Catholic High School Application Essay Examples

Catholic High School Application Essay Examples One “don’t” that I think is particularly important is to resist the urge to sell yourself. Essays that state, “No one could possibly be better qualified for your program than me,” or some variation of that, risk a backlash from Admissions Directors. Well, I’ll be the judge of that.” Instead, illustrate why you are so well qualified and let readers come to that conclusion themselves. Seek professional helpâ€"the problem with spending so much time on what can be a relatively short essay is that you look at it so much it starts to lose its meaning for you. So for the same reason you should read your work out loud or backwards, you have to get another pair of eyes and ears working on it, as well. Students may also contact the Office of Admissions at with additional questions. The optional information below is NOT required for admissions consideration, but will be considered as part of the student’s application for admission if submitted. The following materials may be required of some students where applicable. If you have questions, please contact the Office of Admissions at to speak with an admissions counselor. Don’t leave them alone until they’ve told you at least one thing you can improve, or at least specific aspects they liked. Try very hard not to dump your entire life story or all your finer points into the essay. Focus on singular moments or activitiesâ€"pick the ones that stand out. Instead, look at times you’ve struggled or, even better, failed. And remember those exhausted admissions officers sitting around a table in the winter. Jolt them out of their sugar coma and give them something to be excited about. In school, you were probably encouraged to write papers that took a side. That’s fine in academic work when you’re being asked to argue in support of a position, but in a personal essay, you want to express more nuanced thinking and explore your own clashing emotions. A fresh perspective can make all the difference and keep you from settling for something terrible. A good friend, parent, or better yet, a teacher can read what you’ve written and give you a reality check. Encourage them to be constructiveâ€"it’s okay if they tell you what you’ve come up with is no good, as long as they can offer some feedback to help make it better. Ask them to judge whether the writing really sounds like you are talking. And don’t let them get away with saying your essay is just “good,” either. You must report your entire academic record, including all college credit earned. Such coursework must be detailed on your admissions application, and you must submit official transcripts documenting the coursework. If your high school does not rank students, include a statement from your school describing its policy, a copy of your school’s profile and a GPA or grade distribution report. Work with your high school to send us your official transcript documenting all coursework undertaken during your high school career and your class rank. Generally, you should plan to submit your essay in conjunction with your admissions application. All completed applications received by November 1 will receive an admission decision by February 1, which may include a deferred decision to March 1 . ACT or SAT test scores are not required for the Fall 2021 admissions application. Applicants may choose to submit either the ACT or SAT as part of their admissions application. When provided, ACT and/or SAT scores will continue to serve as just one of the many factors considered in our review of a student’s application. There is an online resource for frequently asked questions regarding submitting standardized test scores. There are many do’s and don’ts regarding the college application essay. A particularly critical “do” is to make sure that your essay stays on point. Applicants will sometimes digress, then fall in love with their digression and not be willing to cut it. Five hundred or less words isn’t much, so be sure that the essay remains focused on fully answering all aspects of the prompt, as they are asked. It’s no jokeâ€"you’d be right to think that after working their way through a big pile of essays, the people reading yours could use a good laugh. You know next to nothing about who will read it, let alone their senses of humor. Once you commit the time and emotional energy to get your butt in the chair to write, you face a daunting task â€" figuring out what to write about. With so much freedom, this is a challenge for most students. The priority deadline offers students the opportunity to receive their admission decision up to one month earlier. You don’t want a college to think you are too focused on education and that you can’t have fun. But they also need to know you will be taking your education seriously. One simple joke at the start or end of your essay is more than enough.