What Order Should You Write Your College Essays In?
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What order should you write your college essays in? The simple way to approach this is to write in order of longest to shortest, but with one important first step before you write a single word. Make sure you know every supplemental prompt you’ll need to answer all of them. That way, your main essay won’t accidentally cover ground you need for a supplemental ,and you won’t repeat yourself across your application.
Once you know the full scope, write the longest essays first. Getting the heaviest lifting done early makes everything after it feel manageable. That said, if a shorter essay is coming to you clearly and a longer one isn’t, write the one that’s ready. Momentum matters.
They’ve all gotta be done one way or the other.
Short answer: In order of longest to shortest — but with one important first step.
Longer answer: Ensure you know all the supplemental prompts you will need to answer before you write anything. That way, your main essay won’t address any of those topics — you want to avoid repetition.
I’ve always found that writing the longer essays first makes getting to the finish line easier. That said, write whichever essay is easiest for you at any given moment.
Fun fact: They all have to get done, one way or the other.
Reference: the Common App essay prompts.
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