6 Surprising College Essay Myths (and What to Do Instead)

Author: Eryn Gordon

Many people have differing opinions about the college essay. You might find that advice offered by one guide is contradicted by another. To that point, there are several myths about the college essay that could potentially harm your application and your chance at attending your dream school. This blog reviews the 6 most common college essay myths and explains why they aren’t accurate, and what you should do instead.

College Essay Myth No. 1 

Some essay prompts are better than others. 

If you’re using the Common App, each of the seven essay prompts are treated equally. The purpose of offering seven choices is so you can choose the one you find most interesting or engaging to write about. It’s important to remember that it doesn’t matter which prompt you choose, it’s how you write about your topic. If you find one of the college essay prompts more interesting, it will likely result in a higher-quality essay. 

College Essay Myth No. 2

I don’t have a good story to tell in my personal statement. 

Believe it or not, every student has a story to tell. Many professional writers agree that it’s not what story you tell, but how you tell it. A great skill to learn is the ability to take a seemingly mundane story and convert it into an essay that captures your audience. You don’t have to be the valedictorian of your class or the champion on your debate team to write a compelling essay. A thorough essay writing course can advance your ability to the next level.  

College Essay Myth No. 3

I need to be a great storyteller to do well on the essay. 

Some of us don’t consider ourselves particularly talented when it comes to storytelling, and that’s okay. The reality is, great writer or not, you’ll have to write at least one essay for a college application. This is similar to students who take the math section of the SATs even if math is not a subject they feel strong in. The good news is that most admissions counselors understand this and grade essays more subjectively. However, you still should do your best. It would benefit you to develop new skills or learn additional techniques to improve your writing.

College Essay Myth No. 4

Admissions counselors will never know if someone wrote the essay for me. 

No two essays are the same because everyone writes in their own unique style. From word choices to grammatical structure, each essay will be specific to its author. College admissions counselors will review thousands, if not millions of applications each year and have a trained eye when it comes to inconsistencies. It won’t take much effort for the counselor reading your submission to realize your essay doesn’t match the same writing style in the rest of your application. If you’re considering having someone help you write your essay, think again. 

College Essay Myth No. 5

If I copy published ideas from the internet, it won’t be that big of a deal. 

Plagiarism is a huge challenge for students, instructors, and college administrators. While some students have the best intentions at heart, they may plagiarize without realizing it. Accident or not, it’s taken seriously and in some cases may get an application thrown out. Your essay is completely your own, and it’s a great opportunity to tell your personal story. Using an original idea is not only the ethical thing to do, it will keep you in good standing with the school. 

College Essay Myth No. 6

There’s a right and wrong way to write an essay. 

You already know that there are a variety of styles you can use when writing a college essay. Other than following proper grammar and structural guidelines, there is no clearly defined rule to essay writing. Your college essay may be written as a narrative, first-person piece, or in the third person. You might write about someone else, but keep yourself as the essay’s focus, or write about your favorite hobbies. Expert instructors suggest avoiding the idea of “right and wrong” and just enjoy the writing experience. The more fun you have with your story, the better the outcome will be.

Key Takeaways for Writing a College Essay

Take your essay seriously, but don’t get bogged down by the process. Pick the prompt that resonates most with you and have fun with your story. Keep in mind that the admissions counselor reading your essay will have a plethora of other applications to review, so make sure to capture their attention early on.