Crazy times, and a crazy summer! Is it looking a little different for you than expected? No school, no summer job, no summer camp, no hanging out at the community pool or movie theater or coffee shop? You may find yourself with some extra time these days.
The college admission process is also looking different than expected for fall, and there are still many uncertainties. Many colleges have announced they will be test optional for the first time, and the ones we haven’t heard from, well, it’s probably just a matter of time. This means that admission officers are faced with the task of distinguishing between highly qualified students without relying on test scores. How will they differentiate between thousands of applicants who have excellent grades and challenging classes on their transcripts? Your essay is one part of the application that can help you stand out.
Use some free time this summer to work on your essays. The Common App essay prompts are the same as last year. If you haven’t already started on your Common App essay, now is the time. In addition, Common App has added a special “Additional Information” optional essay about how COVID-19 has impacted you. Should you write this extra essay? The short answer is probably yes, but it needs to be unique. You should also check to find out if any of the schools on your list require supplemental essays or short answer questions. If you are applying to colleges that do not use the Common App, check the college websites to get their essay topics.
Take Action – Write something! Get a first draft of your college essays started now. This will give you plenty of time to get feedback from multiple people (parents, counselor, teachers, even friends). It will also give you a chance to put it aside for now and come back to it later.
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