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Mawr Insight: The College Essay

With Admissions Counselor Kimiye Maeshiro
"At the end of the day, college applications are a wonderful opportunity for self-reflection."

"At the end of the day, college applications are a wonderful opportunity for self-reflection."

Summer is the perfect time to start working on—or even just brainstorming—your college essay. We know this can feel like a daunting task, especially if you're not sure where to begin. Below, Admissions Counselor Kimiye Maeshiro ’25 shares her perspective on college essays and offers some helpful tips and insights from her experience on the other side of the process.


 

Kimiye
Admissions Counselor Kimiye Maeshiro '25

What is the purpose of the college essay? What are admissions counselors looking for? 

Reading college essays is my favorite part of reviewing applications! Students share such fascinating stories and perspectives—I learn a lot from them. But why are essays even required in college applications? It’s another way for admissions counselors to get to know who you are beyond your transcript, scores, and letters of recommendation. We want to know what kind of community member you will be in and outside of the classroom. And what better way to get to know someone than in their own words! 

We also want to ensure that your writing skills are on par with the academic rigor you’ll be asked to do in the Bryn Mawr classroom. Regardless of what you choose to study and what profession you later pursue, you must be able to effectively communicate. 

What are some qualities of a great college essay? 

College essays are where you make your first impression for the admissions counselors, so you want to put your best foot forward. Great college essays should be authentic to you, not vague. They are also descriptive, not full of generalizations. Make sure you actually answer the prompts and follow the directions. And please proofread your essays and use your genuine voice; don’t plagiarize or use AI (it's a missed opportunity for us to hear your original thoughts)!

students

What’s the best way for a student to approach the college essay prompts? 

Think depth, not breadth. For the Common Application essay, there’s a limit of 650 words, and for most institution-specific supplemental questions, you're allotted even fewer words. It will be impossible to write about your entire life. Pick one moment, theme, or story and be as specific and thorough as possible. Fleshed out essays that concisely explore a topic are well received compared to essays that feel surface level.  

How can students overcome writer’s block? 

I encourage students to think backwards and start at the end. What do you want the audience to take away and learn about you after they read your essay? Now pick a moment in your life that highlights your goal and elaborate on that topic for a short paragraph. What worked well and what didn’t work? Do you think you could expand on this chosen topic? Try this out with multiple themes until something sticks. 

"It will be impossible to write about your entire life. Pick one moment, theme, or story and be as specific and thorough as possible."

What are some common misconceptions about the college essay? 

Your essay topic does not have to be sensational or extremely unique. I have read about the whole gamut of topics—daily commutes on the subway, revolving doors, wiggling your eyebrows, aversion to cockroaches—it is not what you write but how you write it.  

Students tend dedicate a lot of time to the college essay, but please note that writing across your entire application is being considered. If there is a disparity in the amount of effort and care between writing pieces (a very polished Common App essay vs. a clearly rushed supplement answer vs. an extracurriculars list full of grammatical errors), it will raise some eyebrows in the admissions committee.  

students

Any final words of advice for approaching college essays and applications? 

At the end of the day, college applications are a wonderful opportunity for self-reflection. For many students, it’s the first time they’ve been asked to deeply contemplate their past, present, and future. What have you learned over the first 17 years of your life? What achievements can we celebrate? What challenges have you persevered through? What are your goals for the next 4 years and how can this college or university help you achieve those dreams? The sooner you can approach this college application process with an inquisitive mindset, as opposed to getting swept up in the external stress and competition of it all, the more at peace you’ll be.  

Hello Future Mawrter!

Ready to apply? We accept the Common Application, which opens on August 1, and we don't have an application fee. Click on the link below to learn more about our application requirements. We can't wait to meet you! 

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