When writing the college essay, too many students try to squeeze their entire life story into 500 words. It is almost always better to think small. This is what I suggest to my students: Cull through the random stories and events in your life. Did you win a competition at the last second? Was your family stranded on vacation with no power for five days? Now ask yourself — are any of these tales and your actions within them representative of your larger, most valuable qualities? The perfect essay topic showcases your personality, passions and ambitions without trying to do too much at once. The story about time your quick thinking and resourcefulness in a last minute costume contest won a vacation for your entire family is much more interesting than a diatribe on why you like Halloween. If you find yourself getting lost while writing, ask, "What am I trying to say about myself, and am I using a specific, compelling example to tell my story?"
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