Little Words, Big Thoughts

While teachers and colleagues may look first at the range of one’s vocabulary for signs of intelligence, written language contains subtler clues to the way a person thinks. Function words, such as articles and prepositions, are among the most mundane parts of the English language. But a 2014 paper published in PLoS One illuminates the predictive power of these words, showing that their usage by students in college-application essays correlates with future academic performance.

On average, students whose essays featured greater use of articles (a, the, some) and prepositions (before, across, without), which indicates more complex and abstract thinking, went on to achieve higher grades over four years of college. The essays of students who would prove less successful in the classroom contained more pronouns (I, she, they), auxiliary verbs (is, would, could), and conjunctions—all of which are associated with narrative writing. These measures do not necessarily predict intelligence, but according to the study authors, they highlight the “cognitive styles rewarded by higher education institutions.”

[A+]

The Holy Redeemer Soup Kitchen sits across the street from a small gas station and a convenience store. In spite of its location, the building houses one of the liveliest communities in our small town. Volunteering there offers a window into the life of the neighborhood as nothing else can. At Tuesday dinners, as the music plays, those in need gather to share stories over a hot meal...

[B]

My friends and I volunteer, every Tuesday, at the Holy Redeemer Soup Kitchen. This experience has given me the opportunity to meet many different types of people, and it has been a highlight of my high school years. I’ve found no better way to spend my Tuesday night than listening to music and helping the needy get a hot meal…