Okay, so I’m drafting my essay and thinking about the whole 'college changes your life' angle. Do colleges want to see us reflect on how college will impact us, or is that too cliché?
Colleges do appreciate when a student takes a forward-looking approach and reflects thoughtfully on the potential impact of their college experience. The key to avoiding sounding cliché is making the general idea personal to you. Think about the specific aspects of college life that you anticipate will be transformative—whether that's engaging in particular clubs, undertaking research, or studying abroad—and articulate how these experiences will help you grow or shape your future goals.
For example, if you're passionate about environmental science, you might write about how participating in a college's sustainability initiatives will spur your desire to develop innovative solutions to real-world environmental challenges. You should also connect your future goals to your past experiences, as you don't want your essay to rely entirely, or even mostly, on speculation about the future—admissions officers want to know who is actually going to be stepping onto their campus.
If you're not sure if your approach is working, you can always connect with CollegeVine's free peer review essay service, or submit your essay for a paid review by an expert advisor. Happy writing!
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