Photo by Alex Curtis

On Thursday, St. Mary’s College Director of Admissions Rich Edgar talked to senior English classes about writing college essays. Edgar was invited this year by counseling services director Dennis Reynolds, but has been coming to speak to WJ seniors for the past seven years.

Edgar stressed the importance of the college essay in the application process.

“The only thing you have control over is your essay,” said Edgar.

According to Edgar, the main problem with the essay is that the writer has to write it about him or herself, and that it comes from the soul of a 17-year-old. Students find this form of writing challenging as it is hard to express themselves in a single essay.

Edgar explained that the office of admissions expects all applicants to have good grades, but mainly care about a student’s teacher recommendations, resume and essay. Edgar also said that on the other hand, for admissions officers, the essay topic is hard to predict. Topics range from serious, humorous to talking about embarrassing moments – whatever the way is for the person reading the essay to connect to the writer.

“Good writers think like children, but write like adults,” said Edgar, when telling students that to make best out of their essays, they should go out of their comfort zones and bring out the “child” in their hearts.

As the time for writing the essay gets closer, seniors are taking in what Edgar said and are starting to use their child-like minds to begin creative and personal essays.