Don‘t let the process of writing your college essay overwhelm you, we’ve lined up the best free resources that will help make your writing stand out
Sitting down and writing your college essay can be a daunting task. A blank page staring back at you with 650 words remaining to set you apart from all the other candidates. Not to mention convincing a total stranger that you belong at their school.
While students may find themselves stuck searching for an impressive topic or story that will jump off the pages, it’s important to remember that Admissions Officers want to know what you have learned, rather than what you did.
“It’s the one place in your admissions application where admissions officers get to hear about you. Who you are and what you value in your own voice,” says Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review in his College Admissions 101 web series.
As Franek mentions, the key for students in writing your college essay is finding your voice. A voice that distinguishes you and allows you to connect with the reader through an experience that has shaped you into who you are.
Finding the time to craft your essay during the school year is easier said than done, with multiple priorities all vying for your attention. Take a deep breath!
The summer months offer a great opportunity for rising seniors to begin writing your college essay, including the personal statement. Prompts for the personal statement for the Common App post on May 1, meaning you can begin crafting essays over the summer.
While many high schools have well-established college counseling programs that guide students through the essay writing process, others may find limited resources within their schools. If you need additional support, we have several resources listed below, including FEEA sponsored assistance from Tutor.com.
And while you will find an endless number of blogs related to crafting the “perfect” college essay, we can sum them all up with three points: Be authentic, proofread, and tell your story as only you can tell it.
Town Hall - Scholarship Timeline
[Video Start]
[Video presented with written slides in English]
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[FEEA #FEEA Logo]
Hi everyone, Robyn Kehoe with the Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund back again with another Town Hall Q and A question.
[Robyn Kehoe appears on camera with a digital blue background and a monitor with the FEEA logo in the background. A graphic on the bottom of the screen has Robyn’s name and title, “Acting Director of FEEA” along with FEEA’s logo in the right hand corner.]
A supporter asked us, “What is the general timeline for FEEA’s Scholarship program?”
[a background image of a man and woman looking over bills.]
What is the general timeline for FEEA’s Scholarship program?
So, our scholarship program is an annual merit-based contest; we run it every year. The application comes out in November. The deadline is in the middle of March.
November: Application Released March: Application Deadline
[Robyn appears back on camera]
Once the deadline passes, we have a wonderful volunteer community that helps us evaluate and rank applications. That process happens in April and May. Final selections are then made over the summer. Students are then notified by middle of August regarding their final status.
- April - May: Review
- June - July: Final Selections
- Mid-August: Students Notified
[Robyn appears back on camera]
You can learn all about the program and find the link to the application when it’s open on our website, FEEA.org/scholarships
[Moving search icon reveals FEEA’s website address, “FEEA.org/Scholarships”]
If you’d like to ask a question in our Town Hall series, please go to FEEA.org/TOWNHALL to send it in and maybe we’ll answer it next time.
[Moving search icon reveals FEEA’s website address, “FEEA.org/TownHall”]
[Graphics move across the screen to reveal FEEA’s logo.]
[music]
[Video End]
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The information provided in this piece is for your convenience and informational purposes only and not to be construed as professional advice. FEEA and its coauthors and sponsors are not liable for any losses or damages related to actions or failure to act with regard to the content in this piece.
