Module Content

You've spent some time brainstorming examples and haven't worried too much about the beginning or ending just yet. Great.

I'm about to give you some simple instructions for writing your first draft.

BUT BEFORE I DO, here's a quick reminder of something I recommended earlier but which you may not have done:

Brainstorm 2-3 total ideas for a montage essay, if you haven't already.

You can do this by going back to the Seven Types of Montage Essay and take at least 5-10 minutes to brainstorm one or two more options for a potential montage essay topic:

1. I Love/I Know

2. Essence Object(s)/Stuff in My Room

3. Skill/Superpower

4. Career

5. Identity

6. Home

7. Uncommon Extracurricular Activity

Why do this? A few reasons:

1. Your first idea may not work, and I want you to have other options in your back pocket so that, if the first one fizzles out, you won't get discouraged. (This happens, y'all.)

2. You might come up with a better idea. (So brainstorming other possible ideas right now can actually be more efficient!)

3. If your counselor/teacher/mentor asks you if you've got any other ideas for potential topics, you can be like, "Yup ... LOOK AT ALL THESE IDEAS."

Do this now, if you haven't.

Once you've brainstormed at least 2-3 other possible montage essay topics, it's almost time to write your first draft.

Weaving in the “College Admission Nutrients” (aka some of the qualities colleges are looking for)

Before you start writing, I’d love for you to consider weaving into your essay a few qualities that college admission officers look for when reading applications. 

What do colleges look for in a great college application?

My colleague Tom and I meticulously studied materials published by more than 100 colleges and universities to find out. We read their mission statements, strategic plans, and pages like this one from Caltech that names specific qualities their institution seeks in its applicants… put them all on a spreadsheet, analyzed them, and arrived at what we believe to be the qualities colleges are seeking.

But rather than thinking of these as a “must-do” list (because this process is unpredictable and full of instances of “it depends”), we like to think of these as…

College admission “nutrients” (aka important ingredients for a healthy college application) 

In no particular order, here they are…

• Intellectual curiosity

• Service to others

• Leadership or initiative

• Collaboration

• Consistent engagement 

How do you weave these qualities into your personal statement? 

Look at your outline and ask yourself, “Am I showing these qualities somewhere in my essay? If not, how might I weave them in, or weave them in more clearly?”

Example: 

Let’s say, for instance, you mention an extracurricular activity like robotics in your essay. Could you include a sentence or two that demonstrates service to others, or leadership… or both? 

So rather than: “I’ve been involved in robotics.” 

How about instead: “Because our club robotics lacks a professional instructor, for the past three years (consistent engagement) I have not only teach members about STEM related jargon that I learned from hundreds of Google searches (initiative), but also encourage constructive debates (collaboration) ranging from topics like Proportional-Integral-Derivative Error Correction Algorithm (intellectual curiosity) to how someone should fix her mom’s vacuum cleaner. In this way, I provide beginners with an atmosphere that reflects my own mentality: proactive listening without moralization or judgement (collaboration).

Note the specific details that SHOW each of the qualities. 

And no, you don’t have to weave them all into two sentences — you can space them out across the essay.

Okay, just as a reminder, here are…

The Main Ingredients for a Great Montage Essay Paragraph

A great paragraph in a montage essay often includes three things: a value, at least one example, and an insight. Here's why each is important:

1. A Value

Values are a great way to demonstrate the skills and positive qualities that you'll bring with you to college. Values are also one of the clearest ways to demonstrate who you are—we often build a sense of who we think someone is through what that person values. It can be useful to focus on one main value per paragraph because it helps keep things organized, plus it demonstrates variety.

But hey, you don't always want to simply name the value. You need to somehow show us what it looks like in your life, which is why you also need ...

2. An Example

This is the thing—a memory, experience, or object, for example—that demonstrates that value. It's the delivery method. Or the spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down.

If your topic is knitting, for example, and you want to demonstrate the value of family, your example might read:

November 2011. A frosty New England night in my grandparents' library, winter knocking on autumn's door. My grandmother's knitting needles click together like clockwork as a Hitchcock film lights up the TV. My curiosity takes over, and I ask her to teach me. Over the next few years, I develop knitting skills, grow out of the basic "knit and purl" stitch and move on to the chevron, andalusian, and diamond brocade, my personal favourite.

3. An Insight (aka "So What?" Moment)

Once you've written your example, try answering "so what?" Ask yourself, in other words: Why did this [thing—whatever you're writing about] matter to you? The paragraph above might follow up with any of the following insights (or even all three):

1. “Gradually, knitting turned into an evening ritual, and over the years brought me closer with my grandmother.”

2. “Though I didn't know it at the time, gradually I was learning the discipline to stay focused for long periods of time, something that would serve me well beyond my knitting.”

3. “Eventually, my grandmother invited me to her small knitting group, and I'd sit and listen for hours as her friends would knit and tell me stories of what it was like for them growing up.”

Important Note: You probably won't be able to come up with an amazing insight for every example yet. Usually it takes a couple drafts to come up with great insights, so if you want to move forward and start your draft with just your examples and your values, please do. But keep in mind that you'll want to refine these reflections over time.

The first two (values + examples) are important for the first draft, while the third (insights) can come later.

Here's a way to map these out:

This was written by a student using the Essence Objects Method. She used laptop stickers to demonstrate qualities that would one day serve her in her work as an activist (so in that sense it could also be considered a "career" essay). Each row represents a separate paragraph. You can read the whole essay here.

Note: If you like a more detailed outline or want to weave in “roles” and “nutrients”, here’s a slightly more detailed template (that you’ll find in your workbook as well): 

[action_item]

Action Item: Go to where it says Montage Outline 1.0 in your Workbook and create a quick Outline Chart for at least one of your ideas (and 2-3 outlines for different ideas is also great).

Once you've done this, here are two options for writing your first draft:

[action_item]

Action Item (Option A, on your own): If you're working by yourself and want to do a simple draft in 30 minutes, try this:

Go to the Montage Outline 1.0 section of your Workbook.

At the top of the page, type your topic, then paste your outline below, like this:

Topic: Laptop Stickers

Outline (sticker + value it represents):

• We < 3 Design → art, design, experimentation

• Common Threads → authenticity, open-mindedness

• Poop emoji → family, goofy side

• Lol ur not Harry Styles → equality, activism, confidence

• Catapult → entrepreneurship, social justice, awareness, meaningful work

• Thank God it's Monday → enjoyable work

• The Team → collaboration

• Kode with Klossy → community, social justice

You can keep your outline this simple, or use the more detailed chart above. Your choice.

Once you've done this, set a timer for 30 minutes and write a paragraph for each bullet point. Don't worry too much about your opening; you can revise it later. If the timer runs out and you need more time, take a five minute break, then start the timer again. Repeat 'til your draft is done.

[action_item]

Action Item (Option B, with a partner): If you have a partner or mentor nearby, talk through your different ideas before you start writing.

Share your different montage ideas with someone else. Then have them say back to you what they're hearing. Just doing this is bound to generate some new ideas.

Once you've shared all your ideas, pick your favorite for your first draft. If you're feeling super motivated to write, or not sure which is your favorite, try writing a draft for each idea you like. But hey, that's bonus points. For now, one draft of one idea is fine.

Important: No matter which option you choose, don't wait! You've got lots of ideas right now, and if you put off writing your first draft, you're likely to forget some of them (the way we sometimes forget dreams).