5 Mistakes Students Make on Their Essay, According to College Admissions Experts

Here at The College Essay Workshop, we’re obsessed with college essays. Specifically, helping you dazzle admissions officers with the unique essay only you can write.

But what makes an application essay shine? What’s the needle admissions officers search for as they dig through haystacks of student essays? What’s the secret ingredient in the “1 in 5 essays” that elevates the top 20% above the rest?

Each week, as part of our research and curious quest for insight, we talk 1-on-1 with college admissions experts. We want to learn more about college essays and the increasingly significant role this writing plays in a student’s overall application.

“Essays are a hugely important part of the admission process. The essay is the one piece of the application over which a student has 100% control.” - Diane Anci (VP of Enrollment and Dean of Admissions at Kenyon College)

Given the importance of the essay, we ask each college admissions expert:
“What common mistakes do students make on their essays? What should they avoid doing if their writing is to stand out from the rest?”

Several quality insights emerged! We asked questions, now you have answers. Here are the top five mistakes to avoid in your college essay.

5 Mistakes Students Make on Their Essay, According to College Admissions Experts

You’re making a mistake on your essay if you…

1. Start writing too late in the year
2. Choose a tired, generic topic
3. Ask too many people to edit your essay
4. Neglect to show how you’ve changed
5. Try to cram all your achievements into a single essay
   
   

Let’s get straight to it.

Mistake #1: You start writing too late in the year

How late is too late to start writing one of the most significant essays of your life? It turns out, admissions experts can tell the difference between a rushed piece and an essay that’s been carefully crafted over an extended period of time.

The experts recommend you start your senior year with a polished draft of your essay. To get there, you should plan on writing at least 5 drafts during your junior year, refining and polishing your writing with each draft. Those reading your essay will be grateful that you invested time in your writing, and so will you.

Here's a TikTok video about procrastination from our lead instructor JP.

Ready to get started on your first draft? Check out our quick-start guide: 6 Steps to Getting Started on Your College Essay.

Mistake #2: You choose a tired, generic topic

We’ll let you in on a little secret. There are eye-roll topics that admissions officers are no longer excited to read. The cross-border mission trip, the sports injury, these essays roll in by the thousands. While you’re unlikely to choose a topic that’s never been seen before, you can captivate the reader by adding your unique twist to the story. To do this, you’ve got to get specific. You’ve got to be you.

You might like this TikTok from JP about avoiding overused topics.

Wondering how to do this? Start with what matters the most to you. Write about ideas that dance around in your head all day! Some topics might seem mundane to you. That’s okay. By drilling down into the details you demonstrate deep thinking and high intellectual curiosity that will elevate your essay above the pile of stale tales.

Ready to uncover your stand-out story? Read: What’s Your Mundane Miracle?

Mistake #3: You ask too many people to edit your essay

If you’ve spent any time researching what makes a good essay, you’ve almost certainly discovered the value of “your authentic voice”. At which point you wonder to yourself, “what exactly does that mean?” You’re not alone. Essentially, it means that you write your essay from your unique perspective on the world, laced with your personal tone.

If too many people edit your essay, their endless revisions will dilute your voice. So, think carefully about who you ask to review and edit your essay. Ideally, go in search of editing support from an expert writer, someone who can give you constructive feedback without diminishing your presence in the words you’ve written.

Another TikTok here from JP about too many edits.

Mistake #4: You neglect to show how you’ve changed

Let’s recap... You’ve chosen your unique topic. You’re writing a spell-binding essay. Surely, this means you’re golden, right? Well, don’t rush to recess just yet. Admissions experts agree that showing what you learned or how you changed is the most important part of your college essay. It’s how they get to see your personality reflected on the page. They want to know what type of person you will be at their college.

Your college essay is an invitation to show your awareness of self in relation to the world around you. As you share a specific aspect of your lived experience, reflect on how your interactions with people, places, ideologies and ideas (to name a few) have changed you. This is a powerful way to put yourself on the page.

JP strikes again with his take on the importance of showing how you've changed.

Mistake #5: You try to cram all your achievements into one essay

Have you ever noticed that trying to impress someone often has the opposite effect? The college essay is no different. This piece is not the place to cram all of your achievements like a carry-on suitcase spilling socks out the side. You’ve only got 650 words available. Of course, you’ll want to highlight your notable achievements, but your essay is not your exhaustive life resumé.

JP shares in this TikTok about how trying to impress doesn't work.

The good news (we’ll call it “good” for now) is that you have more than one piece of writing to complete. Admissions experts recommend you strategically use the additional short writing samples to present a holistic picture of who you are. Colleges are looking for continuity across all your writing. Is the quality of your thinking consistent? Is your “voice” evident throughout? You can’t fit everything into your main college essay. Instead, use all the tools at your disposal to show admissions committees you’re the type of person they want at their college.

So, to recap… Here’s what you’ve learned.

You’re making a mistake on your essay if you…

1. Start writing too late in the year
2. Choose a tired, generic topic
3. Ask too many people to edit your essay
4. Neglect to show how you’ve changed
5. Try to cram all your achievements into a single essay

A final word…

Don’t write a SCANT essay. (See what we did there? Plenty more mnemonic devices where that came from!) Your essay is the one piece of your college application over which you have 100% control. It’s up to you to make it count.

Start now.

Get specific.

Get the right edits.

Show growth.

Present the whole you.

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