CATEGORY

RESPONSE TO
PROMPT

The students essay

showed they clearly
understood the essay
prompt and the writer
responded to the prompt
in a highly effective way
and stayed on topic
throughout.

The students essay

indicated they
understood the essay
prompt but in the end
they either deviated
slightly or did not
quite hit the mark of
an on-topic essay.

The students essay

indicated they may
not have understood
the essay prompt or
they failed to
compose an essay
that stayed on topic
or that loosely
addressed the topic.

The student did not

adhere to the essay
prompt or they
wrote off topic.

COMMENTS:

FIRST
IMPRESSIONS

The students essay

needed to draw the
reader in sooner and
started off a bit weak
or generically and left
the reader
unmotivated to read
more or unclear on the
focus of the essay.

The student did not

seem to see the
importance of
drawing in the
reader in the first
lines of the essay or
seemed to put little
effort into starting
off strong.

The essay lacked an

introduction at all or
wrote something
that confused the
reader from the
start.

The essay included info that

highlighted positive
attributes important for the
reader to learn about the
applicant that may not have
been known from the
applicants resume. The
student also focused on one
topic or achievement rather
than highlighting too many
accomplishments in high
school.

The essay included

information about the
students life which
may not be wholly
unique. The student
may have focused on
too many topics or
achievements which
could be found on
their resume.

The essay did not

show any unique
aspects of the
students life or
focused on too many
topics or
achievements which
could be found on
their resume.

The essay simply restated items that

could be read on the
students resume.

The easy seemed highly

personal and was written in
a lively, individual voice
which conveyed the
students personality. The
essay focused on the
students personal
experiences and used
narrative or details that
made the essay memorable.

The writer attempted to

keep the essay personal.
The student tried to
include personal
experiences, stories, or
details, but they were a
bit generic and could
have used more detail or
color.

The writer needed to

make the essay
personal and try to
show their
personality. The
student did not
include personal
experiences, stories,
or details.

The essay left the

reader without any
personal connection
to or impression of
the writer.

COMMENTS:

EDITING

COMMENTS:

RESPONSE TO
PROMPT

The students essay

indicated they
understood the essay
prompt but in the end
they either deviated
slightly or did not
quite hit the mark of
an on-topic essay.

The students essay

indicated they may
not have understood
the essay prompt or
they failed to
compose an essay
that stayed on topic
or that loosely
addressed the topic.

The student did not

adhere to the essay
prompt or they
wrote off topic.

The students essay began

with a highly impactful
first sentence that drew
the reader in and was
followed by a solid start
that clearly focused the
essay for the reader.

The students essay

needed to draw the
reader in sooner and
started off a bit weak
or generically and left
the reader
unmotivated to read
more or unclear on the
focus of the essay.

The student did not

seem to see the
importance of
drawing in the
reader in the first
lines of the essay or
seemed to put little
effort into starting
off strong.

The essay lacked an

introduction at all or
wrote something
that confused the
reader from the
start.

The essay included info that

highlighted positive
attributes important for the
reader to learn about the
applicant that may not have
been known from the
applicants resume. The
student also focused on one
topic or achievement rather
than highlighting too many
accomplishments in high
school.

The essay included

information about the
students life which
may not be wholly
unique. The student
may have focused on
too many topics or
achievements which
could be found on
their resume.

The essay did not

show any unique
aspects of the
students life or
focused on too many
topics or
achievements which
could be found on
their resume.

The essay simply restated items that

could be read on the
students resume.

The easy seemed highly

personal and was written in
a lively, individual voice
which conveyed the
students personality. The
essay focused on the
students personal
experiences and used
narrative or details that
made the essay memorable.

The writer attempted to

keep the essay personal.
The student tried to
include personal
experiences, stories, or
details, but they were a
bit generic and could
have used more detail or
color.

The writer needed to

make the essay
personal and try to
show their
personality. The
student did not
include personal
experiences, stories,
or details.

The essay left the

reader without any
personal connection
to or impression of
the writer.

The students essay was

free from spelling issues,
grammatical errors,
syntax snafus,
punctuation problems,
etc., and appeared to
have been thoroughly
proofread and corrected.

The students essay

had minor spelling
issues, grammatical
errors, syntax snafus,
or punctuation
problems, etc., and
needed slight
proofreading or
corrections.

The students essay

had spelling issues,
grammatical errors,
syntax snafus, or
punctuation
problems, etc., and
needed proofreading
and corrections.

The students essay

had extensive
spelling issues,
grammatical errors,
syntax snafus, or
punctuation
problems, etc., was
highly unacceptable.

FIRST
IMPRESSIONS

COLLEGE PREP ESSAY RUBRIC

COLLEGE PREP ESSAY RUBRIC

The students essay began

with a highly impactful
first sentence that drew
the reader in and was
followed by a solid start
that clearly focused the
essay for the reader.

COMMENTS:

PERSONAL

4
The students essay
showed they clearly
understood the essay
prompt and the writer
responded to the prompt
in a highly effective way
and stayed on topic
throughout.

COMMENTS:

COMMENTS:

INCLUDE/
EXCLUDE

CATEGORY

COMMENTS:

INCLUDE/
EXCLUDE

COMMENTS:

PERSONAL

COMMENTS:

The students essay was

free from spelling issues,
grammatical errors,
syntax snafus,
punctuation problems,
etc., and appeared to
have been thoroughly
proofread and corrected.

The students essay

had minor spelling
issues, grammatical
errors, syntax snafus,
or punctuation
problems, etc., and
needed slight
proofreading or
corrections.

The students essay

had spelling issues,
grammatical errors,
syntax snafus, or
punctuation
problems, etc., and
needed proofreading
and corrections.

The students essay

had extensive
spelling issues,
grammatical errors,
syntax snafus, or
punctuation
problems, etc., was
highly unacceptable.

EDITING

COMMENTS: