Finding the Right Camp for A First-Timer
April 15, 2024
By Deena Maerowitz, JD, MSW
The long, sunny days of summer are perfect for hitting the beach, hanging out with friends—and getting a jumpstart on your college application essays.
The benefits of launching this part of the process early are numerous. Being away from school-year deadlines lets candidates bring fresh energy and creativity to putting their best foot forward through these personal narratives. In addition, the competitive advantage of applying early is even greater in this era of high application numbers. Deadlines for merit aid may also require applications to be submitted earlier than even the early-action or early-decision deadlines. In this context, being ready with essays when the school year begins can reduce stress and increase opportunities.
Students can start their primary essays now because prompts for the Common Application are already published. Writing these early in the summer makes time more available to write supplemental essays for individual schools when those prompts become available in August.
As you write, use these strategies to craft personal essays that enhance your application:
Revising is an important part of essay writing, and successful college application essays undergo multiple drafts. So, the sooner candidates get something on the page, the better. A pro writer’s tip is to let a piece of writing rest between drafts. By starting well in advance of deadlines, candidates can bring a fresh perspective to each draft as they add layers of depth and finesse. This is just one more benefit of working on essays over the summer. When school starts and college admission deadlines loom large, you’ll be glad you did.
Deena Maerowitz works with students ranging from freshmen to seniors and is an expert in both undergraduate and graduate education. She is widely published and sought-after as a speaker on college planning. She can be reached at deena@thebertramgroup.com. This post is reprinted with permission from an online publication by The Bertram Group.