[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-488644-105":59,"doc-detail-488644-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","writing-a-good-college-application-essay-writing-guidance","Writing a Good College Application Essay - Writing guidance","","Guidance for writing an effective college application essay, centered on audience awareness and self-focused storytelling. It advises analyzing rather than merely describing, avoiding common topics and repeating existing application information, and ensuring the essay fits the prompt while staying genuinely personal. The material provides topic ideas, including lessons learned, values changes, fears, discoveries, and future outlooks, and warns against generic missions, overused experiences, and inappropriate criticisms. It also includes topic-specific do/don’t notes and proofreading reminders.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":20,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/writing-a-good-college-application-essay-writing-guidance/488644/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/writing-a-good-college-application-essay-writing-guidance/488644.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Alex Sinclair","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-29","2026-10-01",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":29},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"How can you make sure your college essay motivates the admissions audience?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"Think about your audience and ask how the essay would motivate them to admit you. Focus on self-awareness and analysis so the reader learns something specific about you.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What kinds of topics should you write about or avoid?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"Write about distinctive lessons, discoveries, fears, values changes, or personal impact. Avoid common experiences unless your angle is unique, and do not repeat information already in your application.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"What advice is given for choosing a topic and handling common prompts?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"Consider what admissions officers cannot learn from the rest of your application and use revealing, appealing moments. Avoid generic essays that could apply to all schools, and follow topic-specific guidance such as not writing common mission trips or widely-read books everyone mentions.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},488644,1791471976,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":19,"category_name":20,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":29,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":29,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":144,"preview_page_count":4},1099523882182,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_6f874abed73319feea01a86fa6f0fab8","Writing a Good College Application Essay  \n\n| Most Important |\n| --- |\n| ◦ Think about your audience.\u003Cbr>Ask yourself,“How will this essay motivate them to admit me?” ◦\u003Cbr>◦ Analyze – do not just describe a situation or tell a story. Self-awareness is key. ◦\u003Cbr>◦ Do not write about a common experience unless your take on it is unique. ◦\u003Cbr>◦ Do not just repeat information that is already in your application. ◦\u003Cbr>◦ Make sure the essay is about you no matter what the prompt is. ◦\u003Cbr>◦ Use details to show – do not just tell. ◦\u003Cbr>◦ Proofread every word. ◦ |\n\nDeciding What To Communicate  \nExamples of things they would like to read about:  \nThese are just suggestions to get you going – feel free to write about something else.  \n􀁸 A lesson you learned  \n(Avoid determination, gratitude, perseverance, and self-confidence – they are very common topics. )  \n􀁸 Something that is distinctive or interesting about you (Ask family or friends. )  \n􀁸 Your fears and how you deal with them (Stay positive.)  \n􀁸 Something you hope to learn in college or in life  \n􀁸 An impact you would like to have on society  \n􀁸 Your values and/or how they have changed  \n􀁸 A discovery you made about yourself  \n􀁸 Where you see yourself in 10 years  \n􀁸 Your hopes and dreams  \nIf you’re stuck, think about what the following might reveal about you:  \nYou don’t have to write about them, but they might give you some ideas.  \n􀁸 A member of your family whom people say you resemble (Make sure this essay is really about you. )  \n􀁸 A situation where you felt inadequate and how you handled it  \n􀁸 An unusual nickname, if you have one, and how you got it  \n􀁸 Something you want to do before you die and why  \n􀁸 Your relationships with your family members  \n􀁸 A situation where you felt uncomfortable  \n􀁸 A small experience that had a big impact  \n􀁸 Your proudest moment (Don’t brag. )  \n􀁸 Your most embarrassing moment  \n􀁸 An unusual hobby or pastime  \n􀁸 Things that makes you smile  \n􀁸 Things that make you angry  \n􀁸 A dilemma you faced  \n􀁸 A phobia  \nChoosing A Topic  \n1. Before you respond to the prompt, think about what you would like to communicate about yourself.  \n2. Write about something that the admissions officers may not learn from the rest of your application. For example, if you have done a lot of community service, you can tie your essay into that, but don’t just write about how much you enjoy helping people – that is obvious.  \n3. If you write about an interesting experience, make sure it shows something appealing about you. Think about a revealing moment and not just a broad story.  \n4. DO NOT WRITE ABOUT A MISSION TRIP OR A BOOK THAT EVERYONE READS .  \n5. Consider a creative approach to a standard prompt:  \nSomeone who has influenced you – a literary character or a historical figure  \nA work of art – a classic car or a beautiful building  \n\n| Do not write about a common experience unless you have a unique situation or creative perspective.\u003Cbr>Essays on the following topics usually sound the same: |  |\n| --- | --- |\n| Community Service/Mission Trip: gratitude, primitive conditions, joy of giving, materialism | Getting a job: responsibility, independence, self-confidence, future career |\n| Sports: teamwork, overcoming injury,\u003Cbr>“practice makes perfect,” demanding coach | Someone who overcame illness or adversity: inspiration, determination, giving something back |\n| Eye-opening travel: new perspectives, courage, different kinds of people, common bonds | “Harry Potter,” “The Great Gatsby,”\u003Cbr>Miley Cyrus songs |\n| Moving/Transferring to a new school: self-reliance, personal growth, intellectual challenge | Global warming – unless you have a specific plan to address it |\n\nHints:  \n􀁸 Consider the essay prompts from all the schools you’re applying to and see whether you could write an essay that would work for more than one prompt – make sure it truly addresses both questions.  \n􀁸 You can add humor if it comes naturally, but do not just tell a funny story.  \n􀁸 If one of th","cbCaieesPxseeT5D","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaieesPxseeT5D","pdf",676917,"English","# Most Important\n# Deciding What To Communicate\n# Choosing A Topic\n# Suggestions For Common Topics\n# Why you want to go to a specific school\n# A current issue you would like to address","[{\"question\":\"How can you make sure your college essay motivates the admissions audience?\",\"answer\":\"Think about your audience and ask how the essay would motivate them to admit you. Focus on self-awareness and analysis so the reader learns something specific about you.\"},{\"question\":\"What kinds of topics should you write about or avoid?\",\"answer\":\"Write about distinctive lessons, discoveries, fears, values changes, or personal impact. Avoid common experiences unless your angle is unique, and do not repeat information already in your application.\"},{\"question\":\"What advice is given for choosing a topic and handling common prompts?\",\"answer\":\"Consider what admissions officers cannot learn from the rest of your application and use revealing, appealing moments. Avoid generic essays that could apply to all schools, and follow topic-specific guidance such as not writing common mission trips or widely-read books everyone mentions.\"}]","Writing a Good College Application Essay - Writing guidance | PDF",1790815310,15]