Essays and Interviews: There is a longstanding and philosophical belief at Hamilton College—comers come here not just to study, but to find their own voice. “College is the place where you find your voice,” is our credo. Your voice is what you want to teach, to understand life through breakdown and repair, and to hear it loud and clear from others. The first manifestation of that voice is in your admissions essay, which brings forth your thoughts, experiences, and self-criticism. We want you to be there in every question of the admissions process—whether it is a long essay or a short answer. We don’t want the idea that you are perfect, but you are who you are—unbiased and personal. What you think, how you face the world, and how you see yourself changing in the process—we want to feel these things in your writing.
“It is not necessary to touch perfection”—confidence in writing is very important.
Many students think that their essays should be absolutely perfect—no mistakes in grammar, no spelling mistakes. But we urge you: do not be afraid. We know that when we say, “Write what you want them to write,” you may wonder, will it be your voice? But remember, “good writing” is not just flawless but better with effort. Our goal is not perfection, but to understand your life, your language, your communication, and your challenges. And anyway, in college you will get a lot of opportunities to write—dissertations, creative writing, Urdu literature, political analysis—everything will become a writing practice. So, while writing an essay, we only check if it is your voice, if your words are yours, and that gives us a glimpse of who you are.
One Subject, Your Whole World: Pick the Right Idea and Write
Before you decide what the topic of your essay should be, understand that whatever you write in it is only a beginning. The most interesting essays are those where the writer hears the echoes of his own threads—the forest, the weather, the buds of books, the difficult situation faced, the depth of relationships—whatever touches your heart, note it down. Sometimes the right topic comes suddenly—returning from a vacation, realizing a new responsibility for the first time, or a small scene in a political debate. When a moment tells you from within, “Write this,” you should be ready in advance. So a general writing tip is to make a list of your ideas—note it in your phone—so that whenever the mood comes, your thoughts can be written in that list.
Then just choose the idea that reflects your depth, sensitivity and truth, because this gives simplicity, depth and charm to your essay. You are not showing us your identity card but a colorful picture of life.
Personal but within limits: Honestly, but politely
The “you” and “we” in an essay can be sharp—but there is an art to being personal. We want you to bring your experiences, your thoughts, and your vulnerabilities to us—but it should not be a bad experience. Do not tell a judgmental story.
That is, if you went through a difficult time—a rough life, a travel injury, or a relationship injury—tell it in terms of what you felt, what you learned, and what you are going to do with your experience now. It should not be so open that the reader thinks, “This is not an essay, but a burden to carry.” Write intimately but thoughtfully and well-organized—an essay of homogenous analysis that reflects your soul but also has depth, meaning, and presentation.
The magic of story and the magnetism of the opening—start with the data, get to the heart
A great way to start every essay is to bring the joy of story into the first line. That first line can be a question that arises in your mind, a brief scene, or a brief life event—like your grandmother’s expression when she kneads one hand or the joy of looking out the window for the first time on a train—that immediately puts the reader in your space. Then give a short reflection—what this moment made you feel and how it awakened within you. The story, along with a little reflection, is what makes an essay interesting and moving.
“Show, don’t tell”—express your own story through examples.
We are not concerned with the written idea in an essay—but with the unit of that idea, its live presentation. That means something like, “I say ‘I am kind’”—these are just words. But “When my son reached out in his tattered clothes, I felt a rush inside me—I took half of my midday meal”—it brought out your emotion; it was a moment of generosity. This makes the essay effective.
Similar details—like “The call to prayer came that morning and I left for class”—describe the place, the sound, the weather—everything in minute detail. But not the same words picked from a thesaurus—but words that you know. This makes the essay a journey of emotion, allowing the reader to get inside you and connect with you.
Revision and rewriting: The first draft is just the beginning.
The first line written is not the final one. We want you to read your essay three or four times, improving it each time—embellishing the words, removing weak volume, simply saving your voice. Here are some tips that help:
- Read aloud to yourself—as if it were a mandatory recitation. When you read aloud, you can hear the stutters. There is room for improvement.
- Read it out to your partner—give them suggestions, but make sure your voice is not suppressed.
- Write the beginning in parts—if you like something, give it priority.
- While writing, keep in mind, “It is an effort, your voice,” and “bias, polarity, sound” should be avoided.
- Remember—“Words that seem most guiding”—add them properly in your own words.
We always say—“Substance and voice matter more than perfection.” That is, we are not going to sort out your thoughts and your voice; rather, we want to see how you present yourself, with your truth.
Conclusion: There is a powerful voice within you—let us hear it.
Your essay is the initial lesson of your identity. Like meeting a friend whom you meet for the first time—show us your nature, your feelings, and your thoughts and feelings—all this, but with the liveliness of your mind, clearly, honestly and naturally.
We want your essay to be a world where every sentence written makes the person who connects with you feel, “This is valued.” He should enjoy it, feel curious, and understand a part of your world.
