Mount St. Joseph Academy

The Purpose: To convey a sense of your unique character to the admissions committee. You can write about career goals, extenuating circumstances concerning your application, or anything you think would enhance your chance for admission. The essay also demonstrates your ability to write as well as your ability to organize your thoughts in a coherent fashion.

Follow Directions: The application may ask that you write on a particular theme or topic. Follow directions/don’t diverge.

What to Include: Include information that cannot be derived from other parts of your application. In general, your essay should be focused, thoughtful and reveal something about your character. The essay should answer the following questions: What makes you unique and interesting? Who is this applicant, beyond the GPA and test scores? Why should we admit you? Did you answer the question that was asked?

What to Avoid: Avoid writing your life story, the endless, meandering essay, a laundry list of achievements or another “canned” essay. Avoid trite approaches such as excessive attempts at humor or a story or poetry format. Don’t exaggerate or lie. Don’t be vulgar or tasteless. Don’t be angry, silly or puzzling. And don’t start writing your essay the night before it’s due.

How to make a “Negative” a “Positive”: If you’ve chosen to write about a negative incident in your life – the loss of a friendship – a family move that took you away from your friends and hometown – the death of a loved one – include in your essay not just what this event meant but what you learned from it, what you’ve taken away. Negative incidents, in and of themselves are, well, negative. If, on the other hand, you’ve reviewed the negative incident and developed some positive results – even though I lost a friend, I made the right decision…. – I was upset and lonely when we first moved, but I discovered that I could make new friends and adapt to new surroundings and this makes me confident about my future, regardless of the surroundings…. – I miss my grandmother every day, but I carry with me all that she taught me…. – you can demonstrate your ability to feel, think, process and learn from the incident. And that’s positive.

Remember –

1. Olympic Judges and Nobel Laureates are not reviewing your essay; they are admissions people who want to accept you.
2. When you sit down to write, answer the question that has been assigned.
3. Make sure you have one great idea to write about.
4. That great idea should be personal, from your own experience, a great SMALL idea.
5. Write from what you know, and, whenever possible, write from what you love, what you’re passionate about.
6. Have your essay reviewed, take suggestions and make corrections and adjustments.