tell us a story so right like you're telling a story to a friend or mentor, so that's again in this kind of rough draft stage.

Keep that authentic voice an write it like you'd say it. So at this point you'll go back and proofreading and you'll revisit. But don't worry so much about grammar or making it sound better or elevated at this point because you really want the kind of core of the estimated come out in this part.

Be yourself. Have said that a couple of times but you know.

That is so critical in this whole process, whether it's your essay or in conversation with counselors or students on a campus. That's the idea of college fit. And so if you are, you might want to change and grow in college, and that's that's perfect. That's what we want you to envision for yourself, but sort of who you are right now and where you're coming into this process.

You know?

Just stay true to that, because if you can't rhylee who you are, then you won't. Confidently knowing that school may not complete know that that that's that's the right environment for you. Whether that's academic, social, geographic.

So don't write to what you think we want to read, or you think you should be who you should be. Uhm, it's gonna be best to share who you are.

And then leave time to edit or you're going to kind of go into phase threes or editing. So after you've gotten that out and you have some drafts.

This is where you can add subtract words. Move one paragraph up to the top. Uhm, check your tone and all this spell check in formatting.

So don't don't get so lost in out on the forefront that you can't just get content out.

Alright, so now you can vision invision down the road. Or maybe you started as a junior and you already in time to prove you're like it's go time. I've already done this work, Taylor, I'm ready to prove and kind of get ready for August and September.

Um, so if that's the case, I would say you know if you're there or if you're working to this point, you want to focus on honest proofreading and great proofreading. So from yourself and from those around you.

But I would say once you feel like you have like an almost final draft.

Step away for a second, so leave it alone. Take a break. You know whether it's if it needs to be a couple of hours. A couple of days.

Leave that essay an because I think when you're kind of, you're right in the mix of it.

Sometimes, like maybe obsessing over that or like this one word placement just some time away and a red flag that gives you a lot of clarity. Uhm, in what you're trying to say?

And so if you read it again, you come back to it, and it's easy to read and make sense. Your main idea is coming across. That's a good sign.

So then, once you've had some time to do that, pass it around. So I said someone you like. It doesn't have to be someone you you you like come.

I guess sort of like that wholehearted sense. I'm like, Oh my gosh, I know I want your opinion so badly, but someone that you identify with or click with maybe would be a better way to say that and trust to read your essay. That could be, you know, I think your friend group is a great where place to start because one they know your voice, parents, teachers asked them to. You know you could tell them your prompt.

But let them kind of read it and digest it on their own and ask them to tell you articulate back to you what they think you're trying to say.

Or Chicken Bay, and if they could get that right, and that's a very excellent sign. If they're kind of still not sure or it seems really ambiguous, or they say something that's not what you were trying to take it across to the reader, that's going to be a flag to kind of revisit that and see, because if that person that knows you.

Gives you that feedback.

For an admission counselor or reader who doesn't know you personally, it's only going to be that much harder for that person to understand what you were trying to say.

So you know, we'll say, like you know, like tone is everything and you know texting versus a phone call. Kind of. Think of that in the essay process so we don't always have the opportunity or luxury to get to know you on the interpersonal level before we read your essay. If we do that great and helpful, but it just that's not the reality for every office in every student, and so we may not know your tone in your voice and so that doesn't come across to someone who interacts with you daily then it won't come across to us.

So I that's why I like the pass it around.

But again, maintain your voice. You don't want it to be edited by so many people that it becomes, as like Conglomeration of other people's words and opinions. So I know that's a delicate balance. But if you feel like the heart of what you want is there, that's an excellent sign.

Then once you're in it got there you're editing down. You're making those final edits where you're working on clarity and double checking grammar, and then your triple checking it. So big fan of proofreading myself and Justin. I think any opposition is going to tell you that's helpful.

Um, make sure that you upload or paste the correct essay. So as you work on these different drafts, inversions make notes of that. If you're working in a Google Doc where it's going to save real-time, that's probably going to be helpful. But if you're working on notes or pages or word, make sure you are saving your work for small into that. You're noting what version is your final version.

And you want to, you can, when you're on the common app, you can type right in there, but I would definitely recommend typing in a place where you have more formatting and editing capabilities, and once you're done there when you're ready to submit and put in that final draft, copy and paste that, check your formatting, or upload that doc that you want. So just some intentionality there, and then you get you do have the option in the common app to preview it before you hit submit, so you can go in and see like did anything.

Did a word get cutoff? Did this paragraph not format the way that you wanted it too? So you can kind of self assess that.

All rights and like I said, We'll leave some time for questions, so I mean I go through the next.

Couple of sides for you, so beating your questions, Smith's in the chat. Hopefully some of these slides will help.

Uhm, but just from talking to colleagues and folks in our office, and these are some common oversights I compiled, so, um, inappropriate use of sarcasm or humor, my kind of rule of thumb is if you are a naturally humorous person and that's how people understanding know you, then the use of humor in your essay could really work for you. If that's this goes back to kind of knowing yourself and researching yourself if you are more introverted. If you're not the person to crack a joke in in a larger setting, then.

Putting on your essay that might not be authentically you, so it might not come off, right, uhm?

And oftentimes again, sarcasm is sometimes hard to translate in essay form, so just that's where that you know the editing by folks you trust and know you can be helpful in meeting some of this out naturally.

Or user cliches? You know? Editing, proofreading out again, I won't read these all verbatim to you, um?

The adhering to the appropriate length is probably very straightforward, but the unfortunate thing is often times it will.

Catch you if you are over the maximum, but sometimes I've seen where a student actually uploads the essay and comma just cuts it off. So maybe there may be your essay was 800 words and so we don't get to see.

That closing paragraph or how you tide up your essay because at that comment is going to cut you off at 6:50, so again you mindful of whatever supplement or app that is. If it gives you a Max, do not exceed it.

Um?

Again, topping needs to be clearly executed, uhm?

But that's probably a a little big, but again, to the point where if someone read your essay and doesn't articulate back what you're trying to get across, then that's really what we mean by it's not executed. You haven't really gotten to the end of of that, that topic, and what you wanted to share with using that product.

Again, elevated language comes to you if you naturally use elevated language and vocabulary. If that's kind of your niche then that's awesome, but if it again doesn't seem authentic to you or we're not seeing that in other elements of your application, it can be kind of just doesn't fit, and so we do pick up on that especially.

You know we typically see this year we we had a total of 5000 right at 5000 applications and so.

We are able to dig into your applications and really read these essays and spend time with them. So we are going to catch some of that.

If it doesn't sound like the student we've seen in the rest of the application.

All right and then common questions that I see a lot from students.

We're going to kind of let you marinate on these my blanket answer to all of these questions would be.

Yes, it is OK right about those topics. And no, it will not negatively affect your nursing dishes and decision.

So that is something that our office works actively on. An kind of is it? I think, a pillar in the in machine community is we have to check our own implicit biases and how we're reading an. Oftentimes, your essay will not just be read by one set of eyes, so understand that that's built into the review process that different opinions or backgrounds. Just like you're bringing those in. We have to read with that in mind. So I would say if it is critical to who you are and you feel really led to write about that.

Don't hold that back because if you if you don't feel like you can share that in the admissions process.

And with that you know, share with the community, then how comfortable would you be when you're physically here and you're here for 40 years? So that can hopefully be a guiding light. Um again, I don't. I don't want anyone to. We would say, you know, don't right out of your comfort zone. So if something is too vulnerable to write about or two personal don't feel pushed to do that. But if that feels appropriate and important to you, absolutely.

So hopefully that gives you the essence of those questions.

And Lastly, uhm.

I think this is just kind of helpful takeaways. If you're feeling stuck so weather in phase one, phase three or just now logging into the common app to look at the Proms? Uhm, I here to there too many topics. Where do I start? Well OK, think about your take. A late first. Could you identify? OK? Here's something I really want to share and then pick up prompt effect that so kind of start on the tail end first.

Or it's really hard to get my point across or I'm struggling to dig deeper, know that's where it is helpful to be vulnerable again within the realm of of what you're comfortable sharing.

Um?

Again, the more we can really understand but you, the better you know. I mean, again, you're not writing to serve us your writing to serve yourself.

Avoiding the five paragraph structure again, just knowing that it's not. It's not a term paper. Don't treat it with. You know, paragraph indentations and a title. It's going to be more free thought.

And in my life is really boring and I struggled with these. It's in writing my essay. I didn't feel felt really generic. I haven't had this really impactful scenario or you don't feel like I've had in this pivotal moment. Our conversation in my 17 years of living so I would just challenge you to maybe practice your elevator pitch so someone you met at a camp or a program. Or you know, again, the grocery store and you strike up a conversation. What are some of those initial things that you share or?

Feel integral.

That you're passing along to people so kind of practice that might be helpful of realizing your life isn't boring. There's something unique to you, and then I've never struggled with anything mentality. Can really walking through, like when you're describing who you are, what's important you are there moments where you struggle or stumble and that may be helpful to identify.

Again, balancing humor. Knowing what's the right fit in and also knowing that you know we're all different ages. So sometimes 17 year old humor doesn't translate into admission. Reader, adult professional humor, you guys are funnier than us first of all, but just kind of recognizing that of of what's the what's the fit for you?

Alright, so I'm only seeing one question right now and then one from Tyler about Tiger tips. Italian Sir.

Uhm, but Riley says to be copy and paste the essay prompt at the beginning of our document or in writing our college essay.

Got it so if you're thinking, Uh, it seems probably like more in the.

Let's see.

So phase two, uhm, I would. That would just be as far as keeping the prompt there. I would say just do that in your.

Like in your draft work. And so when you submit your actual essay in common app, you'll be able to indicate which prompts you're writing too, so you don't necessarily. It doesn't necessarily need to be on the top of what you said in it, but I think just as a guiding light of as you brainstorm and write can be helpful as you move through the process.

Alright, with the common at how do we indicate a specific interest in Swanee? Oh, that's a great question.

So that is.

Where my common questions? How can I express my interest in the school via the essay? Uhm, I would say 'cause we don't have a specific why Swanee essay. So that's a really great question.

One, I think knowing that there are other ways for us to gauge your interest through this process. So I mean like tuning into a web and R is helpful, so know that there's kind of simultaneous ways that we can understand that UM, and so if it fits into your essay, and you can work in experiences you've had in and around Swanee. That can be a helpful way to.

Did you not? Uhm, but again, if you're forcing that in the essay specifically for Swanee, we really want to know about who you are as an individual. I think the fact that you are applying depending on when you apply other opportunities you've had to engage with us, especially to engage with this. Virtually, you know, hopefully freeze up. You don't have to travel. It hopefully works with your schedule, but more so if you feel you can't physically be on campus. It's a way to express interest, so that can be helpful for us to already understand, and so it frees up a place for your essay to be a little bit more about you.

Alright, so.

Would you recommend against using the topic of your choice honestly? Again, I'm only one voice I I see merit. Like I said earlier in all the props. And so I have seen some great essays with the opened a new topic. So if you working through the 7 problems and you really feel like that's the one that's going to work best for what you have to say, then that's totally fine. I mean again speaking Forbore Swanee, we have no preference like ranking of which prompt you write. Two were really more concerned with what the content is.

Alright, so it kind of again to the format. Looks like Allison as a question about.

It persuasive essay with a thesis. You guys are kind of trained to write in that paragraph form. I would say a lot of essays you know.

Are going to be in the traditional paragraph format, so that's fine, but that could maybe for some students they're getting the message of what they want to share across in three paragraphs. Other students may need to write a little bit more, but it just doesn't have to be that like specific structure of intro, you know, here's my solution elaboration. Closing it doesn't have to be in that particular format, but as far as how you're, it's a couple of sentences in a paragraph, or if you if you I've had.

Students write sort of conversation form where students write in poem form. You know what works for you? Again, work with those people. If you know your writing style can help you edit. But if you do disseminate sort of in paragraph form, that's OK.

All right?

So there are probably more questions I'll keep going for a few more minutes, but there are probably a few more questions and will hit right at the hour mark, so I'm going to read these quickly and see if I can kind of synthesize some of them.

He said this is a great question. I've impacts of grades or test scores, or where is the appropriately that so again, final that information into the additional information section. That way you're freeing up essay space. We don't want the essay to be like a reiteration of your transcript or your activities. We are able to see that in other sections of the application. So again, if you transferred schools or you want to explain like if you have accommodations in the classroom, or if you want to explain like.

Testing xiety anything around that I think additional information is perfect.

Do we recommend the optional sections of the common app? So again, for Swanee we only have.

The personal essay. So I mean the optional session section for us would be additional information in the COVID-19 question, so that would be a great question to ask her school that you're applying to. Probably a rule of thumb of if you have the capacity and time to complete that optional component, it's usually good to do that.

Again, they're not requiring it, so it's you can. You're not required to do it, but again, if you're giving yourself space to bolster and build out your application, you know nine times out of 10 it's probably going to work in a helpful way.

Alright, so gay bassa. Great question. About timeline. I'm going to paste in application of applying to swimming so we have four different deadlines. So depending on I would say keep in your mind. November to February would be when you're filling out and submitting the common application to Swanee so again it will differ per school but I just put in the link for our admission application process so you can see deadlines in there.

And then another great question, would you recommend we decide on a topic if if there are multiple topics that are that you're inspired to write about. So that's I think, where the brainstorming piece can be so helpful. So don't limit yourself if you're identifying with a couple of topics or a couple of different prompts like explore all of those, I think there's it's helpful and merited to do that, and hopefully through that process you will understand maybe which one you're leaning towards at the end of the day.

So you don't fight that big inning over to explore any of those topics and see in a week or so where you are.

And our application again or walk you through that on the link that I sent about our process, but our application will open August 1st. You do not have to be sitting at your computer to hit submit. Uhm, we have early decision, early action, early decision two and regular decision. So we will have a session this morning session later about applying specifically to Swanee. As we get closer to August 1. But keep that in mind. So the common app will reset and so for all of you guys as rising seniors, August one will be when you can go in and start.

Completing in so many applications.

So the question is, should we write the why this college essay for every college? Uhm, if it is. If a college wants you to write that essay so the Y college essay, then it's normally going to be required. Or it might be an optional supplement. I would say for any school that's.

Providing that space or wants to know that do that, uhm, you know. Again swanee, we do not have a wise money essay, but from my understanding of this conversation in mission, I can give a school cares enough to want to hear your point of view there. They're going to read it, and it will be meaningful.

And then if I am using, let's see.

This is another great question, so just thinking the logistics of using the common app to apply to multiple schools, one college requires a supplement, the other does not. You know how do you kind of manage those components simultaneously, so you're going to be working in the common app and again on that bulk information. But once you get to the essay writing and specifics for each school on your list, that will be school specific, so it'll be kind of divided out and before you will have to preview and confirm.

Before you submit that specific application and kind of like iteration of your common app with those essays to that specific school.

So I hope that helps like there will be a kind of protection if you will, that you were going to say OK, this school. I've done it with the requirements that they are asking for. Submit to that school and then you'll still have other schools to work on.

All right?

So that lots of questions, which is wonderful. And then one last question is been here for awhile, so I apologize Tyler. How can you access the other Tiger tips? So a piece that in so we have a Tiger tips kind of web page if you will. So we will add the topics roll out. We will put the topics or brief description if its upcoming you can register for it and if it's at the past session you'll get to see the recording.

Where this chat insides included and then any helpful links that you might need, you know so for this particular one on the Tiger tips page, it will link you to the common app.

And then it but one last in our ambition. Wanna whine session that were typically able to do in the summer? Not able to do right now that we're all remote. We covered this topic so that's why we built in essay writing into an on line setting, but normally in that session we sometimes share like essays that are issues that have worked, or essays that have been helpful from other schools. So again, like we want to teach you about Swanee, but also essays more broadly so.

I'm sharing a link, uhm.

John Hopkins will post every years right now. These are the 2023 essays. Kind of a sampling of essays that their office really loved or really worked, so I put that link in there of essays that worked. If you want to explore that, maybe in a little while they will have the class of their incoming classes essays up, but that can be sort of a helpful sort of outside of Swanee. That third party of essays per specific prompts and different writing styles that you might be able to explore.

Alright, and here is my contact information.

So you can email me directly or are general admission account phone number admission.swan.edu is through the website, so if you are eager to explore more swanee specifics, again more to come in webinars, but that will be a great resource for you.