Draft 1 is a Content Draft. Now that you have chosen a topic and identified your theme, it’s time to start writing! Don’t worry about perfection and word limits. Just get it all down on paper. Remember – the details will help you tell your story.
At the same time, keep your theme and your prompt in mind at all times. This will be the first of several drafts which will gradually develop into a strong and polished essay. Don’t take shortcuts by focusing on polishing too early. That being said, this should look
As you write, focus on both what happened and why it matters. Use your free writing from Step 4. Some people find that their free writing becomes the basis for the first draft, while others use that exercise as a jumping-off point. Still, others put it aside as a warm-up and approach the draft from a different direction. Do what makes the most sense to you.
Your content draft needs to include these 3 components:
1. What happened? What event is your story is about?
2. Why does it matter? How did the event impact you? What did you learn about yourself? How did it change you or how did you grow as a result of the event?
3. How will what you learned help you transition to college and/or relate to your major or career path?
This draft should aim for 750 or 800 words. Content is most important.
This is not the type of draft you would turn in for a grade in English class. It is a content draft, and it should be full of details. Remember revision and polish happen in later steps.
Your application should portray a complete picture of yourself, and your essay is an opportunity to connect the dots and ideally link them to your potential career pathway (if you have chosen one) within your theme.
Next Steps: Go to the Essay Folder and open Step 5-2 to write your draft. When finished, check the “Done” assignment box in CounselMore and wait for feedback.