College Essay Checklist: 5 Questions to Ask Before You Submit
Your college admission essays are an essential part of your applications. But how do you actually know when your personal statement and other college essays are ready to be submitted? Start by working through our 5-step checklist.
Want to score your essay before you submit? Use our college essay rubric alongside this checklist.
1. Do I draw the reader in from the first sentence?
Don't start your essay by stating the obvious: "Hi, I'm a senior in high school, and I'm writing this essay so I can get into college." The first sentence of your essay should draw the reader into your story, what we call the Magnet. Jump right in, like this: "I woke up to a splash of cold water on my face. 'Get up,' Juan said to me, 'We're moving.'"
2. Do I show how I learned, grew, or made a difference?
At Revision Learning, we call this a Pivot, a turn in the action when you risk something, learn something, or try something new. It's where you change or take action in some way. The Pivot shifts the direction of your story and keeps the reader engaged.
3. Do I end in the action?
Your ending should not summarize what you've already told the reader. Instead, your final sentence, what we call the Glow, should end in the action, creating a lasting impression and leaving the reader wanting to know more about you. Here is an example from one of our students: "And though it was no masterpiece of genius, it was a working robot."
4. Have I replaced general things that many students can say with specific Details, Dialogue, and Description from my own experience?
You can make every sentence of your essay more powerful by replacing general ideas, as well as thoughts and interpretations that happen in your own mind, with actions that take place in the world of shared human experience. Sensory Details, Dialogue (what people said), and physical Description (such as where you are and who else is there) make your essay uniquely your own, while drawing the reader into your unique experience.
5. If it's a supplemental essay for a specific college, have I done the research to show how I would take advantage of their people and programs?
In supplemental essays, colleges want to see your interest in their community specifically and why you would fit in. Before you write the essay, make sure you understand the values of the college. Talk to current students, faculty, and staff and do your own research. Think about relevant activities you're involved in now, and then build a bridge to show what you will do in college and beyond.
Don't Over-Edit!
Too many students over-edit their college essays. They take writing that is fresh and energetic and grind it down to big, general ideas that many people can say.
Think about the stories that only you can tell. StoryBuilder helps you find your unique Moments and turn those Moments into powerful essays. In working through StoryBuilder, you'll move from general ideas that many people can say to a story that reflects your unique character and point of view. Revealing your character is your best bet to gain admission at the most selective colleges.
For more on the Magnet, Pivot, Glow framework, check out our post on how to write a college essay that engages your reader. And for more on using Details, Dialogue, and Description (the 3 Ds), see our post on the power of specific details.
Stuck on your college essays? Come write them live!
Staring at a blank doc? Rewriting the same opening line? Wondering if your topic is "good enough”? Every student hits this wall, and it's much easier to get past with a supportive coach and a room full of peers going through the same thing.
Finding Your Moment: College Essay Workshop is a 2-hour live session where you'll brainstorm, draft, and get real-time feedback using the Moments Method®, the same framework Revision Learning has taught to 250,000+ students.
Wednesday, August 26 · 5–7pm ET · Virtual
Sunday, September 13 · 12–2 pm ET · Virtual
$49 · Limited to 20 students · One year of upgraded platform access included
Led by Nick Fernald, Ed.M., a longtime educator and founder of Revision Learning.