How to Write the Coalition Application Essays 2021-2022

Learn about the 5 coalition application essay prompts, how to write the coalition application essay, strategize your content, and more

TCM Staff

2nd January 2022

The Coalition Essay forms an integral part of the Coalition Application, extending a similarity with its rival, the Common Application. This essay is a mandatory requirement by all member institutions, however, some may demand a supplemental essay along with the Coalition Application essay. The best hack to write the Coalition Application essay is to understand the essay prompts, and provide precise content to it. Although there is no evidence for a prescribed word-limit, a 500-word count is favorable. The essay prompts are typically universal, descriptive, and essentially demands intel on the author’s perspective.

Before delving into the coalition application essay, let us first understand what is the Coalition Application?

The Coalition Application is a new college admission platform that is an alternative to the popularly-used Common Application and is often deemed as a direct competitor to the Common Application. 

Here are few quick facts on Coalition Application - 

  • It is accepted by over 130 schools.

  • Any college applicant can use the Coalition Application.

  • The primary goal is to increase transparency and ease throughout the process.

  • Along with allowing students to submit applications, it extends certain tools.

Details required for applying are as follows,

  • Basic information like your name and address

  • The subjects you have studied in high school

  • Your GPA

  • Your test score - SAT, and ACT

How To Write The Coalition Application Essays 2020-2021?

The Coalition Application announces 5 prompts annually for its essay component. The applicants must attach an essay on any one of them (given) prompts with the college application. There is no tangible evidence on the prescribed word count for these essays. However, a minimum word count of 500-550 words is favorable. 

The essence of the Coalition Application is to test the candidate’s interpersonal, and intrapersonal skills. Although, ‘actions speak louder than words’, your choice of words open a passage to your personality. Literary work, especially, holds high significance when it comes to the demonstration of an individual’s character. The Coalition Application runs on the same belief, thus offering the most universal, personal, and descriptive prompts. It lets your inner wordsmith soar with creativity.

Essay Prompt 1- Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it. 

This is one of the more versatile and 'personal' essay prompts. It essentially demands you to narrate a story that defines and testifies your character. This has to do less with your command over the language, but more to receive a fair picture of your nature, outlook, and personality. It invokes a deep introspection, and retrospection of the candidate, and aids in the discovery of attributes that have not been previously tapped into. 

Here are a few tips on how to write an essay for the aforementioned prompt.

  • The foremost step is to introspect. Delve into yourself, and enquire the most suitable evidence to your persona. Be creative, and descriptive on your account of the event. This can be a hack to write a champion response to the given prompt.

  • Your essay must exhibit your personality through your content. The admission body should be able to picture your character since the odds of interacting with your relatives is null. 

  • Make sure that the essay is not self-centered. You do not have to sound like a narcissist who saved the world. Be humble, grounded, and true to your roots.

  • A champion response would not revolve entirely on yourself. Be selfless with the details, including family, friends, and even strangers to formulate a unique, idealistic response. 

  • Refrain from beating around the bush. Be specific, and detail-oriented. Additionally, build an engaging environment around your content. Pique the interest(s) of the jury.

Essay Prompt 2 - Has there been a time when you’ve had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs?

Exhibiting the potential to handle complicated issues through maturity and perseverance can help boost your application. This is the perfect question that will give you an opportunity to showcase your response to adversity or an unprecedented circumstance. 

Here are a few tips on how to respond to the given essay prompt - 

  • Be genuine about the change in your outlook on the issue. Change is a gradual process, especially when it embodies a habit or belief. It may not be renovated over-night. Your essay must concentrate on the process of this change in perspective. It should emphasize your journey, rather than the destination.

  • The essay may also incorporate all the influencing factors, human or man-made. You ought to integrate the transition of your beliefs into your content.

  • It is plausible to write on difficult issues but make sure that you don’t end up on the “liberal” or “conservative” side of a given issue.

Essay Prompt 3 - Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.

The objective behind this prompt is to examine your selflessness. You might have contributed without expecting anything in return, focusing entirely on the benefit of the other party. Community service is one such example. It is highly recommended to write about a genuine effort (from your end) towards the 'greater good'. You may speak about your passionate involvement in the same, the adversities 'on your doorstep', and the ways you had mitigated them. This essay prompt is a personal favorite among the jury as it showcases your compassion for the world.

Here are a few tips on how to write a response to the aforementioned essay prompt -  

  • The first step is to offer a genuine, detail-oriented, and descriptive account of your rendezvous with a selfless contribution. The anatomy of your content must be precisely planned.

  • Your perspective on community service or volunteer work for a socio-economically group should not portray you like a pitiful, privileged, narcissist. It must be an account of your compassion, empathy, and the sheer will to help others.

  • Be grounded, and matured when you pen down your contribution. Refrain from exaggerating your content.

  • It is highly recommended to involve the cooperation of the organization (you had volunteered for), along with the people you have encountered during your service.

  • You can also detail the values you have acquired through this service, and the experiences you would cherish for a lifetime.

  • Write the essay in a way that the jury can visualize your story- be honest and present your thoughts in an eloquent manner.

  • Demonstrate precisely on how this experience has shaped you to be a better human being and renovated your outlook towards life

Essay Prompt 4 - What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What’s the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?

You may not be a teenager when you are applying to a college but you can still answer this question because this is the age of the internet and we have all been a teenager at one point in our life. In fact, you might have a few unique insights on what is the most difficult aspect of being a teenager. The teenage years are often deemed as the most impressionable years in the life of a human being. You undergo several changes, both mentally and physically. You stumble upon emotions you had zero clues on, and are molded through your experiences. 

Here are a few tips on how to write an essay for the given prompt - 

  • Your response can stem from your personal experiences. We've all undergone teenage. Our adolescent experiences may differ or have stark similarities with others. There is a generic set of issues every teenager experiences. You may consult your friends, and family to discuss their teenage adventures.

  • An integral element of this prompt is its sub-division into 3 individual queries. A winning hack is to understand the questions and consolidate your response as one primary response. You can connect all the parts to formulate one single, powerful response.

  • There are many challenges to new communication technologies. You may choose this as the subject of your advice to your siblings. You should emphasize on the pros and cons of social media and other breakthrough technologies. 

Essay Prompt 5 - Submit an essay on a topic of your choice

This is more like a magic card for you which can be used in several ways.  This is the perfect opportunity to bring out your big guns, and offer your best literary work. It is not a bad idea to choose this option as you will be more confident if it's the topic you chose for yourself. You can channelize your creativity more efficiently, and brainstorm on some stand-out ideas for your content. Make sure it essentially speaks on your character, since the admission panel is seeking to know you better through your essay. 

Here are a few tips on how to write a response to this essay prompt - 

  • Your essay must be unique, creative, and offer your perspective on any aspect of life. Pick a topic that invokes the best in you, and write accordingly.

  • A strategy is important when you begin an expedition. Your essay is your expedition. Break the internet, research thoroughly, and prepare a strategy/ course of action.

  • The essay must have a good readability. Your thoughts need to be expressed in a simple, yet captivating manner. Proper execution is the key to an exemplary essay. 

How can you strategize your Coalition Application essay?

A clean, successful essay can only be achieved through meticulous planning. You need to strategize, prioritize, and improvise ways to create a top-notch response to the allotted essay prompts. These strategies are the guiding maps that not only help you plan your way but also keep you level-headed while working. This strategizing ought to be done prior to your diving into the essay prompts. One such strategy is to thoroughly understand what are schools seeking in the essays. You can research on individual college essay requirements before brainstorming on essay ideas. Another tip is to adhere to complete your essay well before time to mitigate any unsolicited happenstance with trouble. You may  We have enlisted a few tips to help you develop a sound strategy for your Coalition Application essay.

  • Understand what is sought in your essay. Scrutinize the requisites for individual schools (on your wishlist). Generally, most schools require only one essay, however, some may demand a supplemental essay on the given Coalition Application prompts. 

  • Estimate the requirement for the unique essays to be submitted during the application. You may also submit your essay to multiple schools. Many times you may come across similar prompts by different educational institutions. Writing a dozen essays can be quite tasking, and hinder the quality of work. This is where your research kicks in. Understand the prompts for individual schools, and formulate a methodology to save time by limiting the number of essays (while still meeting the requirements), and producing an outstanding piece(s).

  • Educational institutes may provide their unique prompts ( ranging from 2 to 4) for the supplemental essay. These essays provide first-hand insight into your persona which is very essential for examining your candidature.  

  • Draw a multi-faceted picture of yourself through your content. Correlation of essays can help in this aspect. Incorporate the most suitable experiences in your content. Your essay needs to be effectual and should draw the jury's attention to it. It should stimulate their inquisitiveness enough for you to receive a green signal on your application feedback. 

  • There is no tangible evidence on a standard word-count for your essays. However, the Coalition Application encourages for essays with 500-550 word count. Individual schools may have their own word-count requirement. Make a note to research these pre-requisites before you start writing. Keep a tab on the word count of your essay, and refrain from violating the word limit (if any).

Conclusion

Along with all these suggestions and tips, it is important for you to use your creativity and make sure your essay is exceptional. Make it appear good on your application. Crack the internet for ideas, and let your ingenuity reach pinnacles. Introspect, retrospect, and enjoy your time writing the essays. At the same time, be mindful of the time, and do not procrastinate your writing. Tomorrow never comes. So wear your thinking cap, channelize your inner penman, and dive into the essay prompts.  We wish you all the best in your endeavors, break a leg!

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