Now I'm no scientist, but it seems clear to me that eight out of nine college
application designers were formerly employed as zoologists who studied
amphibians. Perhaps I should explain my findings.
It was 1996. I was concerned that if I didn't go to college, my parents
would make me clean my room. The only thing that stood in the way was the
college application. So I sat down with my lucky black pen, put my penmanship
cap on, and dug in.
As I began the application, I was faced with such daunting questions as
Name and Marital Status. College, I thought, was merely a
Telephone Number and Zip Code away.
I was wrong. In reality, I was like the naive frog placed in a pot of lukewarm
water by malicious zoologists. Of course, we all know how this story ends.
The heat gets turned up slowly until the water boils, and the frog doesn't
notice until it's too late. In the same way, college applications are
designed to begin simply and end … with an ESSAY.
For those who already suffer from nightmares about endangered amphibians,
this story may be frightening. But let me assure you that I made it out alive
and am now attending--and loving--an essay-requiring college. With this in
mind, I would like to share some helpful observations that could transform
your essay-writing experience from boiled frog to Prince Charming.
History of the essay
I wish I had a corn dog for every time I've heard someone say, "If I
could just get my hands on the guy who invented the essay, I'd. ..."
This anger is entirely misplaced.
In reality, the French writer who invented the essay in the late 16th century,
Michel de Montaigne, has often been misunderstood. Many people think he was
a member of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But far from being a "hero
in a half shell," Montaigne was a writer and thinker who invented the essay
primarily to express himself. He said many things in his life (real quote:
"What do I know?"), but he never once said that his invention should be used
for college applications. Therefore, he is not to blame for your
college-application angst. (As we have already discovered, you can blame
the zoologists for that.)
Application essay-writers do have something in common with Montaigne, however.
The French man named his invention essai, which is French for "I forgot
to use my spellchecker." Actually, essai is a French word (Old French
spelling) meaning "trial" or "attempt." So while he's separated from
today's American college applicants by 400 years and the Atlantic Ocean,
Montaigne understood exactly what application essays are: a trial for writers.
Ready... set...
Three years ago, when I first sat down to write my application essay, one
thought filled my mind: I wonder if Fruit of the Loom really makes quality
underwear, or if their main product is oversized produce costumes. If
your mind wanders this badly, it might be wise to consider relaxing in front
of SportsCenter for an hour and "clearing the cobwebs" before beginning
to write.
When you are ready to focus, find a place where you won't be distracted
and relax. Environment is critical.
Ready … set … don't start writing. First, you should brainstorm.
This is an important step that keeps your essay from following the same
organizational structure as your school locker. Then wrangle those random
thoughts into a concise outline. An outline is an effective tool to ensure
that your sentences flow like the Mississippi River rather than spout aimlessly
like Old Faithful.
It is during the brainstorming process that an important tip applies: Be
honest. The temptation in writing an application essay is to impress the
admissions counselor who reads it, but this shouldn't be done at the
expense of the truth.
