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There are several stories online about students who impressed colleges with their outstanding college essays that revolved around money. However, what you don’t read about are the thousands of college essays about money that failed to serve their purpose. So don’t get blindly swayed by these news articles and success stories.
Writing about money in your college essay can be a good idea, but only if you approach it the right way. Here are 2 important things to keep in mind if you want to write about money in your college essay.
Focus on your attributes and accomplishments
Don’t bemoan your lack of a privileged upbringing or talk about how you want to use your college education to buy your family a nicer home. Your essay is meant to highlight your attributes and accomplishments, as well as what you’ll bring to the college itself. No student can hope to gain admission by eliciting a sympathetic response from the admissions authority.
Don’t talk about money in your college essay if it’s not relevant
Don’t talk about your volunteering experience in a third world country where you got to see first-hand what real poverty is unless it is relevant to the program you are applying for. It may help you get admission to a social service, medical or nursing program but it is irrelevant if you are applying to a physics or art program.
Consider writing about money only if you can pull it off and achieve the right tone in your essay, otherwise it is better to steer clear of this topic.
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