The world of college admissions is all about first impressions. The average reviewer spends only 4 to 15 minutes reading an application before making a decision to reject or hold it. Therefore, the goal for every applicant should be to make sure their unique qualities shine through their application clearly with just a 4-minute skim. One way to do this is by creating memorable, vivid pictures of who you are in the mind of the reader... showing, not telling!
The mental-picture strategy is all about making every word count. It takes advantage of opportunities to create impressions, feelings, and thoughts through intentional and descriptive language. Most applicants focus on listing their experiences and hope that more details will impress reviewers. The problem with that is it only works if reviewers take the time to read every detail and make an effort to remember every word. This strategy focuses on creating mental images by describing you in the context of your experiences, using your unique story to leave a memorable impression.
Here is a step-by-step guide to the mental-picture strategy:
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Identify the personal qualities you want to communicate to the reviewer (e.g., leadership, selflessness, faithfulness, etc.).
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Identify an experience of yours that answers the specific question or addresses the prompt (e.g., joining the debate team, being the captain of your football team, winning a science fair, etc.).
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Identify a story that demonstrates your personal qualities in the context of your experience (e.g., the time you took the initiative to stay an hour after practice to help the new football recruit learn the team's drills so that he wouldn't have to run extra laps again at the next practice).
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Tell the story, focusing on your actions, decisions, and motivations. Use language that clearly demonstrates your personal qualities. Avoid filler words and unnecessary details.
This strategy is an excellent way to prepare an application that draws your reviewer in and leaves them with a strong sense of the kind of applicant you are. Whether they spend 4 minutes or 40 minutes on your application, they'll remember you.
