Books in College Essays

Books in College Essays March 18, 2012 Books that students love often come up in college essays. And thats a good thing! Books are a great way to showcase to college admissions counselors your love of learning, your love of reading and discovery (as long as youre not simply name-dropping books or authors as that gets boring fast). When college applicants write about books, though, they too often write about the same books. And when you write about the same books as everyone else is writing about, it becomes another essay about The Great Gatsby. Dont write about The Hunger Games in your college essays -- even if you read the books. Youll be one of way too many applicants who do so. Try to avoid writing about books that are obviously required reading at your high school. People are pretty familiar with the required reading book list because everyone had to read those books when they were in high school. Weve all read To Kill A Mockingbird. Weve all read The Grapes of Wrath. We may not all remember much about the details of these books but we know weve read them. We know theyre taught in high school classrooms. Show how you love to read outside of school. Show how youre eager to read books that arent required reading. But dont just write about The Hunger Games books or the Twilight books. Dont write about Harry Potter. Show your thirst for knowledge. Show how you like reading books that you dont just read because the Lionsgate marketing department tells you that its going to be a blockbuster movie franchise. Read a book off the beaten path and show (dont tell) why you love it and how this sheds insight on what youre all about. While youre here, check out this post: Advice on College Essays.