Dear Applicants,

The idea for the Penn Group was conceived back when I was first applying to college. Coming from a competitive high school, I knew that many other students would be applying for the same spot at Columbia. I needed a way to stand out, something to bring me into a class with the all-state basketball players, the nationally-recognized violinists, and the founders of small charities. I had good extracurriculars, some work experience, and a bit of traveling under my belt- but not much else. What did I have to distinguish me?

Since there was no way for me to change the past, I realized I had only one option: to write a college application essay that would knock the socks off the admissions committee.

After spending about a month drafting, redrafting, and re-redrafting, I finally came up with a product. I knew I had to be risky if I wanted to stand out, but I didn't want to go over the top and alienate my readers. So I came up with a compromise: an essay that was one-of-a-kind, yet still adhered to the standard admission essay form. And it worked.

Sometime in early December, my college admission officer called me and asked my permission to distribute my essay in a workshop that she was offering. When I got the phone call, I couldn't believe it. Was my she really calling me just to compliment my college admission essay?

To this day I believe that the reason I was admitted was because I had taken the time to write something truly original. I operate on the theory that an essay should be literary- not just a boring list of accomplishments or a familiar tribute to the arts. I am proud to say that every one of the applicants I have personally worked with has had the opportunity to experience the same kind of excitement, the same long-lasting feeling of accomplishment that I felt upon being accepted to my dream school. If you would like to view my college admission essay, as well as other successful application essays, please visit Sample College Admission Essays.

Best of luck to you in the '05-'06 season, and I hope to be hearing from you soon!

Regards,

Evan M. Bailyn, President
The Penn Group

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