100 Successful College Application Essays
The Bottom Line
This is a good book that is worth reading if you find yourself unable to envision what an admissions essay should look like. With 100 samples, you can see a much more diverse array of application essays than with most instructional guides.
Pros
- Includes actual admissions essays that worked
- Advice from deans of admission
- Some commentary included about each essay
Cons
- No substantial instructional component
- Essays from top colleges might not be representative
- Some of the commentary is of questionable value
Description
- 291 pages
- Originally printed in 1988; Reprinted in 2002
- Comprised of contributions from dozens of authors and reviewers
Guide Review - 100 Successful College Application Essays
100 Successful College Application Essays was put together by the staff of the Harvard Independent, a Harvard University weekly newsmagazine. Its approach is simple:
- Include 100 actual college admissions essays that helped their authors get into top colleges,
- Comment briefly on each essay, explaining its strengths and weaknesses, and
- Add a few brief articles from former college admissions directors.
The best thing about the book, without a doubt, is the inclusion of so many essays (which I'd say are anywhere on the range from an A+ to a solid B). There's no substitute for seeing actual admissions essays written by talented and focused applicants.
Other parts of the guide are put together well, but there's not much there (and certainly nothing new). A couple of former admissions officers discuss what makes an essay good, and give some general advice about college admissions and the creative process.
After each essay, there's some brief commentary about its quality and what about it resonated with the reviewer. I found the commentary, written not by the same person but a variety of high school guidance counselors and other "professionals," very subjective and not particularly helpful.
If you're applying to top schools and aren't sure exactly what's expected of you with the essays, this book is probably worth buying--if only to give you some perspective. But take all of its commentary with a grain of salt.
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