On Writing the College Application Essay: The Key to Acceptance at the College of Your Choice

One of the most stressful aspects of college applications is the essay. Most students worry about what an admissions officer looks for in a writing sample. But that’s the wrong way to approach this vital component, says former Ivy League college admissions officer Harry Bauld. At Brown and Columbia, he saw what prospective students often did wrong—and now tells you how to do it right.

In this fully revised and updated edition of the classic college application guide to writing the best essay of your life, Bauld has written an insider's guide to writing an essay that will stand out from the pack. He advises you on how to find your authentic voice, gives you tools and ideas that will spark your imagination, and shows you how to approach themes with originality and panache to make even the most tired topics fresh. He’ll tell you straight out what college admissions officers aren't looking for: another platitudinous variation on one of the following themes (if you see your initial idea reflected in this list, think again):

• The trip (“I had to adjust to a whole new way of life.”)
• My favorite things (puppy dogs, freedom, and chocolate chip cookies)
• The pageant contestant (“I think World Peace is the most important issue facing us today.”)
• The jock (“Through wrestling I have learned to set goals and to work with people.”)
• The autobiography (“Hello, my name is . . . ”)
• Tales of my success (“But, finally, when I crossed the finish line . . . ”)
• Pet death (“As I watched Buttons’s life ebb away, I came to value . . . ”)

Getting into the college of your dreams is tough. The competition is fierce. For more than twenty-five years, On Writing the College Application Essay, 25th Anniversary Edition has provided the essay help that has helped thousands of students improve their chances. Now, let it work for you.

Harry Bauld has been a writer, teacher, and speaker for thirty years. He has worked in admissions and college counseling at high schools and universities, including Brown and Columbia, and is currently an English teacher at Horace Mann School in New York.