College Essay Checklist
WHY THIS CHECKLIST MATTERS
As competition for elite colleges intensifies, your Common App essay has become the crucial differentiator. While thousands of applicants have similar GPAs and test scores, a powerful personal statement remains one of the few elements you control. A strategically crafted essay can be the difference-maker at schools accepting less than 7% of applicants. Even at less selective institutions, it can secure thousands in scholarships. This checklist ensures that your essay stands out for all the right reasons.
"After applying Josh's techniques to my personal statement, I earned a spot in the University of Florida Honors College, along with $54K in merit scholarships."
— Joshua Franco
STRUCTURE & CONCEPT (The Foundation)
Check the elements your essay currently includes:
Open with a scene that immediately hooks the reader
Establish unexpected connections between personal interests and academic goals
Replace broad life summaries with vivid characters
Create a unified structure where the ending resolves the beginning
TRANSFORMATION TIP:
BEFORE: "I learned an invaluable lesson after competing at DECA Internationals."
AFTER: "Entranced by the sunset over my farm, I see a flash of bright green where it doesn’t belong — at the tops of the two pine trees that stand guard over my neighborhood. My heart plummets. How did I miss this? Mile-a-minute, an invasive weed, slithers up the pines, wrapping itself around the branches, eventually choking them. It’s the latest threat to my home in upstate New York."
STORYTELLING TECHNIQUES (The Craft)
Check the elements your essay currently includes:
Translate statistics or achievements into characters with names
Use physical objects as meaningful symbols to tie your narrative together
Establish high stakes to demonstrate your value to an intellectual community
Embed keywords from target colleges to show alignment with your strengths
TRANSFORMATION TIP:
BEFORE: "I volunteered at a homeless shelter and it was very rewarding."
AFTER: "The steel doors had grated windows, like a prison entrance. I kept fiddling with the lock, my heart clenched in a fist, but I couldn’t get the combination right. All I wanted was to change one person's life – someone like Tom, the man I’d later meet – but I couldn’t even unlock the doors."
FINAL POLISH (The Details)
Check the elements your essay currently includes:
Eliminate clichés and platitudes
Tighten for concision (aim for 95% of your word count limit)
Replace placeholder verbs with evocative ones that drive both description and action
Show more, tell less
TRANSFORMATION TIP:
BEFORE: "I sat across from a senior manager at a marketing firm as we waited for our client in his NYC office."
AFTER: "John gives me a thumbs-up through the studio window and I count down three, two, one to the first chord. It’s a cramped little space, musty and dark. But every time I lay down a new track, I fill that room with light. When I first started recording music, I thought I’d be too nervous to get it right, but after that opening strum I’m gone — deep into the rhythm and melody."
4 COMMON MISTAKES THAT SINK OTHERWISE STRONG ESSAYS
The Passion Trap: Focusing on what you want without demonstrating value to a college.
The Resume Rehash: Emphasizing achievements over a powerful life story.
The Golf Essay: Writing about common activities (sports, travel) without unique insight.
The Brainy Quote: Beginning or ending with someone else’s words rather than your own.
HOW DOES YOUR ESSAY STACK UP?
Count how many elements you checked across all three sections above:
11-12 boxes checked: Your essay stands out even in highly competitive pools.
8-10 boxes checked: Strong foundation with room for strategic improvements.
5-7 boxes checked: Several key elements need attention to maximize impact.
0-4 boxes checked: Your essay requires considerable revisions to compete.
Check one box in each row that best describes where your essay stands:
YOUR NEXT STEPS
This checklist provides a framework. Professional guidance helps you master it.
Students who have worked with me have gained admission to elite programs at Duke, NYU, Carnegie Mellon, and specialized programs ranked in the top 5 nationally. My literary expertise as a published memoirist brings a distinct advantage to crafting personal statements that make college application committees sit up, lean in, and take notice.
“As a mom, I saw my daughter Alex visibly relax after meeting with Josh. He guided her to recognize the value in her own experiences—like planting tomatoes, composting food, and her passion for sustainability—and helped her see that these topics were not only worth writing about, but powerful reflections of who she is.”
— Celeste Newcombe
Schedule a free 30-minute consultation to see how we can transform your college essay from typical to unforgettable.
Early Decision deadlines approaching: Schedule your call before September 1.
© Joshua Doležal, Ph.D.
www.joshuadolezal.com | josh@joshuadolezal.com