How to Communicate Your Passion for Writing in the College Admissions Process

Do you want to attend one of the top writing colleges in the country, like Grinnell, Kenyon, or Barnard? Or do you hope to win a merit scholarship for your involvement in writing? Then you have to not only communicate your passion for writing to admissions officers, but knock them over the head with the fact so there’s no doubt in their minds that you love to write. Here’s how to express your infatuation for the written word in the college admissions process:

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Write a powerful essay: Almost all colleges require you to submit a writing sample of some kind, whether that means responding to one of their prompts or mailing in a graded essay from school. If you must answer a prompt, find out what the topic is as soon as possible so you have plenty of time to mull over the question, create a creative response, and craft your essay. This should go without saying, but check and double-check your essay for grammatical and mechanical errors to ensure that it’s your best work. If you’re allowed to submit any piece of writing, choose what you think best demonstrates your writing ability, not what you assume admissions officers want to read.
2. Get recommendations from English and Journalism teachers, or writing mentors: It’s imperative that someone familiar with your writing skills writes your recommendation. If possible, choose a teacher you’ve had for more than one year who can truly comment on your writing development, or a professional writer in your area who knows your work well. If you’ve taken dual-enrollment English, literature, journalism, or even writing-intensive history classes at the local community college, then ask one of your professors if s/he has time to write a recommendation for you.
3. Submit a portfolio: If you have any published work from magazines or newspapers, submit your clips; if you don’t have any published work yet, don’t be disappointed---just submit some of your graded assignments or your personal favorite pieces. Avoid clichéd themes, especially in poetry. Poems about death and love, for example, need a unique twist if you ever want your work to be noticed. Try not to restrict your portfolio to any one genre---prove to admissions officers that you’re versatile by including work from at least three different areas in poetry and prose.
4. Include a writing resume: Include every published work, internship at a newspaper or magazine, editorial position---anything and everything! Even if the activity isn’t directly related to writing, but is still relevant---such as being a volunteer book shelver at your local library or interning for your community literacy center---put it down.
5. Provide a list of websites featuring your writing: If your work has appeared online, don’t just limit yourself to listing it on your resume. Include a separate list with just websites that have posted your writing, so that admissions officers can easily look up some of your online writing. Even if you don’t include this list, it’s probable that an admissions officer at some school at some point will Google your name, so if you’ve written anything private, embarrassing, or risqué, take it down until the admissions process is over. It could mean the difference between rejection and acceptance.
6. List all of your newspaper, literature magazine, or writing club involvement on your activities list: Except for prestigious activities like National Honors Society, reserve your activities list for things that demonstrate your love for writing: school newspaper, school lit magazine, yearbook, internships at publishing companies, writers’ workshops, etc. The point is that you want to emphasize your passion for the written word.
7. Schedule an interview with someone from the English or Journalism department: Ask someone from the college if it’s possible to schedule an interview with one of their English or Journalism majors, or better yet, one of their English or Journalism professors. Don’t forget to bring your portfolio to the interview and be ready to talk!

Tips & Warnings

• Admissions into the top writing colleges in the country is highly competitive, but if plan ahead and make strategic moves to better your chances, you can certainly earn an edge---and hopefully an acceptance letter with a scholarship attached to it!