Sitting down to write a Private School Essay can be nerve-wracking, especially when your child is staring at a blank document and blinking cursor on the screen! The pending December 15th deadline puts even more pressure on the process.
Writing from scratch requires focus and inspiration — and the stress becomes real when the writing topic is turned towards you. No wonder students (and parents) get overwhelmed when it’s time to complete the essay portion of a private school application! However, it doesn’t have to be.
The short essay questions are meant to provide admissions officers with a well-rounded picture of your child as a person and as a student. When written thoughtfully, your child can truly stand out.
Below are top tips from Write Coach for conquering writer’s block to write an awesome essay:
Remember your audience.
Although the essay is about your student, it’s FOR the private school admissions team. What will stand out to them? What will interest them? What will help them best understand your child and how they learn? Craft an essay with these professionals in mind.
Answer the essay question asked.
This may seem obvious. However, it’s easy to steer off course when you get into a writing groove. Always refer back to the question and make sure to answer all parts of the question. Go below the suggested word count.
Portray personality.
Private schools are admitting people, not numbers. Their goal is to create a diverse community in which students grow and are challenged. The best essay includes his/her different interests and passion and will demonstrate a student’s personality, quirks and all.
Provide a unique perspective.
Opinions are important. If your child believes in a cause or has a strong point-of-view on a topic, talk about why. By standing behind their convictions, your child will avoid cookie-cutter responses and show their critical thinking and leadership capabilities.
Maintain proper essay structure.
Remember, the essay isn’t just an exercise to get to know your well-rounded student; it’s also an evaluation of their writing ability. Maintaining the proper essay structure with an introduction, body, and conclusion is essential. Keep in mind, admission officers read a LOT of essays, so really work on hooking them with the intro.
Get feedback.
Once your child’s essay is complete, it’s perfectly acceptable for them to ask someone else to read it. If you didn’t hire Write Coach, now is an ideal time. We will point out areas where they have opportunities to strengthen an idea or cut the clutter of any extra words or phrases that don’t support their answers.
Write Coach ensures your child’s own perspective is captured within a clear, concise essay that resonates with their dream school’s admissions team. Free 15 minute consultations are available by clicking here.
