Do you see how the language from the catalog has helped you bridge the connection between yourself and the school? Of course, you have to go on to develop this connection with specific examples. You will also want to construct other bridges between yourself and the school as you go along and the more specific infor- mation that you have the better. However, the introduction to this brief essay has set the path for you. You could go on as follows: I have read the catalog carefully and believe that the opportunities for study abroad, public ser- vice internships, and the college’s emphasis on environmental issues will help me to develop my per- sonal goals and interests. I have been active as a volunteer for our local homeless shelter, and I worked each year in high school on our school’s Earth Day projects. Last year I was Chairman of Earth Day 2001, and we worked to bring attention to the increasing air pollution in our national parks. Maryville is very close to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, and its Mountain Challenge program is very interesting to me. I believe that I can contribute enthusiasm, energy, and commitment to Maryville. If one paragraph is all you have space for, and it often is, then the paragraph above demonstrates how to say a lot in a little space. Notice something very important. This student has carefully examined the col- lege catalog and really knows why Maryville is a good choice. No college recruiter wants to think that you know little or nothing about the school. They are looking for a four-year commitment, and the more you know about them, the more likely that you’ll make a contribution to the school and complete your four years. To summarize: ➡ Know the school well. Include specifics about the school’s philosophy or its programs to anchor your interest to the school itself. ➡ Offer specific examples about yourself to demonstrate that you have experiences in which the school will be interested. Remember, you want them, but they have to know there’s something you have that they want. ➡ Watch your grammar and mechanics. This is another place where you don’t want to be dismissed because you don’t know “there” from “their.” Now it’s time to look at narrative writing and the college essay. PERSUASION IN EVERYDAY WRITING EXPRESS YOURSELF 69 . time to look at narrative writing and the college essay. PERSUASION IN EVERYDAY WRITING EXPRESS YOURSELF 69