[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":3,"doc-seo-349413-105":53,"doc-detail-349413-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,14,19,24,29,34,39,44,49],{"id":8,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":11,"show_sort_weight":12,"slug":13},11,1,"Template","Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":15,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":16,"show_sort_weight":17,"slug":18},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":20,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":21,"show_sort_weight":22,"slug":23},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":25,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":26,"show_sort_weight":27,"slug":28},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":30,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":31,"show_sort_weight":32,"slug":33},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":35,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":36,"show_sort_weight":37,"slug":38},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":40,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":41,"show_sort_weight":42,"slug":43},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":45,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":46,"show_sort_weight":47,"slug":48},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":50,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":51,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":52},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":54,"data":55},"ok",{"site_id":56,"language":57,"slug":58,"title":59,"keywords":60,"description":61,"schema_data":62,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","how-to-write-an-application-essay-college-application","How to Write an Application Essay - College Application","","Guide to writing effective college and scholarship application essays, covering key practices from following the directions to producing best-quality writing. It explains how to answer precisely, meet word/page limits, apply special formatting, and proofread carefully with help from others. The guide emphasizes authenticity, using the essay to show experiences beyond grades, remembering there is an audience, and selecting topics that won’t offend. It also includes strategies to reuse essays across prompts and provides Common Application essay prompt examples plus advice for other colleges.",{"@graph":63,"@context":122},[64,80,101],{"@type":65,"itemListElement":66},"BreadcrumbList",[67,71,74,77],{"item":68,"name":69,"@type":70,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":72,"name":10,"@type":70,"position":73},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",2,{"item":75,"name":41,"@type":70,"position":76},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/letters/",3,{"item":78,"name":59,"@type":70,"position":79},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/how-to-write-an-application-essay-college-application/349413/",4,{"url":78,"name":59,"@type":81,"image":82,"author":87,"headline":59,"publisher":90,"fileFormat":93,"inLanguage":57,"description":61,"dateModified":94,"datePublished":95,"encodingFormat":93,"isAccessibleForFree":96,"interactionStatistic":97},"DigitalDocument",{"url":83,"@type":84,"width":85,"height":86},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/how-to-write-an-application-essay-college-application/349413.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":88,"@type":89},"Mia  ","Person",{"url":68,"name":91,"@type":92},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-15","2026-09-22",true,{"@type":98,"interactionType":99,"userInteractionCount":47},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":100},"ViewAction",{"@type":102,"mainEntity":103},"FAQPage",[104,110,114,118],{"name":105,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":107},"What are the most important instructions for application essays?","Question",{"text":108,"@type":109},"Answer the question asked, follow any special formatting requirements, and stay within the required page or word limits.","Answer",{"name":111,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":112},"How can applicants make their essays stand out while staying truthful?",{"text":113,"@type":109},"Show parts of yourself and your experiences that aren’t captured by grades or test scores, and let your personality come through.",{"name":115,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":116},"Why is proofreading especially important for these essays?",{"text":117,"@type":109},"Proofreading helps prevent simple mistakes, and having a friend or trusted adult review the essay can catch errors you might miss.",{"name":119,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":120},"How should applicants choose a topic for other colleges that ask additional questions?",{"text":121,"@type":109},"Consider what the admissions committee wants to learn about fit and future goals, and address specific skills or circumstances the college requires.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":124,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":91,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":56},349413,1791358893,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":88,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":9,"category_id":40,"category_name":41,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":47,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":73,"language":139,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":143,"read_time":9},687207024478,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_a8503ba1806abce46bf441b54a3ca4cd","How to write an application essay  \nSome college and scholarship applications require essays. Some of these ask you to briefly respond to a specific question, while others require longer responses. Use these writing tips, then practice with the sample prompts or with one from your applications.  \nFollow directions  \nThis simple tip is the most important one – pay attention to what is being asked of you. Answer the question asked of you, keep within page or word limits, and pay attention to any special formatting requests.  \nWrite your best  \nFor most applications, you will only be submitting one or two written pieces. The people who read your applications assume that what they see is the best you can do. It’s your job to make sure you prove them right! Your essays should be examples of your best writing.  \nProofread  \nThis is good practice no matter what you’re writing, but you’ll want to make sure you proofread these essays extra carefully. Better yet, have a friend or trusted adult proofread for you, too. You’d be surprised at the number of applicants who write that they really want to go to The University of Minnesota on their application to St. Olaf College! Thorough proofreading can prevent these simple mistakes.  \nBe yourself  \nEssays are an opportunity for the admissions and scholarship committees to learn about the parts of you and your experiences that aren’t captured by the “numbers”(i.e. GPA and test scores) . Use your essay to show them what’s important to you and to let your personality shine through. For example, some students wonder if it’s okay to write a humorous essay. The best advice we’ve heard about this is “Funny essays can be great to read, but if no one’s ever told you you’re funny, this isn’t the time to try.”  \nRemember you have an audience  \nMost of the time you won’t meet the person who is reading your application, so it can feel like you don’t have an audience. It’s important to remember that you do. While it’s okay to write about the things that matter to you, it’s always wise to consider that you don’t know the politics, religion, or personal beliefs of the person whois reading your application. Choose a topic that interests you, but be careful not to offend.  \nReduce, reuse, recycle  \nThere’s no question that writing essays can be time consuming. Reduce the amount of time you spend by reusing your work when possible. Many prompts are just slightly different from one another, and with some careful editing (and proofreading!), you should be able to recycle an essay for one application into a usable essay for another.  \nCollege application essay prompts  \nThe Common Application  \nThe Common Application is a standard application used by more than 900 colleges around the U.S. so you can apply to multiple schools with just one application. The application opens each year on August 1 and publishes a list of essay prompts; students must choose one. Some colleges may require additional essay questions. College Essay Advisors provides extensive tips on how to choose a prompt and draft a successful essay.  \n2022-23 Common Application essay prompts:  \n1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.  \n2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success.  \nRecount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?  \n3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?  \n4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful ina surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?  \n5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.  \n6. Describe","cbCaieRqdBww79gK","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaieRqdBww79gK","pdf",95399,"English","# Writing Tips for Application Essays\n## Follow Directions\n## Write Your Best\n## Proofread\n## Be Yourself\n## Remember You Have an Audience\n## Reduce, Reuse, Recycle\n# College Application Essay Prompts\n## The Common Application\n## Other College Applications","[{\"question\":\"What are the most important instructions for application essays?\",\"answer\":\"Answer the question asked, follow any special formatting requirements, and stay within the required page or word limits.\"},{\"question\":\"How can applicants make their essays stand out while staying truthful?\",\"answer\":\"Show parts of yourself and your experiences that aren’t captured by grades or test scores, and let your personality come through.\"},{\"question\":\"Why is proofreading especially important for these essays?\",\"answer\":\"Proofreading helps prevent simple mistakes, and having a friend or trusted adult review the essay can catch errors you might miss.\"},{\"question\":\"How should applicants choose a topic for other colleges that ask additional questions?\",\"answer\":\"Consider what the admissions committee wants to learn about fit and future goals, and address specific skills or circumstances the college requires.\"}]","How to Write an Application Essay - College Application | PDF",1790083188]