Life Lessons and College Adventures in College Essay Writing | Mark Hernandez | TEDxGunnHighSchool

Summary

The speaker dedicates a talk to Mr. David, a teaching idol, emphasizing the importance of clean, non-egotistical writing in college essays. They discuss the 'elephant in the room' plea for readers to continue engaging with the essay. The speaker outlines three tests for effective writing: literacy, avoiding arrogance, and understanding the reader's experience. Using personal anecdotes and metaphors, they stress the need for clarity, humility, and empathy in writing to ensure readers remain invested.

Takeaways

• 📚 Dedication: The speaker dedicates the talk to Mr. David, a teaching idol and a brilliant man, emphasizing the importance of gratitude and admiration in teaching.
• 📝 Clarity: The central plea of college essays is to engage the reader to continue reading the next sentence, highlighting the necessity for clear and compelling writing.
• 🧐 Literacy Test: Writing cleanly and without errors is crucial for passing the 'literacy test' in college essays, as it ensures the reader's smooth progression through the text.
• 🚫 Jackass Test: Avoiding arrogance and self-aggrandizement in writing is essential to pass the 'jackass test', ensuring the reader does not perceive the writer negatively.
• 🤔 Gets It Test: Demonstrating an understanding of the reader's experience and perspective, known as the 'gets it test', is vital for creating a connection and maintaining reader interest.
• 🏆 Uniqueness: The speaker's personal essay about Star Wars, despite being unconventional, was memorable and stood out, suggesting that uniqueness can be an asset in writing.
• 🎯 Target Audience: Recognizing the audience's effort to read and engage with the essay is important, as it influences how the writer crafts their message.
• 🔍 Attention to Detail: The importance of small details is underscored by the Titanic metaphor, illustrating how neglecting them can lead to significant consequences.
• 🤷‍♂️ Overconfidence: The speaker's experience with law school applications shows the pitfalls of overconfidence and the value of understanding the process and requirements.
• 📉 Humility: The need for humility in writing is highlighted, as it prevents the writer from coming across as boastful or self-aggrandizing.
• 🔄 Adaptability: The anecdote about the Star Destroyer demonstrates the importance of adaptability and thinking on one's feet, which can translate to writing as well.

Q & A

Who does the speaker dedicate the talk to and why?

The speaker dedicates the talk to Mr. David, who still teaches at the school, because he is the speaker's teaching idol, a brilliant man, and a wizard, and the speaker loves him very much.

What is the 'elephant in the room' the speaker refers to in the context of college essays?

The 'elephant in the room' is the plea for the reader to continue reading the next sentence, which is the essence of what college essays aim to achieve.

What are the three tests the speaker mentions that one must pass to write a compelling college essay?

The three tests are the literacy test (writing cleanly), the Jackass test (not coming across as arrogant), and the 'gets it' test (understanding the reader's experience).

What book did the speaker read during a dark period in their reading career, and how did it impact them?

The speaker read 'Titanic: Death and Life of a Legend' by Michael David. It made them feel joy and relaxation due to the clean grammar and appropriate use of language, which stood in stark contrast to the poorly written essays they had been reading.

What is the significance of the Titanic metaphor in the speaker's narrative?

The Titanic metaphor is used to emphasize the importance of paying attention to small details in writing to avoid causing a disaster, similar to how the Titanic's fate was sealed by overlooked details.

What does the speaker mean by the 'Jackass test' in the context of writing college essays?

The 'Jackass test' refers to ensuring that the writer does not come across as arrogant or self-aggrandizing in their essay, which would be a turn-off for the reader.

Can you explain the 'gets it' test according to the speaker?

The 'gets it' test is about understanding the reader's perspective and experience while reading the essay. It's about writing in a way that resonates with the reader and makes the essay memorable.

What is the story of Bing Bong and Sadness from the movie 'Inside Out' used to illustrate in the talk?

The story is used to illustrate the importance of empathy and understanding emotions in writing, which can make an essay more relatable and impactful.

What is the speaker's personal anecdote about applying to law school and how did it end?

The speaker tried to submit a law school application in person despite the instructions specifying online submission. They were told to make it double-spaced and later realized the importance of understanding the reader's perspective.

What was the speaker's college essay about and what was the outcome?

The speaker wrote a college essay about a Star Wars short story involving Star Destroyers and shield generators. Surprisingly, it was well-received and they were invited for an interview for a scholarship.

What is the key takeaway from the speaker's experience with writing essays?

The key takeaway is that writing should be clean, relatable, and memorable to make the reader want to continue reading and ultimately remember the content.