On June 29, 2023, the United States Supreme Court determined that Affirmative Action could no longer affect college admission decisions. Due to the recent proliferation of test-optional policies and this historic decision, the college admissions essay, or personal statement, is even more consequential. While essays were always an important aspect of the application, now they offer one of the few remaining ways for applicants to share information about their race and for admissions officers to identify students who can bring something special to their college or university. Writing such an essay, especially a successful one, requires a skilled and introspective approach. If you want to address your race in your college essay, read on for the do’s and don’ts.
What was the Supreme Court ruling and what was its effect on essays?
The decision to end Affirmative Action in college admissions was handed down a year ago, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, offered a complicated explanation of how he believed the decision should affect colleges and their applicants going forward. Essentially, although colleges can’t explicitly use essays to gather information about race in order to factor it into admissions decisions, students can use their admissions essays as a platform to discuss how race or discrimination has affected them.
To adapt to this changing non-Affirmative Action landscape, some colleges have introduced new, broad, essay prompts that inquire about a student’s background and experiences or supplemental essays where students can describe how they might contribute to diversity on campus.
Should I write about race?
Students inclined to respond to these questions, instead of the other options, should consider what kind of diversity they represent (e.g. religious, sexual orientation, class, cultural, racial, disability) and if they have a truly meaningful story to tell. In short, if what makes you diverse has significantly influenced who you are and what you’ve done, then you could probably write a solid essay. Remember, most colleges genuinely value diversity, and the only places to share anything about your race are in the essays or supplements, so don’t miss the opportunity if you believe it will work in your favor. Alternatively, if how you’re different is just a mere fact about you, like your hair color, and something else has played a larger role in your life and reflects something important and impressive about you, then another essay prompt is likely the better option.
How do I write about race?
If writing about race, or something else that makes you diverse, still seems like something you want to share in your college application essays, then you are going to need to approach the essay with care. Below are a few angles and pieces of advice that will help you write a winning essay:
- Focus on the good and the bad. What makes you diverse can add something special and meaningful to your life whether it’s a cultural, familial, or religious tradition, celebration, or set of values. It can also add extra hardship to your life in the form of bullying or discrimination. Addressing either aspect of your diverse experience can be a rich source of content for your essays. Writing about the positives will emphasize the benefits of diversity, while writing about the negatives will emphasize your resilience if you’re able to demonstrate how you faced and grew from those challenges. Overall, you want your essay to be positive—colleges want to see the positive ways you will contribute to their campus despite facing negative challenges.
- Share inspirations and aspirations. Perhaps you belong to a marginalized group that has been blessed with influential figures who have inspired you to get involved in certain activities or adopt certain values. Maybe there are less famous, but equally important, members of your family or community that have had an impact on you. Your essays are a chance to highlight these individuals as a way to illustrate your own values and identity. You can also link your diverse background to your goals. For example, you might be interested in studying law because you know someone who experienced injustice or medicine because you watched a loved one experience inadequate care due to their race, gender, or both.
- Be genuine and unique. Since the whole purpose of diversity is to be unique, you want to avoid writing an essay that feels generic and full of stereotypes to the point that those reading your essay can’t tell the difference between you or several other applicants. The way to stand out, then, is to speak with specificity and authenticity. Keep in mind that the goal of the essay is for the reader to learn something about you: What do you want them to learn about you? Always have that question in mind. Then, when you read your essay, make sure you accomplish this goal.
For more general essay writing tips, check out these recommendations!
How can A+ help me?
As a high school student, you have likely spent countless hours learning about essay writing and writing essays. However, the college essay is unique not only because of how you will need to write it, but also because of how much it impacts your future. Therefore, anything that affects how you approach your essay should be taken seriously. So, on this first anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate Affirmative Action’s influence on admissions decisions, it’s necessary to reflect on what’s changed and to learn what steps to take as a result. For those hoping to use the admissions essay as their chance to discuss their race and are in need of help, A+ Test Prep and Tutoring has a College Admission Essay program that can guide you through the writing process and help you create an essay that impresses.
At A+ Test Prep and Tutoring, our practices are based on the latest developments in educational theory and research. We have an excellent team of tutors who can help you with standardized testing, executive functioning, or achievement in any other school subject. If you want to find out more about our services, contact us here.
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