We've posted essay advice before, but it never hurts to be reminded of a few things, and these tips are as good as any. Sometimes I think students try so hard to write the perfect essay (or the perfect angel essay, as the author describes it), that it is not very authentic. It's more about who they want to be - or what they think the college wants to hear - rather then who they really are.
To get started, the writer suggests you interview other people who know you well - parents, grandparents, friends, even teachers - and ask them what they know about you. They may remember experiences that you have forgotten all about, or they may be able to recall events that help you illustrate your ideas. They just can't write the essay for you!
You could also try an exercise we did at application boot camp this year. Using lots of colored markers and crayons, we asked each student to draw a big picture of herself and then begin listing adjectives, holidays, people, vacations, memories...anything they could think of off the picture. They also talked to the people next to them to get ideas, but the end result was some possible essay topics. Come to think about it, it was kind of like interviewing yourself, and for some students, it worked.
Just remember girls, you're not trying to write the next great American novel. It's only an essay, and as long as you stay true to yourself, it will be good.
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