College Essay Assignment

Here's a great Christmas break assignment (if you haven't already assigned it) that can be given to all high school seniors...

Write an essay which answers one of the five prompts below. These prompts appeared on the 2006-2007 Common Application, so it is quite likely that many of you will be able to use the final draft of this essay during your college application process. This essay should be evaluated and used as the basis for a class discussion on college and scholarship application essay requirements. The student can then revise and edit the essays.

Strive to reveal your character, your strengths, and your interests. Be original. Essay drafts must be typed and should not be less than 250 words or more than 500.

#1: Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.

#2: Discuss one issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.

#3: Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.

#4: Describe a character in fiction, an historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.

#5: A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.