How To Start Your College Essay

I was 165 feet underwater in frigid currents when I ran out of air. OK, not really, but it is a good example of how you want to hook your admissions officer with the first line of your essay. They frequently spend only a few minutes on each essay so you want to draw them into your world as quickly as possible.

“My parachute won’t open!” Dialogue can also be an effective opener for your essay, allowing you to dive right into the middle of an interesting story that draws out your personality and highlights your strengths.

Another trick is to look at your rough draft and find the most engaging sentence. Try starting with that sentence and then weave that into your narrative.