Writing the College Essay

Here's my little acronym to help with writing the college essay (and yes, it's somewhat lame).

HIP DOG

H=honesty. This is first and foremost the basic concept that everything in the essay is true, or patently fiction so that the reader understands it's a spoof. No exaggeration (you can't revise an event where you tossed the end of your hot-dog bun to a friendly stray dog into twenty hours of working to help protect abandoned animals).

But the H in honesty is also more than truthfulness in basic facts. It's also truthfulness in subject matter, in theme, in the overall feel. If you hate long novels written in the past and only read modern magazines or on-line content, don't choose Huckleberry Finn as your fictional character who inspires you. Don't try to be what you're not. Believe in yourself and that you have enough potential to make a good college candidate.

I=insight. Bring yourself into focus through your essay. If you haven't realized something new about yourself in writing it, you haven't dug deeply enough. Share a little of your insight with your reader, so they, too, have a better vision of who you might be.

P=persuasion. Built into every good essay is some element of persuasion. There are values hidden in the text and subtext. If you're writing about a person who inspires you because of his persistence and ambition, bring that into sharp focus in how you also use these characteristics in your own life. Whether you are happy-go-lucky, sincere, serious, hard-working, diligent, prompt, coordinated, clever, funny, musical, kind, patient, out-going, humble, quick-witted, creative, artistic, careful, good-with-numbers, literate, absorbed with pop culture, liberal, conservative, religious, athletic, or whatever, find one or more of those talents, values, perspectives, and interests in your subject and bring it out, so the reader gets a glimpse not only of the subject but of your vision.


D=details. All good writing is in the detail. Use sensory words (not just those that appeal to sight; bring in sound, taste, touch, smell). Hone in on a close-up. Choose a telling quirk. Even the broad stroke can have an element of detail. Don't weigh your essay down with all details, but use enough to make it immediate and interesting.

O=order. Make sure you can articulate to yourself what order you have chosen for your essay. Is it chronological? Ordered by logic? Cause and effect? A wrap-around so that the end comes back to the beginning?

Be sure you don't have a see-saw (back and forth, back and forth--ugh); make sure you're not just jumping around. Put similar thoughts and concepts together in proximate relationship to each other.

G=grammar. Check that all subjects match their verbs. Make sure to be consistent in verb tense throughout your essay (unless you can articulate a reason for changing). Verify that you have used parallel construction when appropriate. Make sure that all pronouns have a clear antecedent. Check spelling and punctuation. Don't rely on your computer's grammar and spelling checkers; these are often wrong.


Have fun writing! And remember, when you write your college essay, be a HIP DOG!