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Health & Fitness

Why Is The College Essay Important?

By the time admissions officers reach the essay reading phase of a student's application review, they already know said student's GPA.  They have inspected every test score.  They know if a student was the captain of the basketball team, and if he/she won the 10th grade state science fair, and whether or not a student's sister is an alumni at the institution to which he/she applying.  What they don’t know when they pick up those double-spaced, perfectly spell checked pages, is what a student is like in person.  What are his/her outstanding personality traits?  What is it like to spend a day with this student?  What motivates this seventeen year-old to take action?  Is he/she you sympathetic, motivated, serene, excitable, supercharged, rambunctious?  What does this student care about other than grades and after school activities?  What are the events that have had a meaningful impact on his/her life?

When trapped within the confines of a generic college application, so many students look the same.  You would not believe how many class presidents there are, or the number of students who achieve perfect scores on the SATs.  The only way for students to stand out is to show admissions what makes them unique and personable.  Admissions officers want a window into something they can’t already see — a small example that is indicative of a larger personality trait.  Maybe it is something of value to a large academic community, a small group of friends, a family.  Maybe it is simply an illustration of a student's advanced ability for self-reflection.  What is at the core of who the applicant really is?  This is the one true chance to show it, and it can make all the difference between rejection and admission.

For more information on the college admissions essay, or to inquire about CEA's private consultation services, call 347-927-9CEA (9232) or visit CollegeEssayAdvisors.com.

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