Help Your Child Shine Sure, you know why your kid is special. Unfortunately, you can’t sit down with college admissions people to tell them why your child would make a terrific addition to their school. The college essay is the opportunity for your child to make a statement before the admissions committee. Think of the essay as a stage where your child’s personality gets to shine.

Start Early Starting early buys you the luxury of revising and rewriting the essay. You can write it, put it away for a few days, then take a fresh look at it later. Walking away and then coming back brings a fresh perspective to the work – without the pressure and stress that comes with a time crunch. Choose a Specific Topic Many colleges ask applicants to describe a special interest, an experience that changed their life, or a person who influenced them. An essay on why you participated in the extra-curricular activities you chose in school, as well as what you learned from those choices, can be an excellent topic. List a bunch of essay topics and then add some key points for each one. Decide which topic has the most potential; it should be something that you feel strongly about so that it really comes alive when you write about it.