As you’re writing your college essay, you may feel intimidated by the prospect of writing something that will persuade an admissions committee to accept you into their school. While writing this essay can be a challenge, it doesn’t have to be impossible! With these seven tips, you’ll find yourself well on your way to writing a memorable college essay that gives you an edge over other applicants.
1) Read the prompts carefully
Essays allow admissions officers to get to know you beyond your test scores and grades. Look at each prompt as an opportunity to be creative, convey your personality, and give us insight into the subject that interests you most. Think carefully about what you want to communicate before starting on the essay. When in doubt, think back on some of your favorite moments and tell a story. Remember, it’s always better to go too deep than not deep enough. Colleges want someone who is passionate about their potential field of study; show them how much you care!
2) Give yourself enough time to write an essay
While you may be eager to start writing your essay and make that submission deadline, it’s important to give yourself enough time to fully complete the work. It is best to have an idea of what you want to write about before sitting down at the computer. The best way to do this is by brainstorming in advance. You can list some topics or just free-write on paper before typing anything up on your computer screen. In either case, after you have come up with your ideas, research them thoroughly to ensure they are viable. Once you feel confident that your topic is worthy of writing about, outline the essay so that everything flows smoothly.
3) Find an outlet for your ideas
Find an outlet for your ideas, whether it’s writing them down in a journal or diary, sketching them out on paper, or even singing and dancing about them. The more you think about what you want to say and how you want to say it, the better the chances are that when you sit down to write your essay all those ideas will be available at your fingertips. When students start brainstorming their thoughts on paper before sitting down to type, they find that they are able to organize their thoughts more effectively, eliminating common mistakes such as improper word usage and misspellings.
4) Make sure you understand what you are being asked to do
Make sure you understand what you are being asked to do. Even if you have been accepted to the school, this is not the time to be lazy. It’s important that your essay reflects who you are and what sets you apart from other applicants. Once you understand what is being asked of you, then writing will be easy.
5) Choose your topic carefully
It is important to choose a topic that is unique and interesting to you. Topics about overcoming challenges, trips, hobbies, books and other things that have made an impact on your life are good options. When considering topics make sure to choose one that has meaning and can be well-explained in the allotted space. The key to an essay writer success is through creativity, relevance and originality.
6) Review your essay before you submit it
Always review your essay before you submit it to make sure that it flows smoothly, is easy to read, and includes all of the key points. Here are some other tips to keep in mind: proofread your essay twice before submitting it; be aware of how many words you use per sentence; use strong verbs and active voice; start with an attention-grabbing sentence or question. Make sure to answer your own question (or quote someone else’s response). Introduce yourself so that readers know who they’re reading about. Be honest but avoid oversharing – share just enough about yourself so readers get an idea of who you are.
7) Stay focused on the question(s)
Always answer the question(s) posed by the essay prompt. If there are multiple questions, answer all of them and do not introduce new ones. For example, if the prompt is Discuss how you’ve grown intellectually, don’t talk about how you grew emotionally or physically. Keep your focus on what was asked. Asking someone to share their thoughts on one topic but then adding another really makes it difficult to maintain focus. You should always try to stick with the question that was given in order to get the best response possible.
Conclusion
In conclusion , this essay writing guide is designed to help college students write a standout college essay. You may think you know all the rules, but sometimes it’s worth going back and refreshing your memory.
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