Chapter eight includes sample prompts and essays. Commentary at the end of each essay explains its strengths and weaknesses. You will be able to see how a number of writ¬ers approached both timed and untimed essay topics, and learn even more about how you can write a great essay. | Sample Essay Prompts and Essays CHAPTER 8 HOW TO WRITE GREAT ESSAYS 99 soccer team with the death of her grandmother. The result is a unique piece that tells the reader more about the writer and displays her ability to convey her feelings and experiences effectively through the written word. Why does this essay work It follows much of the advice given in Chapter 6. For instance look back to the list of qualities colleges are looking for page 71 . Of the nine qualities only two are not included intellectual ability and academic achievement . Next review the tips on pages 77-78 for avoiding the most common essay blunders. Note how this essay while it ends with a dying grandmother and failure to make the team avoids negativity. The writer is honest about her emotions and comes across as a strong person who while hurt by the experiences she describes has the strength and inner resources to keep moving forward. The piece is original deeply personal confident without being pompous and set in the recent past. It is a fine example of a great essay. UNTIMED PROMPT 2 Describe a character in fiction an historical figure or a creative work as in art music science etc. that has had an influence on you. I vividly remember the time I first heard the poem The Dash. I was still a boy 8th grade and I was in an elementary school gym having basketball practice with my traveling team. Practice was almost over so as you can imagine my teammates and I were a little anxious to leave. We lost focus. My Coach Dave Thomas huddled us up at center court and told us to take a seat. Being 8th graders we moaned and complained under our breath about having to stay an extra couple minutes. Coach Thomas pulled out a piece of paper from his back pocket and unfolded it. The gym immediately turned quiet we knew he had something to say. He began to read us this poem an unusual thing for a coach to do at a basketball practice. I was listening very closely to each line. The words struck home deep down in
