Question: My son is a rising senior at Miramonte. He plans to apply to public and private schools. When should he start writing his application essays? And do you have any tips?

Answer: The best time to start writing is a week or two after school lets out–so he should get started ASAP! However, if he wants to write his Common App essay on an activity he’s doing this summer, he should wait until the summer ends before beginning that essay. Instead, he should work on his UC essays.

Tip 1 and 2: Use Specific Details and the List of Three!

Specific details–about what you are, what people actually said , what you thought, how you actually changed–make the essay! The Rule of Three involves using three adjectives or three examples to add depth and vividness to descriptions.

• Vague: I learned a lot during my internship.
• Specific: My internship honed my skills in graphics, newsletters, and UX design.
• Vague: My two students improved in algebra.
• Specific: I saw an upward trend in their understanding of functions, solving of equations, and comprehension of many other topics.

Tip 3: Work on Essays One at a Time! 

Students run out of creative juice or mana when writing essays consecutively. To achieve better results, students should mostly complete their essay (90%+) before starting a new one. Also, as students revise, rewrite, and integrate feedback, their writing will improve and the next essay will be better written. Don’t rush the writing process but…

Tip 4: Stick to a Schedule. 

As you will need to write four total essays (for the UC application), try to finish each essay in 2-4 weeks. If you procrastinate, you might not have time to share your essays with family, friends, and teachers.

Tip 5: Share Your Essays with Others but Use Feedback Wisely. 

Don’t use all of their feedback! Your uncle (who went to Harvard Law) might tell you that your second paragraph is awesome while your chemistry teacher suggests you trash it. Who’s right? Share it with a few more people and triangulate! Maybe the second paragraph is great but could use a few tweaks.

In the end, trust your gut. Many editors want to do a great job and will over-edit your essay. Don’t let other people take over your essays!

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