It’s almost December, which means that you have about a month to finish both your common app essay and your supplements. We’re often asked about strategies for early decision and regular decision, and the truth is that our approach doesn’t change depending upon when you apply. We work with our clients to brainstorm, write, and edit essays (common app and supplements) that stand out, no matter what time of year. The rest of this blog post will provide three tips for getting through the rest of the year:
Use your time wisely.
We’re guessing you’re not at the very start of the process. If you’ve done even the slightest amount of planning, you’ve made your way through at least some of the work on your plate. The best thing that you can do for yourself right now is to get honest about which aspects of your application need work, set a schedule, and then stick to it. No matter what. Take a look at everything you’ve got as of right now. What needs the most work? Is your common app essay done, or did you give up and say it’s “good enough?” What’s the status of your supplements? Have you filled out your common app account to the best of your abilities, and are all of your supplement materials in the right hands? Get to work on that thing you’ve been putting off!
Add depth to your supplements by staying committed to your areas of interest.
Let’s say you’re applying to NYU to study History. You’re going to need to tell them exactly why you want to go there, and only there, and the best way to do that is to prove that you’re currently on the right path. That right now, you’re pursuing the things that you plan to tackle in college, and that there is a strong link between your interests and the offerings at NYU. When working with 91̽ clients, we always suggest that they engage with their areas of academic interest outside of school. What you do when no one is forcing you to do it says a lot about what you genuinely care about. To that end, if you know that you’re going to be writing a lot of supplements about your desire to study History, or any major, use the next few weeks to spruce up your resume. This is not an exercise in getting “credit” for courses, it’s about adding to the list of things that you’re about to mention in your supplements.
Practice the art of streamlining.
When it comes to writing first drafts, we aren’t fans of working within the word limit for the first writing session. This is not to say that you should be writing novels that will soon need to cut down to 650 words (or 250 for a supplement) but we like to give our clients space to get their thoughts on paper. We’ve worked on countless super short supplements, for example, Purdue’s 100 word “Why Us” supplement. Most of our clients say it’s impossible, let’s cut content, and hope for the best. No. While you might not be able to fit everything, it’s almost always possible to fit ~almost~ everything in. At times, it will feel like you’re killing your darlings. It’s not a good feeling, but it’s a necessary one. Look for notoriously lengthy phrases that somehow always work their way into supplements and essays. For example, “I was asked to write a paper on an issue that plagues society and ultimately I chose…” can be condensed into “In my paper on….” These small changes don’t seem like a lot at the time, but over time, they add up. If you can shave 100 words of fluff off of your supplement, you can reallocate that space to another offering that you plan to advantage of should you be admitted to your dream school.
The next month will not be easy, but it will be worth it in the end. Stay committed to finishing your applications, and use these tips to put your best foot forward.
If you want help, get in touch with us here.