I received a WOW Writing Workshop email the other day with the subject Are Your Students’ College Essays Good Enough and some text that noted: As the early application deadlines approach, it can be tempting to “fix” your students’ college essays. We don’t want you to do that; it won’t help your students (and it might ruin the essays).
All I could think was wow, this is especially true as it pertains to parent edits! And counselor edits, and friend edits, and English teacher edits…
Kim Lofton’s Tips to Review College Essays is excellent (when thinking about the personal statement specifically), and I want to share a few of them:
“Begin by letting go of any preconceived notions about what makes a good essay. In fact, we suggest replacing the word “good” with the word “effective.” It’s important to let each student write their story in their own voice using their own words.
There is no rubric for an effective college essay, but the ones that stand out all share a few common features. Regardless of the prompt, they:
-Answer the question.
-Showcase a positive trait or characteristic.
-Sound like a high school student.
-Illustrate something meaningful about the student.
-Demonstrate reflection.”
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