"Every accomplishment starts with a decision to try" —John F. Kennedy

Because it marks a period of conflict, change, and an opportunity to tell a story that is a marker of the end of childhood. Also, it’s a chance to really learn how to write well, to push against certain restrictions, word count, topic, and practice all the stages of good writing: brainstorming, prewriting, creating a thesis, outlining, writing a powerful conclusion, and then doing it all again in another draft.

The college admission essay has a focus, an audience, and can be the first time your student has connected writing with passion. Here’s a description of adolescent development provided by the Upstate Center of Excellence: 

“Self-involvement, alternating between unrealistically high expectations and worries about failure; complaints that parents interfere with independence; extremely concerned with appearance and body; feelings of strangeness about one’s self and body; lowered opinion of and withdrawal from parents; effort to make new friends; strong emphasis on the new peer group; periods of sadness as the psychological loss of parents takes place; examination of inner experiences, which may include writing a diary.”

In other words, you are dealing with overly sensitive, conflicted and confused students, perfect for writing with authentic voices and an urgent need to communicate. Clarity and focus will take some work, but these elements will be drawn from the material generated by these wonderful, terrible people. These high school juniors and seniors are given the opportunity to write an essay about something they care about: themselves and the future or possibly a life altering moment, a moment of change, or some mysterious teenage passion.

The most important thing to understand about writing this essay is that its impact will last far beyond admission into any job or situation where good writing is required.

I teach this essay as a means to teach effective, concise and interesting writing. And to get student into places like Wharton, UCLA, Stanford, NYU, University of Chicago, Northwestern, Boston College, etc.

I offer superb coaching services for writers of all genres and levels. As a published novelist, award-winning playwright, scriptwriter, columnist, and blogger, I work with writers of all genres and levels who can benefit from a small, virtual class. 

Visit theteachersway.com to learn more and watch videos about the college admission essay. I look forward to working with you!

—Molly Moynahan, author and writing coach