Copywriting for the College Application Essay
I’ve been following Brian Clark’s posts on Copyblogger for a while now, hoping I’d pick up some tips for writing catchy headlines and compelling blog posts. Little did I know that Brian’s copywriting advice would end up helping me with my college application essay!
Copywriting is all about selling a product; the college essay is about selling yourself. You need to show your personality. You need to stand out from the crowd. You need to explain everything you have to offer while still keeping it short.
When working on my essay, I struggled to find the balance between sounding too academic and too casual. Copywriting requires a mix of professionalism and personality, which I’ve always liked. So, why not incorporate some of that style into my essay? I put two and two together, and suddenly everything just clicked!
These Copyblogger posts were especially helpful:
- Everything You Need to Know About Writing Successfully - A quote from an article by Stephen King explaining the importance of keeping it simple.
- What’s Your Story? - “Want to have a blog that engages your readers on an emotional level, scores no-cost links and traffic, and takes your business to an entirely new level? Tell great stories.” This is especially important for the college essay. Instead of listing your accomplishments, explain them within the context of a personal story.
- 5 Simple Ways to Open Your Blog Post With a Bang - Tips #2, 3, and 4 can work very well in college essays.
Lesson learned: copywriting applies to more than just marketing. Next year we’ll see if my colleges of choice agree with me. (My fingers are crossed!)
December 6th, 2006
It might also be worth looking at Harry Bauld’s book. He’s a former admissions person, with a funny, pertinent take on distinguishing yourself. If anything, go to Amazon, click on “Look Inside the Book” and click to page 8, which happens to be the back cover.
December 7th, 2006
Interesting. Thanks! Those example essay topics on the back were pretty funny. It’s too bad I’m probably already done with my college essays. Actually, wait, what am I talking about? Thank God I’m probably done with my college essays!