On Being Who You Are in College Essays

On Being Who You Are in College Essays October 6 If you watch General Hospital after school each day, that doesnt mean you should write about it in your college admissions essays. Oy vey. We often hear from students  that they want to be who they are in their college essays. By all means, people in college admissions and in life should be who they are. Like Dartmouths Dr. Seuss once said, Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind dont matter and those who matter dont mind. But in college admissions essays, this is only true to an extent. If you are a high school senior who goes home to watch General Hospital after school lets out, that might be who you are and what youre all about. That doesnt mean that you should write about it in your college admissions essays, though. Writing about watching daytime soaps is not going to help you gain admission to a highly selective college. Nor is watching Hart of Dixie at night on The CW. Sorry. In dating, people are taught to be themselves. But that doesnt mean that they should share everything about themselves on first, second, and third dates. If they wet the bed until they were twenty six years of age, they might want to leave that part out. If they brush their teeth only once a month, they might want to not mention that (though were pretty sure the dates going to know anyway!). Just like in dating, targeted information should be shared in college admissions essays. Sharing juicy plot points on General Hospital is certainly not targeted information! So, yes, be who you are  and say what you feel. Just like Dr. Seuss said. But be conscious of how youre presenting yourself. Be conscious of the information that youre choosing to share. And be conscious of the information that youre not choosing to share. Maybe something you wouldnt naturally be inclined to write about would make for a fantastic college admissions essay topic. At Ivy Coach, we help our students find these topics. Often, they never would have imagined such a topic would make for a great essay. But the very best essays  often come about just like this