Presenting yourself positively . . .

From Reading to Writing Le Morte d’Arthur and

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight reflect the ideal

medieval virtues of honor, courage, and loyalty.

Although the characters in these legends do not

always achieve their goals, they are generally

portrayed in a positive light.

Application Essay

Presenting yourself positively . . .

One way to present yourself in a positive way is through an application essay, often part of applying to college or for a job. Writing an application essay gives you an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of a significant experience in your life and to reveal your interests, achievements, and abilities for others to judge.

Application Essay

B a s i c s i n a B o x

Application Essay at a Glance

• Tells about your significant experience

• Reveals your qualities, interests, and abilities

• Shows that you can organize thoughts and express yourself

Body

ConclusionSummarizes the

effects of the experience

on your life

ConclusionSummarizes the

effects of the experience

on your life

IntroductionBegins with a hook, or

attention-grabbingdetail

IntroductionBegins with a hook, or

attention-grabbingdetail

RUBRIC Standards for Writing

A successful application essay should

• reflect a thoughtful response to the application prompt

• identify and describe a significant experience or achievement

• explain what the experience or achievement means to you

• be written honestly in your own voice and from your personal experience

• have an engaging introduction

• reflect careful attention to grammar, style, and organization

Writing Your Application Essay 1 Prewriting

One writes out of one thing only—one’s own experience.

James Baldwin

One writes out of one thing only—one’s own experience.

James Baldwin

Begin with the directions on your application.

Many college-essay prompts invite you to tell

about how something or someone affected your

life. Try listing turning points in your life and

people who have influenced you along the way.

Writing Your Application Essay 1 Prewriting

Choose a topic that you truly care about, then

consider how you can best use it to represent

yourself to the application committee. The

important thing is to write about your

experiences meaningfully and demonstrate

how they contributed to your personal growth.

You are more likely to write a forceful,

engaging essay if you stay true to your

interests and experience.

Planning Your Application Essay

1. Carefully consider the prompt. What information should be included in the response? You should reflect on the significance of an important experience—not just retell it.

2. Examine your strengths. What personal qualities, talents, and accomplishments are you most proud of? What experiences have had special meanings for you?

Planning Your Application Essay

3. Think about your experience. Why is it

important to you? What meaning or

significance can you draw from it?

4. Determine a focus. What is the overall point

you want to make? Which of your

achievements or experiences best supports

your reflection on your own learning and

growth?

Writing Your Application Essay 2 Drafting

There are many approaches you can take

in writing a reflective essay. You could

focus on a particular event and use it to

reveal an aspect of yourself. Or, you could

show how several similar events have

influenced you in significant ways.

Whatever the approach, keep it focused—

don’t try to tell everything about yourself.

Writing Your Application Essay 2 Drafting

As you draft your essay, include details,

description, and dialogue, if appropriate,

to engage the readers. Give extra attention

to writing a strong beginning. The opening

should be engaging and informative without

sounding contrived. It needs to catch the

interest of an admissions officer who has to

read a stack of applications.

Writing Your Application Essay3 Revising

Target Skill USING THE ACTIVE VOICE

Writing sentences in the active voice produces a more lively and engaging style, which helps draw readers in. It also helps place the focus on you as the main achiever in your story. While the passive voice is sometimes necessary, choosing the active voice can make your writing stronger and more fluid.

Writing Your Application Essay4 Editing and Proofreading

Target SkillSUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

When rewriting from passive to active voice, be sure to check that your subjects and verbs agree, particularly when a word or phrase separates the subject from the verb. Also, keep in mind that a college essay should be a polished piece of work—so edit and proofread everything carefully.