Hi, I’m Geoff

Runner, journalist, storyteller, dad

How College Admissions Works

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• GPA
• Strength of curriculum
• Letters of recommendations
• SAT/ACT scores
• List of activities/resume
• Achievements and honors
• Special skills or talents (athletics, performing arts)
• CommonApp Personal Statement essay
• Supplemental essays

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Your college application is like a cross country dual meet.

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Lead Runners (Academics)

• GPA
• Strength of curriculum
• SAT/ACT scores*

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Top 5 Scoring Depth

– Essays

– Letters of recommendation

– Extracurricular activities

– Special achievements

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Essay Don’ts

Don’t…

• Tell a story that’s already being told in your application.
• Use words you wouldn’t say out loud.
• Be overly opinionated or self-righteous.
• Overshare.
• Wait to get to the point.

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4 Elements of Great College Essays

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1. Core values

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• Can you name 4-5 of the author’s core values?
• Do you detect a variety of values?

The bracelet was given to me by Lizzie, a girl who’d never backpacked before. We helped her through the three-day camping process, and as dinner was cooking and chatter filled the campsite, I taught her how to make the most basic bracelet. Passing these kinds of traditions is how the backpacking community continues to thrive. Lizzie went on to make many more bracelets, but she gave me that first one.

2. Vulnerability

• After reading this essay, do you feel like you know more about the author?
• Do you feel closer to them?

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I’ve climbed six mountains standing at 14,000 feet (fourteeners), so another 4 AM wakeup didn’t seem difficult. Initially, everything was normal, but my body shut down the moment we began to climb the final stretch. I had a panic attack, and was unable to calm myself down. I told my friends to continue, and they did, except for Ellie, who decided to keep me company. They were gone for two hours, leaving ample time for Ellie to make me a bracelet while I focused on breathing. There is an ethos of pushing past failure and never giving up no matter the circumstance, but I couldn’t, and that was scary. I went to bed feeling unaccomplished in the traditional sense, but I had a new understanding of my body’s limits, recognizing their importance over fleeting moments of triumph.

3. Writing craft

• clarity (details and specifics)
• structure that makes sense

4. ‘So what?’ moments

• Can you name 3-5 so what moments in the essay?

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Geoff Decker

geoff@collegeessayjournalist.com

Essay Writing Tips

- Brainstorming ideas and outlining.

- Writing engaging introductions and conclusions.

- Using specific details and vivid descriptions.

- Avoiding common pitfalls (clichés, overused topics, etc.).

- Revising and seeking feedback: importance of multiple drafts and peer reviews.

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Essay Writing Tips

Interactive Activity (5 minutes)**

- Group brainstorming session: students share potential essay topics and receive feedback.

- Pair up and practice writing a compelling introduction or a key paragraph.

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