An Example of an Excellent College Application Essay

March 15, 2011.  While reading Caitlin Crommett’s  college application essay, I became more and more amazed.  The story was touching (the beginning involved a woman who was dying) but not overly sentimental (“the day our “Armchair Tour of China” was scheduled to be given, Pat died. Though this made me very sad, it was comforting to know that she was where she wanted to be”), and said so much about the generous and involved person that Caitlin must be.

Catilin started her own “make a wish-type” group for dying seniors.  Doing so, she demonstrated initiative with a capital “I”–an “I” big enough to be on the Uniroyal Tire next to I-94 in Detroit.   Not only was she doing something amazing, but she was clear about why —  talking in her essay about how she was inspired by the movie “Patch Adams.”

Check out Caitlin’s Dreamcatchers website.  The world could use a million more students like her.  The lesson for anyone writing a college essay? Pay attention to what stirs feelings of interest in you, and act on those feelings. I call this the “get off the sofa” moment.