Writing Successful College Applications: It's More Than Just the Essay

Peterson's Writing Successful College Applications offers outstanding suggestions and detailed expert advice to help students create a college application package that will help them stand out from a crowd of competitive candidates.

'It's more than just the essay.' This guide reviews all the components of a successful college application process in an honest and engaging way.

• This new book offers proven strategies to help students craft a successful essay or personal statement, with tips and insights to guide them through the writing process.
• There are over 50 sample personal statements from successful students plus bonus information on how to write strong activity and academic paragraphs to highlight your leadership and teamwork skills.
• The guide provides advice and writing tips on the all-important Why This School paragraph to emphasize the student's interest.

Interviews with Deans of Admission offer valuable information on what colleges are really looking for in an admission essay. Often, it's not what you think. Be unique and bright - but also have a great story that will make you memorable. If the Dean is still thinking about your personal statement two days later, it achieved its purpose.

Today's multiple college applications involve writing more than just one long essay. The myriad required paragraphs and supplemental statements demand skill, finesse, tenacity, and patience.

Peterson's Writing Successful College Applications reminds the reader that what defines the application are the little details like:

• biographical information
• GPA and transcript
• standardized tests
• strong letters of recommendation
• extracurricular and volunteer activities on a resume
• A writing project or art or music portfolio add to the memorability factor, if the student has talent or writing skills to showcase.

The advice about writing an essay that only this student could write is excellent. Be unique and tell your own story. But remember - 'It's more than just the essay.'