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On Writing The College Application Essay PDF Download: Tips and Techniques from a Former Admissions Officer


On Writing the College Application Essay PDF Download




If you are a high school senior who is applying to college, you might be wondering how to write a compelling and effective college application essay that stands out from the crowd. A college application essay is not just another academic assignment; it is an opportunity to showcase your personality, values, goals, and passions to the admissions officers who will decide your fate. It is also a chance to demonstrate your writing skills, creativity, and critical thinking abilities.




On Writing The College Application Essay Pdf Download



But writing a college application essay can also be a daunting and stressful task. You might feel overwhelmed by the expectations, confused by the prompts, or unsure how to express yourself in a limited number of words. You might also worry about making mistakes, sounding clichéd, or boring the reader.


Fortunately, there is a book that can help you with this challenge. It is called On Writing the College Application Essay by Harry Bauld, and it is one of the most popular and trusted guides on how to craft a memorable and persuasive personal essay for college admission. In this article, we will tell you what a college application essay is and why it is important, how to write a great one, and where to find and download the PDF of On Writing the College Application Essay by Harry Bauld.


What is a college application essay and why is it important?




The purpose and benefits of writing a personal essay for college admission




A college application essay is a short piece of writing that usually responds to one of several prompts provided by the Common Application or other college-specific applications. The prompts are designed to elicit information about your background, experiences, interests, goals, values, opinions, or perspectives that are not already evident in your transcripts, test scores, recommendations, or extracurricular activities.


The purpose of writing a personal essay for college admission is to show the admissions officers who you are beyond your grades and achievements. It is to reveal your unique personality, voice, and style that set you apart from other applicants. It is also to demonstrate your fit for the specific college or program that you are applying to, by explaining why you are interested in it, what you can contribute to it, and how it can help you achieve your goals.


Writing a personal essay for college admission can have many benefits for you as an applicant. It can help you:



  • Reflect on your life experiences and learn more about yourself



  • Clarify your goals and motivations for pursuing higher education



  • Highlight your strengths and accomplishments that might not be obvious in other parts of your application



  • Showcase your writing skills, creativity, and critical thinking abilities



  • Make a positive impression on the admissions officers and increase your chances of getting accepted



The challenges and pitfalls of writing a college application essay




Writing a personal essay for college admission can also have many challenges and pitfalls that you need to avoid. Some of them are:



  • Choosing a prompt that does not suit your personality or interests



  • Writing about a topic that is too common, generic, or superficial



  • Writing a boring, predictable, or clichéd essay that does not capture the reader's attention



  • Writing a vague, confusing, or irrelevant essay that does not answer the prompt or address the main question



  • Writing an essay that is too long, too short, or off-topic



  • Writing an essay that is full of grammatical, spelling, punctuation, or formatting errors



  • Writing an essay that is dishonest, exaggerated, or plagiarized



To avoid these pitfalls, you need to follow some guidelines and tips on how to write a great college application essay.


How to write a great college application essay




Choose a prompt that suits your personality and interests




The first step to writing a great college application essay is to choose a prompt that suits your personality and interests. You should read all the prompts carefully and think about which one sparks your curiosity, inspires you, or resonates with you the most. You should also consider which one allows you to showcase your best qualities, experiences, and goals.


You should not choose a prompt based on what you think the admissions officers want to hear, or what you think will impress them. You should choose a prompt that reflects who you are and what matters to you. Remember, there is no right or wrong answer to any of the prompts; what matters is how you approach them and what you reveal about yourself.


Brainstorm ideas and stories that showcase your character and values




The next step to writing a great college application essay is to brainstorm ideas and stories that showcase your character and values. You should think about the following questions:



  • What are some of the most significant or memorable events or experiences in your life?



  • What are some of the most important or influential people or places in your life?



  • What are some of the most challenging or rewarding moments or achievements in your life?



  • What are some of the most interesting or unusual things that you have done or learned?



  • What are some of the most passionate or meaningful things that you care about or believe in?



  • What are some of the most unique or distinctive aspects of your personality or background?



You should try to come up with as many ideas and stories as possible, and write them down in a list or a mind map. You should also try to be specific, concrete, and vivid in your descriptions. Avoid generalizations, abstractions, or clichés. Use sensory details, dialogue, anecdotes, and examples to make your ideas and stories come alive.


Write a catchy introduction that hooks the reader's attention




The third step to writing a great college application essay is to write a catchy introduction that hooks the reader's attention. Your introduction should:



  • Start with a hook that grabs the reader's interest and curiosity. A hook can be a question, a quote, a statistic, a fact, an anecdote, a paradox, a metaphor, or anything else that makes the reader want to read more.



  • Introduce the topic and the main idea of your essay. The topic is what you are writing about, and the main idea is what you want to say about it. The main idea should be clear, concise, and focused.



  • Provide some background information or context for your essay. This can be some information about yourself, your situation, your goals, your values, your perspective, or anything else that helps the reader understand where you are coming from and why you are writing this essay.



  • End with a thesis statement that summarizes the main point of your essay. A thesis statement is usually one sentence that states what you will argue, prove, explain, or demonstrate in your essay. It should be specific, debatable, and relevant.



An example of an introduction for an essay on prompt #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.) could be:


"I was born with two tongues." This is not a metaphor or an exaggeration; it is a literal fact. I have two tongues in my mouth: one for speaking English and one for speaking Korean. My parents immigrated from South Korea when I was three years old, and they raised me bilingual. They wanted me to preserve my cultural heritage and to communicate with my relatives in Korea. and to succeed in school and work. As a result, I grew up with two tongues that sometimes cooperated and sometimes conflicted with each other. My two tongues shaped my identity, interest, and talent in ways that are so meaningful to me that I cannot imagine my application without them.


In this essay, I will share my story of how I learned to balance and embrace my two tongues, and how they helped me discover my passion for languages, literature, and writing.


Develop a clear and coherent structure for your essay




The fourth step to writing a great college application essay is to develop a clear and coherent structure for your essay. Your structure should:



  • Follow a logical order that supports your main idea and thesis statement. You can use different methods of organization, such as chronological, spatial, topical, compare and contrast, cause and effect, problem and solution, or any other that suits your purpose and audience.



  • Use transitions to connect your paragraphs and sentences. Transitions are words or phrases that show the relationship between your ideas and help the reader follow your logic. You can use transitions to indicate time, place, sequence, contrast, comparison, cause, effect, example, emphasis, or conclusion.



  • Use headings and subheadings to divide your essay into sections. Headings and subheadings are labels that indicate the topic and main point of each section. They help the reader navigate your essay and understand its structure. You should use different levels of headings (such as H1, H2, H3, and H4) to show the hierarchy of your sections.



An example of a structure for an essay on prompt #1 could be:


How I learned to balance and embrace my two tongues




The challenges of growing up bilingual




In this section, I will describe some of the difficulties I faced as a child who spoke two languages at home and at school. I will use examples from my personal experiences to illustrate how I struggled with identity confusion, language barriers, cultural clashes, and academic pressure.


The benefits of growing up bilingual




In this section, I will explain some of the advantages I gained as a teenager who spoke two languages fluently. I will use examples from my personal achievements to show how I benefited from cognitive flexibility, cultural awareness, communication skills, and academic opportunities.


The passion of growing up bilingual




In this section, I will explore some of the passions I developed as a young adult who spoke two languages with confidence. I will use examples from my personal interests to demonstrate how I discovered my love for languages, literature, and writing.


Where to find and download the PDF of On Writing the College Application Essay by Harry Bauld




A brief overview of the book and its author




On Writing the College Application Essay by Harry Bauld is a classic guide on how to write a winning personal essay for college admission. The book was first published in 1987 by HarperCollins Publishers, and it has been updated several times since then. The book is based on the author's experience as a former admissions officer at Brown University and a high school English teacher. The book offers practical advice, humorous anecdotes, and insightful examples on how to craft a memorable and persuasive essay that showcases your personality, voice, and style.


The main takeaways and tips from the book




Some of the main takeaways and tips from the book are:



  • Don't write what you think the admissions officers want to hear; write what you want to say.



  • Don't write about a topic that is too common, generic, or superficial; write about something that is meaningful, specific, and personal to you.



  • Don't write a boring, predictable, or clichéd essay that does not capture the reader's attention; write a catchy, unexpected, or original essay that hooks the reader's curiosity.



  • Don't write a vague, confusing, or irrelevant essay that does not answer the prompt or address the main question; write a clear, coherent, and relevant essay that follows a logical order and supports your main idea and thesis statement.



  • Don't write an essay that is full of grammatical, spelling, punctuation, or formatting errors; write an essay that is polished and error-free.



  • Don't write an essay that is dishonest, exaggerated, or plagiarized; write an essay that is authentic, accurate, and original.



The steps to download the PDF for free or purchase it online




If you are interested in reading the book and learning more tips on how to write a great college application essay, you can find and download the PDF for free or purchase it online. Here are the steps to do so:



  • To download the PDF for free, you can visit one of the following websites that offer free ebooks: PDF Drive, Project Gutenberg, or Internet Archive. You can search for the title of the book and click on the download button. You might need to create a free account or verify your email address to access the PDF.



  • To purchase the PDF online, you can visit one of the following websites that sell ebooks: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Kobo. You can search for the title of the book and click on the buy button. You might need to create an account or enter your payment information to complete the purchase. You can then download the PDF to your device or read it online.



Alternatively, you can also borrow the book from your local library or buy a physical copy from your local bookstore.


Conclusion




Writing a college application essay can be a challenging and stressful task, but it can also be a rewarding and enjoyable one. It is an opportunity to express yourself, showcase your personality, and make a lasting impression on the admissions officers who will decide your future. By following some guidelines and tips, you can write a great college application essay that stands out from the crowd.


One of the best resources to help you with this task is On Writing the College Application Essay by Harry Bauld, a classic guide that offers practical advice, humorous anecdotes, and insightful examples on how to craft a memorable and persuasive personal essay for college admission. You can find and download the PDF of this book for free or purchase it online from various websites.


We hope this article has helped you understand what a college application essay is and why it is important, how to write a great one, and where to find and download the PDF of On Writing the College Application Essay by Harry Bauld. We wish you all the best in your college application process and your future endeavors.


FAQs




Here are some frequently asked questions about writing a college application essay:



  • How long should a college application essay be?



A college application essay should be 650 words, which is the word limit for the Common Application and most other college-specific applications. You should not write more or less than this limit, as it might affect your chances of getting accepted.


  • How many college application essays do I need to write?



It depends on how many colleges you are applying to and whether they require additional essays or supplements. The Common Application allows you to write one main essay that you can send to multiple colleges, but some colleges might also ask you to write additional essays or supplements that are specific to their school or program. You should check the requirements of each college before you apply and plan accordingly.


  • How do I choose a topic for my college application essay?



You should choose a topic that suits your personality and interests, reflects who you are and what matters to you, showcases your best qualities and experiences, and demonstrates your fit for the specific college or program that you are applying to. You should also choose a topic that is meaningful, specific, and personal to you, not something that is too common, generic, or superficial.


  • How do I start my college application essay?



You should start your college application essay with a hook that grabs the reader's interest and curiosity. A hook can be a question, a quote, a statistic, a fact, an anecdote, a paradox, a metaphor, or anything else that makes the reader want to read more. You should also introduce the topic and the main idea of your essay, provide some background information or context for your essay, and end with a thesis statement that summarizes the main point of your essay.


  • How do I end my college application essay?



should end your college application essay with a conclusion that wraps up your essay and leaves a lasting impression on the reader. A conclusion should:



  • Restate your thesis statement in different words and summarize your main points.



  • Explain the significance or implications of your essay and how it relates to your goals, values, or perspective.



  • End with a call to action, a recommendation, a prediction, a question, a quote, or anything else that provokes the reader to think or act.



An example of a conclusion for an essay on prompt #1 could be:


My two tongues have shaped my identity, interest, and talent in ways that are so meaningful to me that I cannot imagine my application without them. They have taught me how to balance and embrace my cultural heritage and my American identity, how to communicate and connect with people from different backgrounds and perspectives, and how to discover and pursue my passion for languages, literature, and writing.


I believe that these qualities and experiences will help me succeed in college and beyond. I am eager to learn from and contribute to the diverse and vibrant community of [college name]. I hope that my two tongues will continue to grow and enrich my life as I explore new horizons and opportunities.


What about you? Do you have a story that is so meaningful to you that your application would be incomplete without it? If so, then please share it with us. We would love to hear it.





This is the end of the article. I hope you enjoyed reading it and found it helpful. Thank you for your attention and cooperation. 71b2f0854b


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