College Essay Project

Due: Friday, March 6, 8:00 am

In
The Color of Water
, James McBride draws on life experiences to illustrate growth and maturation. Using
McBrides writing as a sample as well as the elements of memoir as your guide, your next project will apply
these skills in a useful way: the college application essay.
In order to demonstrate proficiency in writing, language, and storytelling, students will compose a college
essay using one of the following prompts from the 2014-2015 Common Application.
1. Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their
application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
2. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons
did you learn?
3. Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you
make the same decision again?
4. Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from
childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

Project Requirements
1. Based on Common Application Requirements, you will compose a
500-650 word essay (2-2.5
pages)
.
a. Double-spaced, 12-point, Times New Roman Font
b. Include salutation (To the Director of Admissions OR Director of Human Resources) and
Closing (Sincerely, Name)
c. Include your name and contact information (address, phone number, email) at the top left
of the page (single-spaced)
2. In addition to the essay, you will
put together a digital portfolio of 3 colleges, universities
and/or post-college programs (military, work training, job)
that are of interest to you.
a. Include application requirements and 1 paragraph (each) explaining your interest in each
program.
b. Visit
http://www.forbes.com/top-college-quiz/
,
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search
,
https://www.unigo.com/college-match/
for ideas
3. Create a folder that includes College Essay and College Portfolio and place it in your period 5
folder.

Tips

The purpose of the college application essay or job application letter is to convince admission
counselors/Managers that you are more than a test score or GPA. Use the essay as an opportunity
to express your creativity, personality, growth and values.

 Your grammar and spelling MUST be clean

Write directly from your own experiences (Use the Snapshot Autobiography and/or Where Im
From Project as a guide)
Avoid clichs -- instead, use a personal, fresh perspective
Read
samples of college essays that received high scores
(I recommend reading Shantis, Anas, Lyles)

What makes them effective?

What anecdotes do they use?
How did they begin the essay? Conclude it?
Read:
How to answer prompt 1
Read:
How to answer prompt 2
Read:
How to answer prompt 3
Read:
How to answer prompt 4

Rubric
Exceeds
Expectations (5)

Meets
Expectations (3-4)

Needs
Improvement
(1-2)

Inadequate (0)

Structure
(Organization,
Transitions,
Format)

Essay follows a
coherent pattern
of organization
(beginning,
middle, end).
Demonstrates
proper and
effective
paragraphing.
Uses transitional
words and phrases
to maintain
coherence and
establish sequence
within and
between
paragraphs.

Paper has a clear

pattern of
organization with
a few mistakes.
Basic transitions
are used.

There is some
level of
organization
though
digressions,
ambiguities,
irrelevances are
too many. Essay is
difficult to follow.
Transitions are
ineffective.
Portions of essay
seem like
rambling.

There is no
apparent structure
or organization.

Content/
Information

The central idea is

well developed .
The paper focuses
on a specific,
well-defined topic
-- an incident,
experience,

The central idea is

generally evident
throughout the
essay. There are
good, relevant
topics discussed

The central idea is

expressed but its
either vague or
too broad.
Examples of life
experiences are
weak.

Central idea is
absent. Life
experiences are
varied,
inconsistent, or
missing

person or idea and

tells the story with
vivid images.
Style

Essay uses vivid,

precise vocabulary
that is appropriate
for the essay's
audience
-Uses a variety of
clear, correct
sentence
structures
-Written with a
distinctive "voice"
that conveys the
personality of the
writer

Vocabulary is
varied. Writers
tone is generally
consistent.

Vocabulary and
sentence structure
is simple and/or
infrequent. Voice
is present, but
inconsistent.

Vocabulary is
unsophisticated,
not used
properly in very
simple
sentences.

Conventions

-Contains no
more than one or
two minor errors
in grammar or
usage, spelling,
capitalization or
punctuation.
-Essay is typed
neatly, with
adequate margins
and proper
heading including
salutation and
closing.

-Few grammatical
and spelling
errors
- Essay is typed
neatly with
heading

-Several
grammatical and
spelling errors
-Essay is typed
neatly but missing
heading and/or
salutation/closing

-Grammatical and
spelling errors are
rampant.
-Essay is missing
heading and
salutation