College application season is upon us, and in our college essay writing workshop the students are stressed. We're doing our best to dissipate their stress with brainstorming, writing of multiple drafts, and proofreading. College essays are difficult. This year, as in the last few years, the U.C. system requires three essays. Tack on any private or non-U.C. schools which probably require multiple additional essays, and it adds up to a ton of work during the already hectic senior year.
 
For the U.C. application, one essay is about academic achievement, one is about an activity or experience, and the third is open ended. This one, the completely-open-write-about-anything essay, is inevitably the hardest to get started. I'm the kind of person who prefers limited choices. With too many options, I'm frozen. I try to guide the students away from this state of indecision by explaining that real people will read their essays, and their goal should be to produce an essay that can be described in one sentence. "You MUST read the one about the girl and her car," or, "I couldn't put down this essay about Elvis." So far they have written excellent drafts that are only getting better. We have essays about tennis, craft making, parental strife, immigration to the U.S., instant messenger, learning disabilities and alternative parents. For these students the choices are endless. They are amazing overachievers in every aspect of their lives. Next week we'll finalize at least one essay. Hopefully that means a little bit less stress.