The common application main essay is one of the most important parts for the applicants to USA Universities. This essay is required by almost all universities and gives and is the only opportunity for the student to give a thorough insight to the admission officers about who he/she truly is.  But crafting a perfect and representative common application essay can be tricky to many students as they are not felling sure about how to approach the 7 topics of this essay. Yet, there are steps that students can follow that will assist them in the process of coming up with a great idea and the communicating it on paper.

Step 1. Brainstorm

This is the first and most important step in the process. Students should discuss with their parents and counsellors their ideas. Everyone has a story to tell, so students may brainstorm on all topics and with the assistance of the CLC Mentors they can find the perfect idea that will give the admissions officers a glimpse to the student’s culture, personality, and identity. What made a student the individual who is today. What story from his/her life awakened or sparked an important realization? What made this student mature or open his/her heart and mind to a new world. What this student had one after realizing something integral about life, about who he/she wants to be in the future. How has he/she acted upon this realization. Everyone has a different narrative of life to share, whether it is a sport the student excels at, whether it is a hobby, a family story, moments in time feeling a deep connection with cultural roots, a creation of a special bond with a stranger, a period of transformation ignited by community service, there is always a story to be told.

Step 2. Draft

Start figuring out the narrative. A successful essay needs to catch the attention of the reader immediately. In fact, starting with an image that will imprint on the audience and will draw them to read the whole essay without blinking. Quotes can be used too but they should really tie with rest of the story and should definitely not be overused or clichés. This essay is the students’ chance to outshine their peers and highlight their uniqueness. So after captivating the readers, students should focus on crafting a story full of images, captivating moments, and a narrative that will follow a structure and order that will be easier for the reader to comprehend and follow.

Step 3. Revise. Edit. Discuss.

After finishing the initial draft show it to your CLC Mentor and your family, to the people who know you best. Does the essay mirror your personality? Does it accurately and eloquently communicate your main idea? Does it show who you were, who you are, and who you seek to become? Does it make the reader mentally travel and see the events unfolding with their own eyes? Is it inviting a full of images? Does it appeal to the emotion? And finally is this essay a piece of yourself? Does it tell to strangers what you want them to know about you the most? Besides academics and interests, this essay needs to be different and unique like our students are. That is why we at CLC constantly revise and help our students craft the perfect essay that reflects their unique identity.

Remember this is the only chance to use so vivid images and emotion to the universities you are applying to. This is the chance to make the admission officer support you in the admissions process. And this can only be done if you truly touch their heart and captivate their mind. From the thousands of essays admissions are going to read, we help our students write an essay so extraordinary that will make the admission officer remember them and distinguish them among other applicants.