Tip of the Month: A time for holiday cheer, NOT college app fear!

Remember remember the 9th of December.

College tips, essays, that feels like a lot… wait that’s not how that rhyme goes – History buffs can I get an Amen 🙏

Well it is December and that means that it is time for a new tip! If you have been following our tips, you probably are nearing the end of the college application journey. Most deadlines for fall semester applicants will come between September and January, depending on the school. Harvey Mudd’s Early Decision 1 Deadline was November 15th – which is pretty common for ED. Our upcoming deadline for ED2 and Regular Decision is January 5th, which, again, is pretty common (give or take a few days). It is always a good idea to clarify the deadlines for the specific schools you are interested them, just to be sure you are ready to apply when the time comes. There are many components of the app to keep in mind, but something that always seems to be on the tip of everybody’s tongue is the essay. This tip feels fitting for December since you are likely to have a bit more time to sit with yourself (and your laptop or notebook) while school is on break. Let’s get to it!

Last week I met with my interns (shout out to them for writing the other awesome blogs) and the subject of personal statements came up! Not surprisingly, I was curious to hear if they still remembered what they wrote and how it felt being in their shoes. While my personal statement essay has been lost with my high school email, I still remember the content AND the feelings that came up when I was trying to write it. 

Let’s start there – a lot of pressure is put upon students when it comes to writing. Of course, colleges, HMC included, want to see that you can write well. This includes things like sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, flow, and more. A peer editor, a teacher or counselor can help make sure this aspect of your essay is in tip-top shape. 

Moreover, admission counselors also want to learn more about you – so tell a story that gives insight to your personhood, values, growth, and experiences. This does not mean you need to bare your soul. Sure, you can be vulnerable but don’t think you need to push yourself to a breaking-point (talking to myself from the past). 

Writing the college essay is, in some ways, a write of passage (lol write), and because of this, it should be an enjoyable experience. It should be a space for you to explore yourself (past, present, future) a bit more, as you start taking the next steps in your young life. 

If you’re a bullet point person, here are some tips to help work through writing, editing, and revising your personal statement. 

• Don’t be afraid to be the real you: Try not to worry about what colleges wants to hear. Reading about what is actually important or interesting to you helps us get to know you, which is the most important part of essays.
• Try to start out with an outline: Even if you only have 5-10 minutes, brainstorming through an outline can help you get a flow of ideas going and can help you determine if your topic feels right to you. 
• Make sure you communicate your message: While compelling stories and writing are always great, make sure to connect your masterpiece to your message. How does the story or the insights you share show who you are?
• Don’t be afraid to change your mind on a topic: If a topic isn’t working out, is something that you don’t feel positive about writing about after all, or you simply think of an idea that you prefer, you can change your mind.
• Get essay feedback from different sources: Have a couple different people review your essay. People who know you well can help you highlight your unique qualities. People you don’t know well may share less biased opinions.
• Try not to over-review your essay: While it is helpful to get feedback and adjust, try not to overanalyze yourself too much. You do want to improve your essay and catch errors, but you don’t want to lose your voice.