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When/How To Start Prepping for Writing College Essays
worryingabtcollege
17 replies21 threads Junior Member
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Replies to: When/How To Start Prepping for Writing College Essays
I think it depends on a few things. if you are applying ED/EA, definitely now/soon. Also, if you are going to be crazy busy in the fall, you should get it out of your way this summer to make applying stress-free. I already have two respectable drafts and my mom is still always yelling to me about how everyone else is already done and ahead of me haha. But ya, also if you're thinking of applying to very competitive schools, I would start early to make it really good
My kids wrote theirs in early December, for RD, and late October, for an 11/15 ED deadline. No need to be finalizing anything now. You aren't even close.
But what you should do is make sure you know what your targets look for. In the end, that's far more bang for your buck, along with true hs performance, than all this worry and hand wringing about the What Ifs. In fact, top colleges aren't fond of hand wringers who get so consumed by college targets so early. Read up.
What you should be doing now is having the experiences that will give you something to write about.
1) You can keep a journal in which you regularly write about yourself and what is going on in your life in a deep and introspective manner. This will make you better at writing about yourself and will make you a more introspective person. Doing this is probably also valuable in its own right.
2) Read plenty of fiction, especially introspective fiction, personal essays, and memoirs (quality ones--not ones about celebrities). This should give you an idea of what good introspective writing looks like.
3) Do plenty of interesting things with your time. This way you will be a more interesting person and will have more to talk about.