Lifecycle of Integrated Marketing Marquette University 2002-2006

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MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE
ADMISSIONS
The Truth About College Essays Recommendations
and Suggestions for Writing a Strong College
Essay
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Myth vs. Fact
MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATION
ADMISSIONS

• MYTH Admission Counselors will not read your
  college application essay.
• FACT Not only will an Admission Counselors read
  your essay, he/she will use it to help evaluate
  your readiness for college.

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MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE
ADMISSIONS
So what is a college essay?

• A college essay is a statement that is used by
  colleges and universities to evaluate your
  readiness for college and learn more about you as
  an individual.
• In general, there are 3 types of essays
• The Why Us question
• The You question (otherwise knows as a personal
  statement)
• The Creative question

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MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE
ADMISSIONS
The Why Us Question

• The Why Us question asks for an essay about
  your goals and how serious your commitment is to
  this particular school.
• The focus for this this essay is given to you
  Why did you choose this school or path?
• Make sure youve done your research. For example,
  if you say you want to attend Marquette
  University to major in architecture, the school
  will be able to tell how carefully you've chosen
  (Marquette does not offer architecture as a
  major).
• Example Questions
• What do you want to attend Marquette?
• How will your presence enrich our Community?

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MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE
ADMISSIONS
The You Question (also known as a personal
statement)

• Many colleges will ask you to Tell us about
  yourself. The school just wants to know you
  better and see how you'll introduce yourself.
• This question offers a chance to reveal your
  personality, insight, and individuality.
• The danger is that it's open-ended, so you need
  to focus on one or two things that will reveal
  your best qualities.
• Example Questions
• Complete a one-page personal statement to tell us
  about yourself.
• What contributions would you add to our
  university?

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MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE
ADMISSIONS
The Creative Question

• The creative question allows you to show
  yourself through your choice of some tangential
  item a historical event, a famous person, a
  photograph, etc.
• Make sure you write an informed essay. For
  example, don't write about anything or anyone
  youve never heard of or researched.
• Use common sense. Being creative to the point of
  wacky is a risk you may not want to take.
• Example Questions
• Indicate a person who has had significant
  influence on you. Why?
• If you had to choose 5 items to put in a time
  capsule, what would they be?

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MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE
ADMISSIONS
Things to consider before you begin What do you
want a college admission counselor to know about
you?

• Your special talents and interests
• Any unique challenges you may have
• Extra responsibilities at home or work
• Youre the first in your family to attend college

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Dos and Donts of College Essay Writing
MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE
ADMISSIONS

• Do
• Stay within the word limit
• Be honest and be yourself
• Use formal English
• Check punctuation and grammar
• Cut out unnecessary words and phrases
• Type your essay on a computer

• Dont
• Write what you think the admissions counselor
  wants to read about
• Write using text language or slang
• Overuse the thesaurus or use words if youre
  unsure of their meaning
• Use clichés
• Turn in anything that is handwritten or smeared

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MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE
ADMISSIONS

• Essay Timeline
• Determine the essays deadline
• Read the instructions carefully
• Brainstorm examples for each topic
• Write the first draft of your essay
• Let it sit for a few days, go back and revise
• Share your draft with a teacher/counselor
• Proofread, and proofread again
• Submit your essay along with your application
  before the deadline

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Questions?