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Can I mention that I wrote and self-published a novel on my college application if I did this in middle school?

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1 answer, 1 vote
, [edited]

This is something that I believe to be at least somewhat impressive, but I don't know if I would include it because it did not happen in my high school career. This is just for future reference: I'm only a high school sophomore.

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scholarships
extracurriculars
applications
[edited]
Are you still writing or was it a one-time thing?
[edited]
I still write, and will be joining the school newspaper next year. I just haven't published since. @fsoikin

2 answers

expert
 
150 answers, 156 votes
answered on
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While it might be OK to mention it briefly in an essay as a way to show your motivation and much you enjoy writing it should definitely not be a focal point of your essay. Rather, I would use it as a way to lead into more about your passion for writing and the other accomplishments you have achieved since publishing that novel.

If writing is something you are looking into for college you might want to consider looking for internships with newspapers or magazines. If you're able to find anything which allows you to write your own articles/stories to be published online on news sites that could also be good experience.

Thank you!
 
5 answers, -5 votes
answered on
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no, putting anything from before high school makes it look like you’ve done nothing in high school. You should be doing more and more as you get older, you shouldn't put down things from before high school.