Hesston sophomores enter college application season

by Eleya Raim – Horizon Features Editor

These days Hesston sophomores are pulling a different kind of late-nighter, not for tomorrow’s class, but to meet the application deadline for their their transfer college.

Applying for a college can be overwhelming.  Not only do you have to provide a large amount of personal information about yourself, you often also have to submit an essay on a predetermined topic. For instance, Goshen College, one of the most popular transfer institutions for Hesston students, requires a one-page essay “describing how your goals and dreams fit the Goshen College mission, values and our goal of healing the world, peace by peace.”

While Hesston College doesn’t require an admissions essay, Bethany Miller of the Hesston College admissions department sees her fair share of applications, which generally include a space for students to share their reasons for applying to Hesston.

“Generally we like to see well thought out, grammatically correct reasons for applying,” said Miller.

But, Miller says, the best essays are unique and full of personality.  Colleges like to “see the individual’s voice come through” in their writing, she said.

“When someone has obviously taken time to think about what they want in a college and then articulate how they can contribute to the life of the college, that really stands out to us,” Miller added.

Remember to sell yourself to a college or university.  Students who do so, Miller said, “talk about values that are important to them (family, community, faith, etc) and how they can expand those values” at the college they’re applying to.

Finally, remember the basics.  Good grammar, clear language, personality, and goals for college life are always a great place to start when writing that ever challenging essay for your next college application.