Dylan Hackbarth. Photo: Edina Zephyrus
Experts weigh in on how to create a compelling college application essay.
It’s time to write that all-important college application essay in which you try to present yourself on paper in a way that catches an admission officer’s eye, all in the space of just 650 words. It can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. With a little practice and perseverance, those 650 words can be the catalyst to a brighter future, and there are plenty of people eager to help students get those words down.
Dylan Hackbarth is a counselor at Edina High School. Each year, he works with 70 to 90 seniors on their personal statement essays. It’s the culmination of a journey that begins in earnest in 10th grade as students are introduced to Naviance, a college, career and life readiness curriculum designed to prepare high school students for the college application process and beyond.
Hackbarth says that by the time students are wrapping up their junior year, essay practice has begun in their English classes. “We run them through idea generating tools,” he says. One of his favorite activities involves students pairing up and spending one minute saying what they love about the other person. “Whatever comes to mind helps them get to the core of what they really value,” he says.
Having a sense of oneself is key to a successful essay. “It needs to be an introspective journey,” Hackbarth says. That can be a challenge for a 17- or 18-year-old, so he suggests creative problem-solving exercises. “How would your dog describe you? Or, there’s a billboard with three words related to you. Take one and talk about how it shows up in your life,” he says.
Alison Rosengren. Photo: Alison Rosengren
Alison Rosengren is an essay coach for MN College Essay Coach, a Becker-based company that offers personal coaching and group boot camps designed to help students tackle that essay and stand out in the process. “Each student is marketing themselves,” Rosengren, a Linden Hills resident, says. “We see the essay as the most important part of the college application process.” Her job is to make sure students are “adding a human touch to those essays” through prewriting activities, drafting and editing. “It’s really an exercise of self. You want to try to write a story that no one else can write,” she says.
Not everyone has an epic story to tell, and colleges understand that. “You can also offer an uncommon perspective on a common theme. Don’t be afraid to take risks,” she says. Hackbarth agrees. He says one of the best essays he ever read was about a girl who refused to wear socks when she was in first grade. “It showed she was stubborn, and I’ve never forgotten it,” Hackbarth says. That’s what the essay should do—give a taste of the writer’s essence. “What is the best way to communicate who you are?” he says.
He also encourages students to look at other personal statement essays to see what speaks to them. “We have students read those, so they realize they’re not going to say everything about themselves in 650 words,” he says. “The task is to say something.”
“They’re learning how to tell their story,” Rosengren says. “It’s an important life skill for everything from essays to job interviews.”
Additional resources:
Edina Community Education offers a week-long, half-day summer College Application Bootcamp where students will walk through their Common Applications with specific direction and support in completing the Personal Statement essay. Enroll at Edina.ce.eleyo.com.
Edina High School counselor Dylan Hackbarth recommends two books for students and their families to read during the college application process: The Truth about College Admissions: A Family Guide by Rick Clark and Who Gets In and Why by Jeff Selingo. He also points students to online resources like College Essay Guy College Application Hub (collegeessayguy.com) with helpful tools for every aspect of the college application and Johns Hopkins’ essays that worked (apply.jhu.edu) for examples of excellent personal essays.
Edina High School
6754 Valley View Road; 952.848.3800
Instagram: @edinapublicschools
MN College Essay Coach
Instagram: @mncollegeessaycoach
