The document provides tips for writing short college application essays, emphasizing the importance of starting with a specific example related to the main point. It suggests brainstorming ideas before narrowing them down and only including information that supports the main point. The conclusion should reflect on how the experience will influence future goals, without requiring a formal summary paragraph.

1. How
to
Write
a
Short
Essay
for
College
Applica7ons
Essay
Hell’s
Tips
and
Advice
for
Cra6ing
Essays
Under
400
words

2. Wri7ng
Something
Short
Can
Be
Harder
Than
Wri7ng
Something
Long.

3. The
trick
is
to
focus
what
you
have
to
say.

4. Most
supplemental
essays
required
by
colleges
are
short.
Most
are
between
50
and
400
words:
about
one
or
two
paragraphs

5. The
University
of
California
changed
its
required
admissions
essays
to
four,
short
essays
(each
less
than
350
words)

6. Read
the
prompt
(the
ques7on)
closely.
Prompts
tell
you
exactly
what
they
want
to
learn
in
your
essay.
O6en,
it’s
more
than
one
thing.

7. Start
your
essay
with
a
specific
example
of
the
main
point
you
want
to
make
in
your
essay.

8. Don’t
start
with
a
sweeping,
open-­‐ended,
broad
general
statement.

9. Sample
Prompt
for
Short
Essay:
Tell
about
a
talent
you
have.
Do
this:
In
the
middle
of
Shubert’s
Concerto
No.
4,
I
glanced
out
at
the
audience
and
saw
their
concern
that
I
might
miss
a
note.
I
took
a
deep
breath,
spread
my
fingers
over
the
keys
and
dove
back
into
the
piece
with
renewed
intensity.
Not
this:
I
have
always
loved
playing
the
piano
and
seemed
to
have
a
gi6
for
it
at
an
early
age.
My
favorite
part
is
playing
recitals
and
I
have
won
many
awards
for
my
performances.

10. It’s
best
to
start
with
a
specific
example
of
your
point
so
you
can
“show”
the
reader
instead
of
just
“tell”
the
reader.

11. Just
SHOW
one
piece
of
a
moment
or
experience...

12. …
instead
of
TELLING
everything
about
it
at
once.

13. AYer
star7ng
with
one
specific
example
or
“7me”
that
illustrates
your
main
point,
then
go
on
to
explain
what
it
meant
to
you.

14. This
approach
works
for
all
essays:
Prompts
such
as:
• Describe
your
favorite
subject.
• Tell
us
why
you
are
a
fit
for
our
school.
• What
is
the
one
thing
that
sets
you
apart
from
other
candidates?
• Write
about
your
greatest
passion.
• Share
a
7me
that
you
faced
a
problem.
• Talk
about
one
of
your
extra-­‐curricular
ac7vi7es
or
interests.

15. Brainstorm
Your
Ideas
First

16. Then
Narrow
Them
Down
By
Picking
One
Specific
Example
Describe
the
moment,
incident,
experience
or
“Sme”
in
a
couple
sentences.

17. The
Example
Will
Be
Your
Introduc7on

18. Use
the
Rest
of
Your
Essay
to
Explain
the
Meaning
of
that
Example
• Describe
the
broader
context
or
background
• Explain
how
you
felt
and
what
you
did
• Directly
answer
the
quesSon
in
the
prompt
• Include
something
you
learned
• Share
why
you
believe
it
maVered
or
had
value

19. Make
Only
One
Main
Point
in
Your
Short
Essay
• Don’t
try
to
cram
in
too
much
informaSon
• Only
include
ideas
that
support
the
one
point
• Trust
that
one
point
answers
the
quesSon

20. Concluding
• End
on
a
broad
note
• Reflect
on
how
you
will
apply
what
you
learned
to
your
future
goals
• You
don’t
need
a
formal
summary
paragraph
• Go
out
posiSve
and
forward-­‐looking

21. Go
Ahead
and
Write
It
Long
Then
Go
Back
and
Trim
It
Under
the
Word
Count

22. Proof
It
Closely
and
Make
Sure
It
Answers
the
Prompt

23. Congratula7ons!
You
now
know
the
Big
Secret
to
wriSng
effecSve
short
essays:
Start
with
a
Specific
Example
of
your
main
point!
GOOD
LUCK!

24. For
More
Wri7ng
Tips
and
Advice
on
College
Applica7on
Essays
Click
Below
to
Visit:
www.EssayHell.com