College Admissions Essay
College Admissions Essay Packet / "The application is a lifelessthing--a few sheetsof paper
and a few numbers. The essay is
thebest way to breathe life into
it."
-- Admissions Officer
This unit is focused on helping you get into college or landing that job of your dreams. Most students choose to apply to three colleges in the fall that they are interested in attending post-high school graduation. Although I STRONGLY encourage you to do so…I am aware that college may not be for everyone in this class. Thus, I am also including the option to write a personal statement that could be used on a job application. These will be specific to YOU! In other words, you will be choosing which college essay prompt or what job you will be gearing this essay towards. This essay is very important to the success of your application- you need to make yourself stand out as an individual and explain why the college needs YOU next fall. These essays are only 250 to 500 words so (in a concise manner) you need to paint a vivid picture of who you are.
We will be taking a personality test at the beginning of this unit…this is to both 1) learn a little about ourselves that will help us write personal statements and 2) help us see what careers our personality may be geared towards (to help some decide on a possible major to pursue). Remember you can change your major once you get to college! For now- find something you are interested in to get you started in the process.
Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday25
Due: Names of 3 colleges/universities and/or jobs to apply to
In Class: Personality tests / 26
Due: bring blank application to one of these to class (should include essay prompt)
29
In Class: Editing/Reading through sample essays / 30
In class: writing outlines/ rough draft / 31
In Class:
Intros/Conclusions
Transitions / 1
Due: rough draft
In Class: peer editing / 2
In Class: Grammar
Final Draft Due:Tuesday, September 5th
Name: ______Period: ______Date: ______
College Admissions
Personal Statement worksheet
List three positive adjectives that describe you (preferably those which my interest a prospective college or employer):
1.
2.
3.
Members of your group will write at least one positive sentence about you:
Group Member Name: ______Group Member Name: ______
Group Member Name: ______Group Member Name: ______
Using the information above, write a 100-150 word first draft response to the following prompt:
What makes you a good candidate for this program (or this scholarship or this position)?
BRAINSTORMING WORKSHEET
One of the best methods of brainstorming is to begin with a grand list of potential topics and slowly let the best rise to the top. In order to generate a laundry list of important people, events, accomplishments and activities in your life, fill in the worksheet below. As you go through this lesson, you will begin to separate the good ideas from the bad.
If you were writing your autobiography right now, what would be five to ten events or things that would have to be included? It will be easiest to think over your life chronologically.
Adapted From:
College Admissions Essay
1.______
2.______
3.______
4.______
5.______
6.______
7.______
8.______
9.______
10.______
Adapted From:
College Admissions Essay
Ask a few friends or family members to pick five adjectives or personality traitsthat characterize you. List them here:
Adapted From:
College Admissions Essay
Friend or Family Member #1
1.______
2.______
3.______
4.______
5.______
Friend or Family Member #2
1.______
2.______
3.______
4.______
5.______
Friend or Family Member #3
1.______
2.______
3.______
4.______
5.______
Adapted From:
College Admissions Essay
List five accomplishments you have made over the last five years. (Do not limit yourself to accomplishments for which you have been formally recognized since the most interesting essays are often based on accomplishments that may have seemed insignificant at the time but become crucial when placed in the context of your life.
Adapted From:
Ms. Hemmelgarn
English 12 CP
1.______4.______
2.______5.______
3.______
List three to five things on which you consider yourself very knowledgeable
1.______4.______
2.______5.______
3.______
What are your most important extracurricular or community activities?
1.______4.______
2.______5.______
3.______
List 5 people whom you respect and admire. They can be real or fictional, dead or alive.
1.______4.______
2.______5.______
3.______
What is your favorite movie or book?______
Who is your favorite musician?______
List two times in life when you failed miserably and two times when you were a fantastic success.
Miserable FailuresFantastic Successes
1.______1.______
2.______2.______
Ask your parents for five events in your life that they will always remember
1.______3.______
2.______4.______
5.______
List four of your favorite things and four of your least favorite. These can include activities, places, objects, virtues, etc.
Favorites Least Favorites
1.______1.______
2.______2.______
3.______3.______
4.______4.______
Adapted From:
College Admissions Essay
English 12 CP Name: ______
Grading Criteria / Mastery Performance / Developing / Attempting / Your ScoreIdeas (30):
Does it show evidence of being derived from prompt? Does the writer maintain a focus that is clear to readers? Offers ideas and insight to make themselves stand out as a writer and individual? / Clear and focused paper holds the readers’ attention. Ideas are fresh and original. Details are quality and go beyond the obvious and predictable. Ideas show insight and highlight strengths of applicant. Paper has a positive tone that makes applicant stand out as the obvious choice from the applicant pool. / Development is general and may be unfocused. Topic is recognizable but theme is not clear. More general observations than specific details. Ideas are reasonably clear, but there is no strong sense of purpose. / Topic is yet undefined and development is basic. More information is needed for support. Ideas are not detailed enough to show understanding. Overall, reader must infer meaning because information and details are limited and unclear.
Organization (15): Are ideas logically organized? Is there a strong conclusion? Are topic sentences effective? Are paragraphs divided properly with smooth transitions? Is there a clear start, middle and end to the thoughts? Is the order of the paragraphs effective to prove the thesis? / Conclusion gives closure to thesis idea. Ideas progress logically throughout the essay. Each paragraph has an obvious main idea (topic sentence) and a summary sentence that concludes by relating the main idea to the thesis statement. Ideas and paragraphs transition well from one to the next. / Discussion contains a beginning and end, but ideas are poorly organized within. Transition words and phrases should be utilized to segue from one idea or paragraph to the next. Some paragraphs need concluding sentences that tie paragraph’s main idea to the thesis statement. Conclusion must be stronger. / Ideas are jumbled about with no structure. Little unity is evident within paragraphs, and transitions from one paragraph to another are forced. Paper has no coherent start, middle or end. Conclusion is weak, missing key elements.
Mechanics & MLA Format (5): Is the writing free of grammar, spelling, and other technical errors? Are sentences complete, and not fragments or run-ons? Is the essay typed and double-spaced, in twelve point font? Is the paper in proper MLA format? / No distracting errors are present. Sentences are complete, paragraphs are divided smoothly, and paper has been carefully proofread. Paper is in correct MLA format including Works Cited and in-text citations. / Some minor technical errors are present, and may distract the reader from understanding the writer’s main ideas. Incomplete sentences- run-ons or fragments- need to be fixed. Paper has not been well proofread. Some errors in MLA format. / Many technical errors take away from the writer's ideas. Essay is unclear because of careless errors. Works cited page missing and/or in-text citations missing. Paper not in correct format.
Diction and Style (10): Is word choice appropriate, fresh and varied without being verbose? Are sentences and phrases varied? Do they flow well? Is the tone appropriate for the audience and for the assignment? Is it obvious the word choice is the author's own words? / Style is creative and clear and is appropriate for the audience. Sophisticated vocabulary is employed without distracting the reader from the purpose of the essay. Varied sentence structures shows original words. Sentences flow well overall. / Style is appropriate for the assignment, and writing is concise. Word choice is adequate, but more specific word choice could add zest to the essay. Sentences could be more varied, but are not repetitive, Author's voice not strong enough. / Writing is not original. Less complex words or clichés are employed, and tone does not show requisite consideration for the topic or audience. Narration is bland, Sentence beginnings are not varied. Lack of author's voice is noticed.
Score: _____ / 60
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