College application essays are considered by some to be the most important part of your college application. You should take special care with this part of your application. We’re here to offer you the college application essay that will help you shine.
So, you now need to know how to write a college application essay? These college application help will give you advice on your way. If you need to get help with a specific document revision f.g involving law topics there’s a online service that can bail you out.
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Plan:
An essay plan will help you to be concise. Think about what you want to convey: your skills and attributes.
Do: Be mindful of the length/space that you have.
Don’t: Avoid saying things that are not likely to impress, e.g. being a pinball wizard is unlikely to amaze an admissions officer. Save your word count for better things.
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Be Succinct:
Admissions officers have a lot of essays to read, so keep it short. 500 is a good word-count to aim for. At this length, your essay will be readable yet still allow you the space to say enough.
Do: Get somebody to read what you’ve written and ask them to be honest.
Don’t: Take note of your proof-reader’s criticism. If they say it needs adjusting, listen. Also, don’t rely on digital spellcheck. It is not infallible
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Be Genuine:
If you say what you think the college is looking for and others do the same, it will be spotted easily. It is better to state your honest achievements, which you can talk about passionately.
Do: Attempt to recognise your strengths and achievements and convey them.
Don’t: Sell your talents short by omitting them in favor of talents that you don’t possess.
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Be Individualistic:
- Find your voice and let it flow. Try to reveal your beliefs, your sense of humor and your personality. Write about what interests and excites you, this is what admissions staff want to read.
Do: Be humble and genuine.
Don’t: Brag or boast.
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Be careful with Humor:
While it is tempting to try to make the admissions staff laugh, humor is subjective and what may be funny to one will not necessarily be funny for others. It is great if you can inject some humor into your essay, but be careful not to go too far.
Do: If you want to inject humor and lighten your essay, try a clever witticism.
Don’t: Come across as a clown. This is an essay for an academic institution.
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Be Clever:
You are applying to an academic institute, you want to convey that you have what it takes to succeed in education. Attempt to use a mature vocabulary without being needlessly verbose (wordy).
Do: Ensure that your grammar, punctuation and spelling show that you are ready for study at a higher level.
Don’t: Be too clever. You want to strike the right balance.
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Try Controversy:
If you believe passionately in a cause, take a stand. College essays can be bland, so having something interesting to say can help you stand out.
Do: Be bold enough to tackle subjects such as religion and politics if you see a relevance in doing so.
Don’t: Sound like you’re on your soapbox, or imply that you have the definitive truth on a subject.
If you take heed of the advice available above you should be able to write that killer essay that stands out and is truly your voice.
Image credit: https://www.doblercollegeconsulting.com/
References:
https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/professors-guide/2010/09/15/10-tips-for-writing-the-college-application-essay
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/essays/tips-for-writing-an-effective-application-essay-college-admissions
https://www.quintcareers.com/college_application_essay.html
https://collegeapps.about.com/od/essays/a/essay_tips.htm
https://professionals.collegeboard.com/guidance/applications/essay
https://www.accepted.com/college/dosdonts.aspx
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/marjorie-hansen-shaevitz/college-essay-tips-_b_1719862.html
https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/college-admissions-experts/2011/11/02/what-are-some-dos-and-donts-for-college-admissions-essays
