Writing a stand-out college essay needs several key ingredients such as a unique and meaningful topic, an intriguing introduction with the use of vivid imagery, a specific story and language which shows your emotions and does not tell. Applying for college admission can be very exciting, but it demands a lot of hard work, dedication and research. Likewise, writing a college essay can certainly take a substantial amount of work. But it allows you to decide where you would like to further your studies. The college essay is one aspect of your application that should be given pertinent attention.
Note that not all colleges require an essay or personal statement. However, if you find out that the school you’re applying to requires an essay, do not panic. This is your opportunity to express yourself politely and tell the admission committee what sets you apart from the millions of prospective students applying for admission to that same college. Besides having your college essay as one of your application documents, you also need this four-school application document. Read along as this article focuses on ways in which you can write a college essay that stands out.
An essay aims to assess the strength of your critical thinking and your ability to put that thinking into a written form. Below are steps to follow when writing your college essay:
Start early.
It is advisable that when you are writing a lengthy college essay do not wait until the deadline because you will feel the urge to rush hence you tend to omit the important fact you would like the admission committee to know about you. But if you eventually find yourself in this kind of situation due to some pressurized reasons, do not get agitated. Take a deep breath and remain calm. In a scenario where you are not under pressure, endeavour to write several drafts set them aside for a few days and read them again. When reading your essay visualize yourself as an admission officer and ask yourself the following question; is the essay interesting? Is it written in the voice of the applicant? The answer you get will enable you to add or adjust your essay.
Write on a topic that interests you.
When writing an essay, bear in mind that the essay will be addressing a topic such as an experience, or a book, it could be about a mentor or the college. Most admission officers love to read a good story over anything. When writing your essay, tell a great story in your essay. Your story should not only focus on you rather it should captivate the reader’s attention. Let your story be specific, this will help keep the reader’s attention in place.
Plan a schedule and set a time management goal.
‘Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried. To avoid becoming a victim of procrastination; first, you need to draft a schedule to guide you in writing your essay. Secondly, you need to set aside time to achieve your goal of writing an essay that stands out. Time as we all know is of the essence, however, it is better to assign yourself chunks of time to help you reach that milestone and also break down some daunting tasks. Do not become bait for procrastination because a perfect method for adding drama to life is to wait until the deadline looms large.
Write as you speak
Many people get the inspiration to write while attending to other chores if you fall under this category, then you need to make recordings and take notes wherever possible because this will come in handy when you are ready to write. Also, make good use of words and phrases that you are familiar with and use in your day-to-day conversation. Know your tenses correctly, love your words, feed them and let them grow. Your words are like a gift to others, so make it worth the effort!
Start preparing now.
Do not wait for the deadline dates before you pick up your pen to start writing. Moreover, start your application process now, do not wait until summer is over before you apply for that admission. Prepare your plan and start brainstorming on how to tell the admission committee why the major you chose interests you – talk about your passion and career goals.
Proofread and edit.
You’ve done a great job by writing your college essay but you can’t proceed to submit it without asking someone to help you proofread and edit your work. Ask your teacher, counsellor, parent, or friends to assist you by reading your essay and checking for grammatical errors or wrong spelling, it should be people who know you well and want you to succeed. After the correction, proofread your essay and re-read it at a convenient time to make sure your grammar, spelling and punctuations are perfect as possible. Multiple errors can lower your chances of admission, so, take extra time to edit.
Colleges are looking for students who can express their thoughts clearly and accurately, applying the above-mentioned points can help you present a well-polished essay that shows you care about producing high-quality, college-level work. Now is the time to send in your application if you are planning to study in the USA in the fall of 2023, Admission season is open. If you need help with this, book a session to discuss your needs.
