EP4: College Admissions Essay Tips: Authenticity, Voice, and AI

A beautifully written college essay that tells us nothing about the student is not a good essay. In Episode 4 of Drop In, Josh and Lisa are talking about what actually makes a college essay work: Voice Perspective Reflection Authenticity The problem is not always the lesson. The lesson may be completely true. The problem is that thousands of students explain that lesson in exactly the same way.An admissions reader does not just need to know that you learned perseverance after a sports injury or gratitude after a mission trip. They want to understand what that experience actually did to you. What did you notice that someone else might have missed? How did you react? What changed specifically for you?This is the reframe we give our students:Write as if you already trust the reader, not as if you are trying to impress them.When you're trying to impress someone, you perform. You reach for bigger words, the most dramatic moment, or the version of the story that makes you sound the most accomplished.But when you trust someone, you simply talk to them. You tell them what actually happened and what it actually meant to you.That is where your real voice shows up.Parents, please do not edit the kiddo out of the essay.And AI? It can be a great tool for brainstorming, organizing ideas, and helping students think more deeply about why a story matters. But it should never sand down their voice until the essay sounds like everyone and no one at the same time.At the end of the day, the essay should sound like the best version of the student. Not the parent. Not a polished fake adult. And definitely not a robot.The student's voice should always stay at the center of the college essay.Want to work with Josh and Lisa? Head to decisiondrop.com/contact.#CollegeEssay #CommonAppEssay #CollegeAdmissions #CollegeApplicationTips #CollegeCounseling #CollegeEssayTips #StudentVoice #AuthenticWriting #AIAndEducation #CollegeAdmissionsAdvice #DecisionDrop #DropInPodcast