Life Lessons and College Adventures in College Essay Writing | Mark Hernandez | TEDxGunnHighSchool
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The Importance of Writing Cleanly and Avoiding Arrogance in College Essays
- The plea in college essays is to get readers to continuously read the next sentence.
- Passing the literacy test is crucial, which involves writing clean sentences and using proper grammar.
- The book "Titanic: Death and Life of a Legend" by Michael David emphasized the importance of writing cleanly.
- Writing cleanly makes a significant difference in how readers perceive the content.
- Attention to small details is necessary to prevent big mistakes from occurring, similar to the story of the Titanic.
- The second test is the "Jackass test" which involves avoiding arrogance and proving that the writer is not a jackass.
The Importance of Understanding and Respect in Different Professions
- It is important to understand and respect the challenges and sacrifices that professionals in different fields go through.
- The example of professional table tennis players being disrespected by people who underestimate their skills.
- The same level of disrespect can be seen in other professions, including teaching and admissions officers.
- The speaker shares a personal experience of not fully understanding the work of admissions officers until having a disastrous attempt to turn in a law school application in person.
- The importance of showing understanding and respect for professionals in different fields.
Applicant's Frustrations with Law School Application Process
- Applicant Mark Hernandez attempts to submit law school application in person, despite knowing it should be done online.
- Mark arrives late to the office and decides to proceed with the application anyway.
- The admissions officer informs Mark that they only accept online applications.
- Mark questions the word count for the personal statement and asks if it should be single-spaced or double-spaced.
- The admissions officer responds with a vague answer, causing Mark to feel frustrated and confused.
- Mark recalls a similar experience when applying to college, where he tried to skip writing an essay based on his perceived guaranteed admission.
Unexpected Success with a Snarky Star Wars Essay
- The user decides to write a snarky short story about Star Wars for their college essay.
- The story revolves around the user being the leader of an X-wing squadron attacking a Star Destroyer.
- The goal is to destroy the shield generators, but they discover the generators have been moved.
- The user figures out the new location by observing the concentration of fire and directs their squadron to destroy it.
- The Star Destroyer is successfully destroyed, leading to unexpected recognition and an interview for a scholarship.
- The user reflects on the essay, admitting uncertainty about its quality, but believes its uniqueness and readability played a significant role in their success.
Importance of Writing Clearly and Engagingly
- Many people assume that their writing is the only thing that people will read in a given day.
- However, there are thousands of other writers and readers out there.
Importance of Clean Writing and Avoiding Arrogance in College Essays
- Writing cleanly and using proper grammar is crucial for college essays.
- Attention to small details prevents big mistakes and affects how readers perceive the content.
- Arrogance should be avoided to pass the "Jackass test" and show respect for professionals in different fields.
- Sharing personal experiences can demonstrate understanding and respect for professionals.
- Unique and readable essays can have a significant impact on success in college applications.