Showing "passion" on an essay

gibby
Fri, 13 Jun 2014 20:43:31 +0000

I once heard Peter Johnson, a Senior Admissions Director at Columbia University, give this tip on essays:

“Your essay should be so personal and specific that if it fell out of your backpack at school and it didn’t have your name on it, that a classmate, who you knew you well, could read the essay, immediately know that it was yours, and return it to you.”

That’s how specific your essay needs to be and the more details you provide, the more “passion” will come through. Most everyone has some quirky story that they are embarrassed to tell someone about themselves because it’s too personal – and that’s what students need to write about – something so specific that only you could write it. Personally, I like dialogue in essays as it hooks the reader and draws them into your story allowing the reader to feel the same passion for what you are writing about: http://www.juststartapplications.com/blog/entry/how_to_use_dialogue_in_your_college_essay



Dialogue is one of the single BEST ways to pull readers into a story quickly, even when that story is written and especially if that story is your college essay. Think about the best Sci Fi, crime or adventure books you’ve read. A LOT of these books start with fast-paced exchanges. Characters say something intriguing, and we can’t help but wonder what in the world they’re talking about. Audience: hooked.