Last minute writing is a bad idea — plain and simple.

If you’ve got a Feb. 1 deadline for your college application essay, have a final draft written by Monday, Jan. 25. Put it down and come back to it on Wednesday, Jan. 27. Ask your family members to read it. Print it and review the hard copy. Look for areas that need more precise writing, better verbiage, or clarification.

Eliminate all unnecessary words and extraneous sentences.

Check for typographical and grammatical errors.

Make sure you have no more than 650 words because the College Board software won’t accept an essay that has more words than the maximum limit.

Your essay should reflect your spirit and self-truth. Does your topic lend itself to a metaphorical depiction of a lesson you’ve learned? Does it show how you’ve grown in spirit? Does it have imagery? Can you paint a picture for your reader?

Hiring a professional can help keep you on schedule and avoid the last minute sprint as the clock ticks toward deadline.

Good luck!

When you’re new to writing, it’s not always clear what would be considered a well-written piece as compared to one that’s just mediocre.

The answer is this: use action verbs and delete all unnecessary words. Journalists call it “writing tightly,” meaning you convey your story with the least number of words possible.

Here’s an example of a mediocre sentence versus a well-written one:

MEDIOCRE: The washing machine agitator vibrated back and forth to clean his boxers and her unmentionables.

MUCH BETTER: His and her undergarments swished in the washer.

The use of the verb “swished” makes it possible to omit the following words: machine, agitator, vibrated, back and forth.

The use of the word “undergarments” makes the words “his boxers and her unmentionables” unnecessary.

By using language differently, it is possible to pare a 15-word sentence to eight without sacrificing the meaning or intention of the information presented.

That’s good writing.

The most fleeting of moments can sometimes turn into the most powerful of essays.

Here’s an essay I wrote after driving by an unusual scene on a back road in Billerica. It came from a glimpse that so moved me I had to write about it.

Emotion is the key to an essay’s success. If you are moved by something you see, something someone said, a memory, a dream, a passage in a book, don’t let go of it. Turn it into a short essay and share it. You will find tremendous gratification in the process.

The January 15 application deadline for many colleges is less than two weeks away. If your essay is not in final form this is the time to be revising and refining. Once you’ve gotten it in the best shape possible, print it and have everyone in your family read it to make sure there are no grammatical mistakes or misspellings.

Use imagery and action verbs to engage your reader. Consider that a college admissions officer is wading through hundreds of applicants. You want your essay to grab the reader and be memorable. Your topic is important because it can serve as a metaphor, demonstrating how you’ve grown during your high school years or moved forward from a difficult time.

Good luck and have faith in yourself!

There are three or four deadlines for your college application. The deadline for early admission is typically Nov. 1. For some colleges, the early admission deadline is Nov. 15, according to the College Board website. Regular admission deadlines range between Jan. 1 and Feb. 1.

That gives you plenty of time to write a compelling essay and make sure it’s in perfect condition before you submit it.

Once you’ve written the essay, it’s time to start editing. The editing process has been likened to a sculptor chiseling a sculpture. You will refine, refine, refine. Give yourself at least two weeks to perfect the essay. Read it to yourself, and then read it again the next day. Email it to your family members and ask them to read it for typographical errors and grammatical mistakes. Give them a deadline and make sure they honor the deadline. Give thought to their suggestions. Keep an open mind but stay true to your own voice and your own story.

Whatever you do, don’t find yourself writing on the same day as the application is due. That’s how mistakes are made and errors go uncorrected. You need space between the time you write the essay and the period when you start editing.

Now sit down and start writing!

“2015-2016 Essay Prompts
Posted on 03.31.2015 in Admissions and Access, Essay Prompts

We are pleased to share the 2015-2016 Essay Prompts with you. New language appears in italics:

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma-anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.”

Your college essay tells an admissions officer why you belong at that college or university. You know you want to be there and you’re certain it’s the right fit for you, but how do you convince someone else of that? You’re struggling to find the right words.

If the essay doesn’t feel right, it’s because you haven’t yet gotten to the kernel of truth about yourself. We present ourselves to the world in layers. We are a daughter, son, sister, brother, musician, athlete, outdoor enthusiast. We are someone’s best friend or worst enemy, a lover of poetry and an avid football fan. We love to cook, run, play Scrabble, tell jokes.

But deep inside you have a story to tell that is yours alone. Finding it takes a little time and a lot of thinking. I’ll lead you through brainstorming exercises that will help you discover your essence. The goal is for you to become so interested in telling your story that you’ll want to write the essay.

Your college essay tells an admissions officer why you belong at that college or university. You know you want to be there and you’re certain it’s the right fit for you, but how do you convince someone else of that? You’re struggling to find the right words.

If the essay doesn’t feel right, it’s because you haven’t yet gotten to the kernel of truth about yourself. We present ourselves to the world in layers. We are a daughter, son, sister, brother, musician, athlete, outdoor enthusiast. We are someone’s best friend or worst enemy, a lover of poetry and an avid football fan. We love to cook, run, play Scrabble, tell jokes.

But deep inside you have a story to tell that is yours alone. Finding it takes a little time and a lot of thinking. I’ll lead you through brainstorming exercises that will help you discover your essence. The goal is for you to become so interested in telling your story that you’ll want to write the essay.