Good grades and test scores are often not enough to impress competitive institutions. Admissions departments nowadays place increasingly more emphasis on intangible qualities of “character,” “uniqueness,” “maturity,” and “potential for growth.” Such attributes make the college essay one of the most important documents in an application file, for it provides applicants an opportunity to present and market their unique strengths and make a strong case for their admissibility.
At Summit, we view college essay counseling as one of our most valuable services for students aspiring to attend schools overseas. Our approach goes beyond simply checking English and providing feedback; we work extensively with each student in a process that involves:
- Positioning. How is the student different from his peers? What character traits, personal experiences and academic strengths set him apart? Most importantly, which of these elements should the student devote to highlighting in his essay? The answers to these questions form the basis of any successful essay, yet many students have trouble addressing them adequately. Our goal at this stage is to make sure that students select the most advantageous content for their application.
- Drafting. The college essay is not compatible with ready-made templates or poorly organized writing. Rather, students must strive to present their essay content in a manner that would leave a lasting positive impression on Admissions officers. In the drafting stage, we guide students through the entire writing process, from forming coherent outlines, to revising and rewriting, to adding the finishing touches.
- Adapting. Often, an essay for one school must be adapted to meet the requirements of another school. This may mean significant changes to an essay’s length or content. We provide continued support to our students to ensure that all essays for all schools are consistent in quality and are ready for submission.