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How NOT To Write Your College Essay
gettyIf you are looking for the "secret formula" for writing a "winning" college essay, you have come to the wrong place. The reality is there is no silver bullet or strategy to write your way to an acceptance. There is not one topic or approach that will guarantee a favorable outcome.
At the end of the day, every admission office just wants to know more about you, what you value, and what excites you. They want to hear about your experiences through your own words and in your own voice. As you set out to write your essay, you will no doubt get input (both sought-after and unsolicited) on what to write. But how about what NOT Notcoin to write? There are avoidable blunders that applicants frequently make in drafting their essays. I asked college admission leaders, who have read thousands of submissions, to share their thoughts.
Don't Go In There
There is wide consensus on this first one, so before you call on your Jedi mind tricks or predictive analytics, listen to the voices of a diverse range of admission deans. Peter Hagan, executive director of admissions at Syracuse University, sums it up best, saying, "I would recommend that students try not to get inside of our heads. He adds, "Too often the focus is on what they think we want."
Andy Strickler, dean of admission and financial aid at Connecticut College agrees, warning, "Do NOT get caught in the trap of trying to figure out what is going to impress the admission committee. You have NO idea who is going to read your essay and what is going to connect with them. So, don't try to guess that." Victoria Romero, vice president for enrollment, at Scripps College adds, "Do not write about something you don't care about." She says, "I think students try to figure out what an admission officer wants to read, and the reality is the reader begins every next essay with no expectations about the content THEY want to read." Chrystal Russell, dean of admission at Hampden-Sydney College, agrees, saying, "If you're not interested in writing it, we will not be interested when reading it." Jay Jacobs, vice provost for enrollment management at the University of Vermont elaborates, advising. "Don't try to make yourself sound any different than you are." He says, "The number one goal for admission officers is to better understand the applicant, what they like to do, what they want to do, where they spend the majority of their time, and what makes them tick. If a student stays genuine to that, it will shine through and make an engaging and successful essay."
Don't Be Artificial
The headlines about college admission are dominated by stories about artificial intelligence and the college essay. Let's set some ground rules–to allow ChatGPT or some other tool to do your work is not only unethical, it is also unintelligent. The only worse mistake you could make is to let another human write your essay for you. Instead of preoccupying yourself with whether or not colleges are using AI detection software (most are not), spend your time focused on how best to express yourself authentically. Rick Clark is the executive director of strategic student success at Georgia Institute of Technology, one of the first institutions to clearly outline their AI policy for applicants. He says, "Much of a college application is devoted to lines, boxes, and numbers. Essays and supplements are the one place to establish connection, personality, and distinction. AI, in its current state, is terrible at all three." He adds, "My hope is that students will use ChatGPT or other tools for brainstorming and to get started, but then move quickly into crafting an essay that will provide insight and value."
Don't Overdo It
Michael Stefanowicz, vice president for enrollment management at Landmark College says, "You can only cover so much detail about yourself in an admission essay, and a lot of students feel pressure to tell their life story or choose their most defining experience to date as an essay topic. Admission professionals know that you're sharing just one part of your lived experience in the essay." He adds, "Some of the favorite essays I've read have been episodic, reflecting on the way you've found meaning in a seemingly ordinary experience, advice you've lived out, a mistake you've learned from, or a special tradition in your life." Gary Ross, vice president for admission and financial aid at Colgate University adds, "More than a few applicants each year craft essays that talk about the frustration and struggles they have experienced in identifying a topic for their college application essay. Presenting your college application essay as a smorgasbord of topics that ultimately landed on the cutting room floor does not give us much insight into an applicant."
Don't Believe In Magic
Jason Nevinger, senior director of admission at the University of Rochester warns, "Be skeptical of anyone or any company telling you, 'This is the essay that got me into _____.' There is no magic topic, approach, sentence structure, or prose that got any student into any institution ever." Social media is littered with advertisements promising strategic essay help. Don't waste your time, energy, or money trying to emulate a certain style, topic, or tone. Liz Cheron is chief executive officer for the Coalition for College and former assistant vice president of enrollment & dean of admissions at Northeastern University. She agrees with Nevinger, saying "Don't put pressure on yourself to find the perfect, slam dunk topic. The vast majority of college essays do exactly what they're supposed to do–they are well-written and tell the admission officer more about the student in that student's voice–and that can take many different forms."
Don't Over Recycle
Beatrice Atkinson-Myers, associate director of global recruitment at the University of California at Santa Cruz tells students, "Do not use the same response for each university; research and craft your essay to match the program at the university you are interested in studying. Don't waste time telling me things I can read elsewhere in your application. Use your essay to give the admissions officer insights into your motivations, interests, and thinking. Don't make your essay the kitchen sink, focus on one or two examples which demonstrate your depth and creativity." Her UC colleague, Jim Rawlins, associate vice chancellor of enrollment management at the University of California at San Diego agrees, saying "Answer the question. Not doing so is the surest way we can tell you are simply giving us a snippet of something you actually wrote for a different purpose."
Don't Overedit
Emily Roper-Doten, vice president for undergraduate admissions and financial assistance at Clark University warns against "Too many editors!" She says, "Pick a couple of trusted folks to be your sounding board when considering topics and as readers once you have drafts. You don't want too many voices in your essay to drown you out!" Scripps' Romero agrees, suggesting, "Ask a good friend, someone you trust and knows you well, to read your essays." She adds, "The goal is for the admission committee to get to know a little about you and who better to help you create that framework, than a good friend. This may not work for all students because of content but helps them understand it's important to be themselves." Whitney Soule, vice provost and dean of admissions at The University of Pennsylvania adds, "Avoid well-meaning editorial interference that might seem to polish your writing but actually takes your own personal 'shine' right out of the message." She says, "As readers, we connect to applicants through their genuine tone and style. Considering editorial advice for flow and message is OK but hold on to the 'you' for what you want to say and how you want to say it."
Don't Get Showy
Palmer Muntz, senior regional admissions counselor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks cautions applicants, "Don't be fancier than you are. You don't need to put on airs." He adds, "Yes, proofread your work for grammar and spelling, but be natural. Craft something you'd want to read yourself, which probably means keeping your paragraphs short, using familiar words, and writing in an active voice." Connecticut College's Strickler agrees, warning, "Don't try to be someone you are not. If you are not funny, don't try to write a funny essay. If you are not an intellectual, trying to write an intellectual essay is a bad idea."
Anthony Jones, the vice president of enrollment management at Loyola University New Orleans offers a unique metaphor for thinking about the essay. He says, "In the new world of the hyper-fast college admission process, it's become easy to overlook the essential meaning of the college application. It's meant to reveal Y...O...U, the real you, not some phony digital avatar. Think of the essay as the essence of that voice but in analog. Like the completeness and authenticity captured in a vinyl record, the few lines you're given to explain your view should be a slow walk through unrestrained expression chock full of unapologetic nuances, crevices of emotion, and exactness about how you feel in the moment. Then, and only then, can you give the admissions officer an experience that makes them want to tune in and listen for more."
Don't Be A Downer
James Nondorf, vice president and dean of admissions and financial aid at The University of Chicago says, "Don't be negative about other people, be appreciative of those who have supported you, and be excited about who you are and what you will bring to our campus!" He adds, "While admissions offices want smart students for our classrooms, we also want kind-hearted, caring, and joyous students who will add to our campus communities too."
Don't Pattern Match
Alan Ramirez is the dean of admission and financial aid at Sewanee, The University of the South. He explains, "A big concern I have is when students find themselves comparing their writing to other students or past applicants and transform their writing to be more like those individuals as a way to better their chances of offering a more-compelling essay." He emphasizes that the result is that the "essay is no longer authentic nor the best representation of themselves and the whole point of the essay is lost. Their distinctive voice and viewpoint contribute to the range of voices in the incoming class, enhancing the diversity of perspectives we aim to achieve." Ramirez simple tells students, "Be yourself, that's what we want to see, plus there's no one else who can do it better than you!"
Don't Feel Tied To A Topic
Jessica Ricker is the vice president for enrollment and dean of admissions and financial aid at Skidmore College. She says, "Sometimes students feel they must tell a story of grief or hardship, and then end up reliving that during the essay-writing process in ways that are emotionally detrimental. I encourage students to choose a topic they can reflect upon positively but recommend that if they choose a more challenging experience to write about, they avoid belaboring the details and instead focus on the outcome of that journey." She adds, "They simply need to name it, frame its impact, and then help us as the reader understand how it has shaped their lens on life and their approach moving forward."
Landmark College's Stefanowicz adds, "A lot of students worry about how personal to get in sharing a part of their identity like your race or heritage (recalling last year's Supreme Court case about race-conscious admissions), a learning difference or other disability, your religious values, LGBTQ identity…the list goes on." He emphasizes, "This is always your choice, and your essay doesn't have to be about a defining identity. But I encourage you to be fully yourself as you present yourself to colleges—because the college admission process is about finding a school where your whole self is welcome and you find a setting to flourish!"
Don't Be Redundant
Hillen Grason Jr., dean of admission at Franklin & Marshall College, advises, "Don't repeat academic or co-curricular information that is easily identifiable within other parts of your application unless the topic is a core tenant of you as an individual." He adds, "Use your essay, and other parts of your application, wisely. Your essay is the best way to convey who your authentic self is to the schools you apply. If you navigated a situation that led to a dip in your grades or co-curricular involvement, leverage the 'additional information' section of the application.
Thomas Marr is a regional manager of admissions for the Americas at The University of St Andrews in Scotland and points out that "Not all international schools use the main college essay as part of their assessment when reviewing student applications." He says, "At the University of St Andrews, we focus on the supplemental essay and students should avoid the mistake of making the supplemental a repeat of their other essay. The supplemental (called the Personal Statement if using the UCAS application process) is to show the extent of their passion and enthusiasm for the subject/s to which they are applying and we expect about 75% of the content to cover this. They can use the remaining space to mention their interests outside of the classroom. Some students confuse passion for the school with passion for their subject; do not fall into that trap."
A Few Final Don'ts
Don't delay. Every college applicant I have ever worked with has wished they had started earlier. You can best avoid the pitfalls above if you give yourself the time and space to write a thoughtful essay and welcome feedback openly but cautiously. Don't put too much pressure on yourself to be perfect. Do your best, share your voice, and stay true to who you are.
Vision, Mission, Strategy And Values
Mikhail Saidov, master coach instructor, creator of Metacognitive Programming, a coaching and therapeutic technique. Founder & CEO of IMCP.
gettyWhether you already have your own company, are about to start one or are helping someone else start theirs, the question of vision, mission, strategy and values is bound to come up. Those with corporate experience know that formulating a company's vision, mission, strategy and values is a big deal.
I remember one company I worked for had the values written on their walls, the vision written on internal documents and the mission written on their logo. But neither I nor anyone else who worked there took those words seriously. Why? They did not mean anything to us.
Once I started my own company, I realized the importance of having a mission, vision, strategy and values and communicating them to employees (and the unimportance of writing them on your walls). I'd like to share my understanding of these concepts, as well as why each of them is essential.
VisionTypically set by the owner, the founder or the leadership team, a vision is about where you are going and what you are trying to build as a company. A vision should be explicitly stated because it provides clarity: You know where you are headed, and so do your employees.
People like to know what they are working for. Sure, they work for money, but there are things we value beyond money. Humans do not thrive on endlessly going in circles, living from and for short-term reinforcements. We need a direction and a destination. Where am I going? That is basically what a vision is.
MissionIf vision stands for Where am I going?, mission stands for Why am I going there? Every human being thinks, at least occasionally, about the meaning of their work, and life more generally. We need that meaning; without it, we merely exist. Having a mission makes you ready to commit, to invest your time and effort into making it happen.
Moreover, if your organizational mission resonates with your employees, they will feel more involved and prepared to push forward along with you.
Note that a mission is more stable than a vision. For example, if your mission is to leave this world at least a bit better than it was, you may do this in different ways, and the ways may change as you go, but the mission remains.
StrategyWe now understand where we are going (vision) and why (mission). Strategy answers the third question: How do I get there?
People who create strategies need to conceptualize both the big picture (i.E., milestones and the resources required to achieve each of them—money, time, etc.) and the small pieces (i.E., what everyone should do every day so eventually we end up where we are supposed to). A carefully planned strategy ensures smooth movement toward the company vision.
ValuesIf strategy is subordinate to vision (answering the question of how we reach where we're going), then our last element, values, is subordinate to mission—answering the question of what our why consists of.
Here's another way to look at it: If vision and strategies are about the external world (what we want to achieve and how), then mission and values are about the internal world (why we want it, why it matters, what drives our mission).
Values are inherently personal (e.G., honesty), but they can translate into business principles (e.G., transparency in employee relations).
Creating A Corporate Culture Based On Mission And ValuesIf you know and communicate your mission and values, you attract prospective employees who share them, who want to walk the walk with you. They then attract more people of your kind, and the group increases, increasing the potential to create a better vision and better strategies.
Sometimes, we (the owners) make mistakes, hiring people who only pretend to share our mission and values. But don't worry; that will become apparent sooner than you think. And the same applies to you. If you promote specific values (e.G., honesty and hard work) but then cut corners or cheat, your employees will see and feel the dissonance. Seeing that you act contrary to what you have written on your walls, your employees will not follow the code you've written down but rather, imitate what you do. That leads to failure.
People shape the culture. If you stick to your values, you shape a culture where values matter. Seeing you stay true to your values encourages your employees to stay true to theirs. And that will eventually benefit everyone—the company, its owners and its employees.
Don't Promise The FutureWhen speaking to prospective employees, I don't discuss my big dreams and goals for a beautiful future. Why? Because the future is inherently uncertain. Therefore, promising people a specific location where they will end up would be a deception, even if you have the best intentions and elaborate plans to get there.
How is this related to mission, values and culture? Instead of speaking about the future, I talk about the current culture. I talk about who I am and what drives me, and I ask my employees to do the same. This doesn't mean I have no goals or plans; just that those goals and plans are not set in stone.
Rather than having a clear goal, I prefer to have by my side a team of individuals driven by the same internal force as I am. After years of experience, I figured out that having a well-attuned team took me further than anything else.
Final ThoughtsMission, vision, strategies and values are all important when doing business. And for me, mission and values are the most important, as they help me pick people who care about the same things, with whom I can build a healthy culture, shape a vision and choose the strategies that will ultimately lead us to success.
Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
The Role Of Mathematics In Business Strategy
Mathematics and business strategy are inseparable partners that cannot exist without each other. It's about understanding how a company generates revenue and manages its expenses.
This includes tasks like setting product prices to ensure profitability, calculating discounts, and maintaining financial records. Businesses rely on math for daily operations such as budgeting, pricing products, and tracking sales, all of which help them operate efficiently and profitably.
Management involves the coordination of various business resources, including people, finances, and equipment, to achieve specific goals. If a business is based on data-driven decisions and statistical analysis, such an enterprise has a much higher chance of success, and there are reasons for this.
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Financial Modeling: Navigating the Seas of UncertaintyFinancial modeling is a mathematical approach to representing a business's financial performance. These models are crucial for evaluating strategic decisions, such as mergers and acquisitions, capital investments, and new product launches. Discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis, for example, calculates the present value of future cash flows to assess an investment's attractiveness. Sensitivity analysis examines how changes in key assumptions affect outcomes, preparing businesses for various scenarios.
Risk management is another area where financial modeling is essential. Models like Value-at-Risk (VaR) and Monte Carlo simulations quantify potential losses in investment portfolios. These tools guide strategies to mitigate financial risks.
As important as math is, its value lies in understanding it correctly, not in the skills to solve math problems. With the right formula, everything can be calculated and math solver based on artificial intelligence. This AI homework helper will be useful for both educational purposes and business. Wherever there is math and quick solutions are needed, the application can be used.
Game Theory: Strategic Decision-Making in Competitive EnvironmentsGame theory studies strategic interactions where the outcome depends not only on one's own actions but also on the actions of others. In competitive industries, businesses must anticipate and respond to competitors' moves. Pricing strategies in oligopolies, for example, are heavily influenced by game theory. Companies consider how their pricing decisions will impact and be impacted by their rivals. Concepts such as Nash equilibrium and dominant strategies help businesses find optimal pricing strategies that balance competitive pressures with profitability. Negotiations and contract designs also benefit from game theory.
Operational Efficiency: OptimizationOperational efficiency is the bedrock of competitiveness and profitability. Mathematics, particularly operations research and optimization theory, offers methodologies to streamline processes, reduce costs, and enhance productivity.
Inventory management provides a clear example. Mathematical models like the Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) and Just-In-Time (JIT) inventory systems determine optimal order quantities and timing. These models minimize holding and shortage costs. In supply chain optimization, linear programming identifies the most efficient routing and scheduling of deliveries.
Financial Planning and Budgeting: The BackboneSound financial planning and budgeting are crucial for a business's long-term success. Here, mathematics, through algebraic equations and calculus-based models, becomes a vital ally. These mathematical tools forecast revenues, expenses, and cash flows, essential for strategic financial decisions.
The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model exemplifies this role. These methods align budgets with strategic objectives and constraints, providing a clear financial roadmap. Mathematics, in this context, ensures that businesses remain financially healthy and strategically focused.
Business Apps Based On Mathematics Strategic PlanningStrategic planning involves defining the long-term vision, setting objectives, and determining the best courses of action to achieve these goals. It includes:
Financial management is crucial for maintaining the financial health of an organization. It involves:
Marketing management focuses on promoting and selling products or services. It includes:
Operations management involves overseeing the day-to-day operations of a business. Key aspects include:
Human Resource Management (HRM) is about managing people within the organization. Key activities include:
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Information Technology (IT) management involves using technology to improve business processes. This includes:
Innovation and change management are critical for staying competitive. This involves:
Strong leadership and a positive organizational culture are essential for business success. This involves:
Risk management is about identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks. This includes:
CRM focuses on building and maintaining relationships with customers. This involves:
Mathematics in business provides a basis from which to build forecasts and manage all branches of business. Need to understand the profitability of building a new warehouse or expanding staff? Mathematics will provide accuracy. Want to implement innovations? You too can use numbers and predict the result. A data-driven approach is much more reliable than unfounded hopes, rumors, etc.
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