Writing Tools for the College Admissions Essay: Write Your Way into the School of Your Dreams

(Paperback)

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Description

Most high school students never have received any instruction in how to write a personal essay. Yet at a time when getting admitted to their dream college is more competitive than ever, the admissions essay may turn out to be the single most important thing they will ever write. The stakes are high.

In Writing Tools for the College Essay, veteran journalist and writing coach Roy Peter Clark

shows how any student can showcase their unique achievements, intellect, and attributes to stand

out from the crowd.

Packed with nearly two dozen remarkable essay examples and 100 digestible essay writing tips that students can carry with them throughout their careers, this is the essential guide every high school student, parent, and teacher needs.

Readers will learn:

How to select your writing prompt

The key elements of a compelling story

How to master the art of the riveting detail

What it means to write with an authentic voice

How to "grab readers by the throat"

The power of reading one's work aloud

The rules of honest writing (including whether to use AI tools)

Tips for revising (and re-revising) your masterpiece

and much more

Reviews

"Great personal essays change both the writer and the world. Whether you are trying to open the door to a cool college or to your soul, this book will show you how to get there."--Kelly McBride Senior Vice President and Chair, Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership, The Poynter Institute
"In this indispensable book about personal essay writing, Clark offers up gems of wisdom for students of all ages and walks of life. Every page instructs and delights. Readers will come away as better writers -- and will be well-equipped to write their way into their dream school.--Mallary Tenore Tarpley, Professor of Journalism, University of Texas at Austin & author of Slip
"Once again Roy Peter Clark shows us that good writing - in this case essay writing - is the trunk of the tree of effective communication. Writing Tools for the College Admissions Essay should be required reading for students and teachers who have to navigate the classrooms of this nation's higher education institutions."--DeWayne Wickham, Dean Emeritus and Director, Center for New Media & Strategic Initiatives School of Global Journalism & Communication
"Roy Peter Clark has broken the code on how to write an impactful essay. There is no tricks for 'outsourcing, ' no stealth plagiarism, no technology 'fix' and no rewriting by experts. You need just patient step-by-step trust that one of the great writing coaches can guide you to your best work that will represent you in your best light. Professor Clark has guided, coached, supported and helped thousands of other students and adults in overcoming one of life's fears - writing an impactful essay. Like them, you can find your 'voice' through his guidance. Write on!"--Dr. William Law, Jr., former President, St. Petersburg College.

Author Bio

Roy Peter Clark is senior scholar at the Poynter Institute, one of the most prestigious schools for journalists in the world. A writer who teaches and a teacher who writes, he has authored or edited twenty books on writing and journalism, including Writing Tools, Murder Your Darlings, and The Art of X-Ray Reading.