common app essay that got me accepted to the ivy league + tips | upenn

Summary

In this video, the speaker shares their personal Common App essay and offers practical tips for crafting a compelling narrative. They recount their experience with a Monet-inspired puzzle, using it as a metaphor for life's complexities and personal growth. The speaker emphasizes the importance of passion, personalization, and authenticity in writing, suggesting that essays should reflect individuality and not merely academic achievements. They also stress the value of multiple drafts, character development, and seeking diverse feedback to refine one's essay.

Takeaways

• 📚 The speaker shares their personal Common App essay and provides tips for writing one.
• 🎨 The essay's theme revolves around the metaphor of completing puzzles and the personal growth that comes from various life experiences.
• 🏫 The speaker applied to the University of Pennsylvania and was accepted, emphasizing they were not a 'special applicant' but had good grades and test scores.
• 🔍 The speaker chose the 'any topic of your choice' Common App essay prompt to share their personal story.
• 🧩 The essay details the process of completing a thousand-piece puzzle, which serves as a metaphor for the speaker's life and personal development.
• 📝 The speaker emphasizes the importance of multiple drafts and exploring different topics before settling on the final essay.
• 💡 Tips include making the essay personal, showing passion, and demonstrating character development without explicitly stating it.
• 🤓 The speaker advises against writing about academic achievements in the essay, suggesting it's better to show personality.
• 🌟 The essay should be genuine and not exaggerated, with the speaker recommending being modest rather than bragging.
• 👥 The speaker recommends having multiple people review the essay for fresh perspectives and constructive feedback.
• 📈 The process of writing the essay took about three months, with actual writing time likely less than two weeks, spread out over a longer period.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video?

The main purpose of the video is to share the creator's Common App essay and provide tips on writing a compelling college application essay.

What college did the creator apply to and what was the outcome?

The creator applied to the University of Pennsylvania for early decision and was accepted in December.

What was the Common App essay prompt the creator chose to write about?

The creator chose the prompt that allows sharing an essay on any topic of their choice, which can be one they've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of their own design.

What is the first step the creator suggests in the essay writing process?

The first step suggested is to write a lot of drafts on a lot of topics to explore what is easier and more engaging to write about.

How did the creator's essay relate to puzzles?

The creator's essay used the metaphor of completing puzzles to reflect on their personal growth and the process of finding harmony in seemingly unrelated life experiences.

What are some of the tips the creator shared for writing a Common App essay?

Some tips include writing multiple drafts, making the essay personal, showing passion, demonstrating character development, being real and not exaggerating, and having multiple people review the essay.

Why did the creator start writing their essay in July before senior year?

The creator started writing their essay in July because their parents encouraged them to begin early, even though they felt it was late compared to other applicants.

How long did it take the creator to write their Common App essay from start to finish?

It took the creator about three months to write the essay, with the actual writing time spread out over a longer period and not more than two weeks of focused work.

What is the creator's opinion on writing about academic achievements in the Common App essay?

The creator believes that the essay is not the place to brag about academic achievements, as those can be showcased in other parts of the application, and the essay should reflect personality.

Why is it important to have multiple people review the essay according to the creator?

Having multiple people review the essay is important because it provides fresh perspectives and helps the writer to identify parts of the essay that may need improvement or that resonate well with readers.