You never get a second chance to make a first impression, least of all when writing a college admissions essay! Regardless of what kind of essay you’re writing, whether it be a 650-word Personal Statement, a Why College essay filled with institutional specifics about your school of choice, a letter to admissions officers that expresses continued interest after being deferred or waitlisted, or a supplemental prompt that asks a unique question to give admissions officers insight into what makes you tick, you must start it off strong to capture the attention of admissions officers right off the bat. Otherwise, no matter the strength of the rest of your essay, your readers could dismiss your application entirely!

Okay, we’ve established the stakes of writing a knockout introduction to your college essay. But how exactly should you go about it? Your introductory paragraph should be full of personality and creativity. The rest of your essay might be detailing programs, activities, and traditions you will participate in once on campus or describing how you’ve made an impact in your local community with your singular hook, but now is the time to thrust your application reader directly into your world.

What NOT To Do When Writing An Introduction:

Let’s start by reviewing how not to go about this process. 

1. Whatever you do, don’t rephrase the prompt or the question to which you’re responding. Admissions officers don’t have amnesia. They know their school’s application front and back. You don’t need to remind them what they’re asking you! It just wastes their time and your very precious word count. 
2. Don’t use verbose language. You might think you’re making a big impression, but you’re probably just coming off a bit obnoxious. High schoolers aren’t typically the best writers out there. There’s no need to try to use smoke and mirrors in the form of fancy vocabulary and huge literary flourishes. Chances are, you don’t have the mastery over the English language you would need to pull that sort of thing off! Instead, opt for colloquial language that sounds like it came from a down-to-earth high schooler.
3. Avoid excessive use of the “I” pronoun. Try not to start too many sentences off with “I.” A few in the course of your essay is alright, but if that pesky little pronoun is popping up in every sentence, that tends to decrease the strength of the writing.

How to Ace Your College Essay Introduction

Start with whatever story you’re trying to tell, whether it’s about your future engagement with everything campus offers or something more personal to you, like how your local farmer’s market became the site of an unlikely meeting that changed your life forever. Break the story down into its simplest parts and individual scenes. What’s the most gripping part of the story?

You probably won’t have as much room as you think you will to describe everything you’d like in your essay. Your introduction is the place to briefly set up the story, detail the stakes, setting, characters, and tone, and then grab your application reader with a compelling narrative. Reel ‘em in, as they say! Don’t forget your audience — admissions officers want to admit amiable, collaborative students with big dreams and optimistic attitudes. So don’t let your creativity take you too far into the territory of controversy, pessimism, or ego. 

Ivy Coach’s Assistance With Penning Highly Competitive College Essays

Striking this balance for your introductory paragraphs of college essays is easier said than done. And every essay prompt is different. A great college essay requires a great topic, outline, follow-through, and editorial stage. Ivy Coach’s team of former elite college admissions officers provides customized feedback to our clients, addressing every step of the college admissions process and optimizing your child’s odds of acceptance to a highly selective college.

To get started, fill out our complimentary consultation form, and we’ll be in touch with an outline of our services.