In some cases, this can be some of the most valuable data that colleges get.

That’s why it’s so important to spend extra time crafting a unique and compelling application essay.

So, what are the qualities of a winning college essay?

In general, a successful college essay is:

• Well-written
• Personal
• Specific
• Authentic
• Valuable

1) Well-written

College admissions officers aren’t looking for Pulitzer-prize-level writing. But they are looking for essays that are stylistically sound and tell a cohesive story. Winning essays are also free of grammatical errors and demonstrate a strong command of English language and conventions.

The first time I held a paintbrush, I was six years old. The tool had a creamy synthetic tip, a cobalt handle, and minor splotches of acrylic. While I did not yet understand how to use it, it already felt like a magic wand, brimming with possibility.

2) Personal

Your college essay is first and foremost about you! Successful essays are intimate and honest, showcasing a specific component of your lived experience, character, or value system. They are also full of “I” statements - sentences that directly state your beliefs, opinions, takeaways, and more.

I quickly learned that art is more than a concept - for me, art became a way of life, illuminated by stacks of canvas, tubes of paint, and handfuls of brushes.

3) Specific

Remember: you don’t have to show colleges every single thing about who you are in your college essay. You actually only have about 650 words to talk about YOU, so it’s important to be specific, detailed, and concise. Winning essays avoid broad generalizations and comfortably dive into a specific component of who you are.

My favorite technique, glazing, involves applying multiple very thin, medium-full layers of paint to a subject in order to create a special glow. This luminosity is present in all of my paintings.

4) Authentic

Successful college essays show colleges how unique you are. Instead of trying to say what they think colleges want to hear, winning essays showcase a student’s authentic voice. If you can confidently say that nobody else could write your essay, then you know you’ve written a compelling piece!

Whenever someone shakes my hand, it’s likely to be covered in colorful smears, evidence of who I really am.

5) Valuable

The college essay is your chance to tell admissions officers something that the rest of your application DOES NOT say. There’s so much more to you than test scores and grades! Winning essays add value to your application as a whole, giving officers valuable insight into something that can’t be squeezed into a GPA or score report.

I bring my love of painting into all of my pursuits - when I study for an exam, I memorize facts as if they were visual shapes. When I participate in an extracurricular activity, I challenge myself to find the creativity in even the most technical components.

Conclusion

Remember, a successful college essay is well-written, personal, specific, authentic, and valuable. It’s also something that takes time to write! It’s never too soon to begin. So put that pencil tip to paper and get those ideas flowing. It’s time to start writing your story!