Finding the authentic voice.
A strong college essay can do a lot of work in the admissions process, shining a light on a student’s personhood and lifting them up amid a sea of applicants. Even more important to us at Prologue are the learning opportunities that come from conceiving, planning, writing, and revising the essay so that it authentically represents the student.
The personal essay is a literary form that brings together reflection, description, storytelling, structure, insight, and voice. The process of arriving at a final composition is an exploratory one with countless invitations to discovery, not only about writing but about the self.
When a student finishes the college essay process at Prologue, they leave with a series of tools they can use through the rest of their education—and life. It’s a process for uncovering their truth, understanding themselves, and expressing what they mean most in ways that connect.
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Colleges are getting deluged with essays written by AI, a problem they’re struggling to sort out. Authenticity has always been important to admissions teams, but now more than ever, they’re searching for a specificity and realness of voice. That’s great news for those of us who care about kids, because the qualities colleges want to see are important for successful development:
What about AI?
AUTHENTICITY
is an essential component of mental health.
INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY
drives engagement with the world and knowledge-building.
REFLECTION
is fundamental to learning and growth.
INVOLVEMENT IN COMMUNITY
builds relationships and resilience.
These qualities are all elements we invite, encourage, and explore in consultations with students. We use the essay-writing process to help kids find and express their authenticity. To go deeper and broader than what might be expected. To sort through thoughts and feelings, dig for impact, search for meaning, and weave it together in a way that reflects who the student is and what they have to say.
