Perhaps the most frustrating and time consuming part of the college application process for most students is the personal essay and supplemental essays that need to be written. And as college admissions grow more competitive, well-crafted essays have become crucial components of each student's application. Yet, too often, these essays fall short of their potential. Common pitfalls I see include lack of imagination, disorganized thoughts, rushed ideas, and an over-reliance on generic themes. And while there are certainly exceptions, I feel inclined to note that it is our high school boys who need the most help in this area. I'm not sure of the science - almost certainly related to differences in how and when our boys mature relative to girls - but we have worked with enough students at this point to see clear differences in writing abilities between our boys and girls at the high school senior level.
To be clear - I don't blame the students for this issue. We have packed their daily schedules so tightly with challenging coursework, homework, and extracurricular activities that few have the extra time needed to refine their writing skills.
Developing strong writing skills takes time and practice. Reading a wide range of materials helps students see how skilled writers express complex ideas, structure their arguments, and bring creativity into their work. Exposure to diverse voices not only expands their vocabulary and understanding of narrative but also inspires them to think more creatively about how to tell their own stories. Writing, too, must be practiced frequently to build clarity, coherence, and confidence. The more students write, the easier it becomes to express their unique perspectives in a compelling way.
Ultimately, improving writing skills empowers students to share who they are with admissions committees in a way that sets them apart. The sooner students start building these skills, the better prepared they will be—not just for their college essays but for the wide-ranging demands of higher education and beyond.
Here are some habits I would love to see more middle school and high school students adopt:
Daily Reading for Pleasure: Even if it's only for five minutes, establishing a daily reading routine will yield significant benefits in enhancing a student's critical thinking and ability to articulate ideas vocally and in writing.
Daily Journaling: Putting pen to paper on a daily basis is critical - even if it's to write something that no one else will read. This might be an unfair generalization, but I get the sense from conversations with high school students that many of our teenage girls have taken up this practice, but it is incredibly rare with teenage boys.
Book Clubs: Ok, hear me out on this - our students need more time engaging with each other on content they have read. I would love to see informal book clubs outside of school become something more normalized and practiced.
At Foundry Admissions, we have built an incredibly strong team of essay advisors to help our students ensure their application essays are compelling and add value to their application packages. That said, there is only so much that can be done once a student is a senior in high school. I would love to see a greater focus on reading and writing take hold far earlier in each student's academic career.
Comments