The College Essay... Dun Dun Dun

The College Essay is probably one of the most nerve-wracking and important essays you will write in your adolescent life. It's understandable for you to be nervous. College essays (sometimes called Personal Statements) are personal narratives meant to give admissions officers a better picture of who the student is, other than just the numbers and test scores on their transcripts. College essays make the student a human being, with life experiences, likes/dislikes, and a personality. As some say, it puts flesh on the bones.This essay can set a student apart in a sea of applicants with similar numbers in their file.

The College Essay can be a lot of pressure, but the most important thing to remember is that you cannot be wrong about your own story. Your life happened to you. There is no right answer. Nonetheless, there is the best way to tell it. The most effective way to get better at College Essays, like any other style of writing, is practice. Below is a list of a few common College Essay prompts:

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
2. The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
3. Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
4. Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma-anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
5. Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

Pay attention to each element of a prompt. There are often several questions to answer. Brainstorm some ideas for each prompt. Try starting a draft.

• Can you think of or find any interesting prompts to add to the list above?
• Share what you have written with others. Have a discussion.
• Put what you have written away and approach the same prompt differently. Write about a different experience if you can. Is there more than one way to answer the prompt? Does one response answer the prompt more completely, truthfully, or compellingly? Why?

The Six-Word Story

The Six-Word Story is a fun yet challenging way to write. The purpose of this type of writing is to condense a story into as brief a telling as possible. This forces the writer to decide what ideas are absolutely important and necessary to tell a complete story. It also often require the reader to draw their on conclusions about the stories plot.

Perhaps the most famous example of one of these stories is by Ernest Hemingway and goes like this:

“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” – Ernest Hemingway

Hemingway's story seems to be a sad one where a couple never had a child and is now forced to sell the baby's shoes. However, nothing is 100% clear or concrete. There are a million possible reasons the shoes are for sale. Essentially, the reader must create their own story. Six-Word Stories are great for passing time or competing with others. 

Try writing your own Six-Word Story. A great way to start is to attempt to summarize a book you've read in six words. Here are some examples for the famous Of Mice and Men.

"I get to tend to the rabbits."
"Had a best friend. Now none."
"It is not a happy ending."

Once you've played around with these for a while, try making up your own stories. Here are some cool ones:

“Gown removed carelessly. Head, less so.” – Joss Whedon

“With bloody hands, I say good-bye.” – Frank Miller

“It’s behind you! Hurry before it- ” – Rockne S. O’Bannon

“The baby’s blood type? Human, mostly.” – Orson Scott Card

“K.I.A. Baghdad, Aged 18 – Closed Casket.” – Richard K. Morgan

Did you create any cool Six-Word Stories? Share them in the comments below.

The Digital Essay

The Digital Essay is a new essay form that combines or reimagines the traditional written essay with new technologies such as video, audio, and photos. Writers often use tools such as iMovie, Prezi, YouTube, WordPress, and many others to present their essays in a digital form. Many writers feel this new type of essay helps them express things that are sometimes difficult to put into written words. Others think it helps to strengthen and supplement the words they have written.

Check out some cool Digital Essays below:

http://prezi.com/gco-vb9vvvy2/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share

https://youtu.be/K0ixwwNt6JY

https://victoriadigitalessay.wordpress.com

https://youtu.be/_vVrUdNjrys?list=FLTGVLDWJEA4-4CS3d3PvS_w

• How do you feel about Digital Essays? Why? What are some benefits? What are some defecits? 
• Would you attempt a Digital Essay? What technology would you like to use? What topics could you explore?

The Power of the List !

Lists are easy and simple. We use them to remember things we need to buy at the grocery store, errands we have to run over the weekend, the steps to bake a cake, and much more. Lists can be a great way to get started on writing ideas. Turn to a clean page in your writer's notebook and make a list.

Some list ideas may include:

• The first time I...
• The last time I...
• It's not fair...
• I love...
• I really don't like...
• Things I want to do this year...
• Things I want to do some day...
• I never leave the house without..
• I am inspired by...
• It's fun to...

Now turn to a new page in your writer's notebook and start writing about one of the things on your list. You can turn back to your list for new writing ideas whenever you feel stuck.

• Are there other list ideas you can add to the ones above? Share them in the comments.
• Share your list with others. Have a discussion
• What did you notice about the things you listed or your experience making a list?

Neighborhood Maps

A Neighborhood Map is a great way to gather ideas for writing! Turn to a clean page in your writer's notebook and label it "My Neighborhood Map". Draw a detailed picture of your neighborhood. This can be where you live or once lived or a place you have visited often. This should be a place that is important to you. This should be a place where you have plenty of memories. Label/mark important areas in your neighborhood.

Some of those areas may be:

1. A place games were played
2. A dangerous place
3. A secret place
4. A place you learned a lesson
5. A gathering place
6. A place kids ruled
7. A place grown-ups ruled
8. A place of work
9. A quiet place
10. A noisy place
11. A boundary you crossed
12. A boundary you never crossed
13. A place you conquered
14. A place you got hurt
15. A place that longer exists
16. A place you made new friends

Once you've labelled some important areas in your Neighborhood Map, turn to a clean page in your writer's notebook and begin writing about one of the places you labelled. You can turn to your Neighborhood Map whenever you need new writing ideas.

• Are there some important areas you would add to the above list?
• What are some things you noticed about you Neighborhood Map?
• Share you Neighborhood Map with friends. Are there some places they would label differently? Have a discussion.

See examples of Neighborhood Maps:

The "This I Believe" Essay

The "This I Believe" essay is a popular essay form, which was developed by National Public Radio and invites all sorts of writers to express their beliefs. "This I Believe" essays are often persuasive or personal essays that express how an author feels about a chosen topic. Over 125, 000 of these essays, written by teachers, students, political official, actors, and even more types of people, are featured on ThisIBelieve.org. Essays are collected as podcasts of the authors reading. Check out some interesting ones below:


Free Minds and Hearts at Work

Jackie Robinson - New York, New York

As heard on The Bob Edwards Show, July 10, 2009

http://thisibelieve.org/essay/16931/

The Light of a Brighter Day

Helen Keller - Easton, Connecticut

As heard on The Bob Edwards Show, June 5, 2009

http://thisibelieve.org/essay/16702/

My Music Is My Life

Gabriella - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Entered on October 25, 2010

http://thisibelieve.org/essay/88653/

Browse through ThisIBelieve.org. 

• Are there any essays that speak to you? Why? Identify key elements that make this essay compelling.

• Is this a type of essay you would like to try? Think of some topics you could write a "This I Believe" essay about.

• Share some of your favorite "This I Believe" essays in the comments below