As the January application deadlines draw near, high school seniors may have added stress with answering unusual essay questions. As colleges seek to get to know students beyond their transcripts and standardized test scores, the essay questions are reaching beyond your typical “tell me about yourself” questions. Here are some samples:
My favorite thing about last Tuesday? (25 words or less.) – University of Maryland
Imagine you have to wear a costume for a year of your life. What would you pick and why? — Brandeis University
What is your favorite ride at the amusement park? How does this reflect your approach to life? — Emory University
The best movie of all time — Columbia University
What would you do with a free afternoon tomorrow? – Yale University
via College essay questions get a quirky, tweety makeover – chicagotribune.com.
To write a strong essay that will keep the admissions readers awake, follow these 3 strategies that work with even the quirkiest of questions:
- Start your response with a timed 5-minute free writing. As you write your free-hand response, do not worry about style or punctuation. It’s more important in this first stage that you write your initial, unedited, reactive response.
- Finalize your initial draft at least 24 hours later. It really does help to “sleep” on it. When you take some time away from your initial written response, it will be easier for you to hear your voice and revise your sentences.
- Read your essay aloud! If you feel uncomfortable reading aloud, maybe that’s a sign that the essay isn’t as strong as you think. It may feel awkward at first, but reading aloud will help you hear any awkwardness within the sentences or within the paragraphs.
All the best on your essay. Please keep us posted on your writing success.