Writing assistance
"No sooner do we come into this world than bits of us start to drop off." -- Gustave Flaubert
High school essay vs. college essay
The High School Essay
This is the "three reasons why" paper, or the five paragraph theme. This essay had its time and place: it helped you learn to present an argument, to support that argument with evidence, and to organize your sentences into paragraphs.
The problem with this form, however, is that it forces you to argue extremes: you're either for or against something, it's either this or that. Your reader ends up thinking that you haven't really thought very deeply about the issues involved; your reader is constantly asking herself questions like "But what about this other example?" or "Is this always the case?"
For example, suppose you were given the paper topic "Is America the 'Land of Opportunity?'". The "three reasons why" form gives you two options:
(Option 1)
Intro/Thesis: America is the "Land of Opportunity"
Par.1 / First piece of evidence: There are many examples of people who started with "nothing" and ended up with "something."
Par. 2 / Second piece of evidence: In America, everyone is entitled to an education, which provides everyone with the opportunity to succeed.
Par. 3 / Third piece of evidence: America is a democracy. Therefore, everyone has the opportunity to not only make their own life decisions, but to participate in the making of the country.
Conclusion: And so we see that America is the land of opportunity. And we should all be grateful.
(Option 2)
Intro/Thesis: America is not the "Land of Opportunity"
Par. 1/ First piece of evidence: Racism.
Par. 2 / Second piece of evidence: Lack of opportunity for the poor.
Par. 3 / Third piece of evidence: Sexism.
Conclusion: And so we see that America is not the land of opportunity. And we should all change that.
Both options sound simplistic. Neither is really convincing, because neither speaks to the opposite point of view. If your reader agrees with you from the outset, you're in okay shape. But if your reader has any kind of objection, your argument falls apart.
The College Essay
A college essay offers a more complicated argument, for the college essay takes the reader through the writer's thinking. In other words, the college essay takes the reader through a careful consideration of the issues involved, anticipates the reader's objections, and yet still brings the reader to a convincing conclusion. This is not to say that the college essay has no clear point! Rather, instead of arguing "America is" or "America isn't" you would argue something closer to "It is, but in a limited way" or "It isn't, although it appears to be." The advantage of the college essay is that it's much more convincing: the reader sees that the writer has a deep grasp of the issues involved.
The problem with the college essay is that it's much more difficult to control. Rather than relying on a fixed form (like the five paragraph theme), you will have to make your own rhetorical choices. You will decide what form best conveys your argument. This is a very difficult task, and we will be working on it all semester.
A college essay may do many of the following things. It also may do a lot of things that aren't on this list. Keep this list and add to it throughout the semester; think about questions you can ask yourself and each other to complicate your ideas.
(1) A college essay shows how its evidence supports its claims.
Beyond just stating that "America is a racist country," can you think of some specific examples of racism? What is it, specifically, about these examples that you want to emphasize? Be sure to explain, discuss, and highlight what's important in your examples -- don't just throw them in there. Provide examples to prove your point and then show your reader how your examples prove your point.
(2) A college essay considers contrary evidence.
There are many examples of people who started with "nothing" and ended up with "something." But are there any examples of people who didn't succeed? What do those examples say about opportunity in America? How can you expand your discussion to "answer" those contrary examples?
(3) A college essay considers many points of view.
Who do you think would have a problem with your opinion? What do you think they would say? How would you answer these objections?
(4) A college essay examines limitations in its own argument.
Can you think of weaknesses in your argument? Exploring those weaknesses in your essay can make your argument more convincing by showing that you've really thought about what you're arguing.
(5) A college essay considers both the specific and the general case.
If you have been making a broad argument, think about how your argument "works" for a specific case. For example, if you have been thinking about opportunity in America in general, look at some specific people or compare the experiences of some specific groups. How does that change your argument? If you've been focusing on some specific examples, think about how your argument changes if you broaden your perspective. What do your examples say about "the big picture"?
THE BOTTOM LINE: Don't sacrifice a complicated idea because you're committed to the simple, "3 reasons why" format. Keep your complicated thoughts and work on your ability to express them.