College Application Essays - Procrastination
I planned on writing an article about procrastination but I really should clean out the garage first. Although, now that reruns of Dragnet are on TV, I do want to catch up on that first….after my nap.
When should my teen start writing the common application essays?
The end of 11th grade is in many ways the most stressful time in a student’s high school career. SAT, AP, Regents and the last ditch effort to save the world so his resume will look more impressive to colleges.
The problem for most students is that they put off applying to college until they are waist-high is senior year course work, research, clubs, sports, other extra-curricular activities and perhaps even a part-time job. And if your teen is anything like I was….”community service as stipulated by the court.” KIDDING. I was a mensch in Oceanside. The only trouble I ever got in was not annotating a source on a research paper.. oh those wild and crazy 1970s. But I digress…
August 1st is usually the time that the common application essay topics are announced by the powers that be. (This year is an exception but more on that later).
Ideally, August 1st is the best time to get the common application essay started. 650 words. Give yourself August. It’s the ONE component of the application process that you can accomplish well before the craziness of the senior year begins. GET THE COMMON APPLICATION ESSAY OUT OF THE WAY.
How can you patiently write a great essay while you are also wading through all the senior year activities I mentioned earlier? Plus now…add all the paperwork for the twelve colleges you are applying to.
GET THE COMMON APPLICATION ESSAY OUT OF THE WAY. The earlier the better. Before your head is clouded with too many things to accomplish all at once.
The essay will be harder to write than you think. It's going to be written, rewritten, ripped up, started again… wash….rinse….repeat. In this case: PROCRASTINATION IS NOT YOUR FRIEND.
