Write Yourself In: The Definitive Guide to Writing Successful College Admissions Essays

by Eric Tipler

Write authentic, memorable college essays that will help you get into the right school for you with this guidebook from a veteran college admissions expert.Every spring, over one million high school juniors embark on an annual rite of applying to college. And with college admission rates at an all-time low, getting into a competitive school is now tougher than ever. At the top schools, a strong transcript and great test scores will get your application noticed, but it’s your essays, and the personal story that they highlight, that will get you admitted. But often, students don’t know where to start. Teens fret over topics because they don’t know what college admissions officers are looking for. They bend over backwards to write what they think colleges want to read, instead of telling their authentic story—which is what admissions officers actually want—in a way that will resonate with their readers. They also struggle because college essays, which are narrative, first-person, and introspective require a different set of skills from academic, expository writing they’ve been learning for years in the classroom. Seasoned college admissions expert and educator Eric Tipler has seen this firsthand. Teens and their parents spend countless, anxiety-filled hours crafting and refining essays that are often lackluster. In Write Yourself In, Tipler meets students where they are, and provides comprehensive actionable advice in a warm and conversational tone. He demonstrates how to craft a winning essay, one that is authentic, vulnerable, and demonstrative of qualities like personal growth and emotional maturity. Instead of formulas, Write Yourself In gives students step-by-step processes for brainstorming, outlining, writing, and revising essays. It encourages them to seek out feedback at key points in the process, something Tipler has found to be vital to helping students produce their best writing. Further, the book includes sidebars that teach essential components of good storytelling, a “secret weapon” in the admissions process. In addition to the admissions essay, Write Yourself In also covers the most common supplemental essays on topics like community, diversity, openness to others’ viewpoints, and why their school is a good fit for the student scholarship essays, as well as scholarship essays. Tipler includes sections that address current topics like the widespread use of ChatGPT and the discussion of race in the admissions essay, a facet of the student’s application that will have newfound importance given the Supreme Court decision on affirmative action. Written with both the parent and teen in mind, Write Yourself In is the go-to handbook for writing a great college essay.

328 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 11, 2024

Reviews

[Jennifer Wieland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great for both parents of rising seniors and the students themselves. As a parent, it really helped me understand the way things have changed in applying to college, and it gave a good overview of the process and where essays fit into that. It also helped me with concrete advice to give my senior in crafting her essays (great tip on telling both the internal and external story).

For students, the book is fun to read. There are lots of example essays to help get the writing juices flowing! It also really focuses on the task at hand - writing the essays - and emphasizes that the student is in the home stretch, almost there, and there's no need to dwell on what might have been. A very positive book for the student who might be feeling a little anxious, with lots of good helpful tips including timelines and worksheets for students to work through.

Highly recommend!

[Smith Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Write Yourself In: The Definitive Guide to Writing Successful College Admissions Essays by Eric Tipler is a practical, insightful guide that demystifies one of the most stressful parts of the college application process the personal essay.

What sets this book apart is its emphasis on authenticity over formula. Rather than encouraging students to “game” the system, Tipler focuses on helping them uncover and communicate their genuine stories something that aligns closely with what admissions officers actually value.

[Francesca Morrissey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I absolutely hate that this book is really geared toward promoting applying only to highly rejective schools. I find that constantly referencing U.S. News & World Report lists is irresponsible. As an independent college counselor with 13+ years experience I also found that some of the Common App essay writing advice was flat out wrong/bad. I did, however, find the section on how to identify and tackle specific supplemental essays to be useful.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great resource! I really liked that it focuses on essays. I remember writing my own essays back in the day for college admission, and it just felt like such a shot in the dark. This book gives a lot of great examples and really helps people understand *why* things matter and how to approach it. Highly recommend!

[Susan Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super helpful guide to composing college essays. Wondering how to get started on a terrific college essay? Eric Tipler has the answers. Highly recommend.