College admissions committees look for specific things in essays. These tips will help make any college essay great.
Pick a Good Topic
The topic is perhaps the most important part of the process. It’s not necessary to be pretentious about the topic. Stories about exotic locales may not be as powerful as an essay about helping one's family or volunteering close to home. College admissions committees love to have a unique student body. A unique activity, hobby, or experience which will be better than something that sounds good but wasn’t actually exciting.
Outline The Essay
This might not be necessary for a 500 word narrative, but when dealing with a persuasive or informative essay, outlining can be useful. It will also help prevent digressions. A very simple outline that just says what the main point of each paragraph is can be more useful than a drawn out outline that is half the size of the essay itself!
Answer the Question
In the course of writing, avoid digressions. Make sure that the essay answers the question which was asked. It’s as simple as that. The admissions committee isn’t going to be too happy if the essay is about something unrelated. It might seem obvious, but it's very easy to digress.
Have a Gripping Introduction
The best college application essays draw the reader in and stick with them, even after they have read a hundred other essays. Think of a creative way to begin. Rriting about a sport or hobby makes this easier, but if something more abstract requires more thought.
Don’t Abuse the Thesaurus
Don’t try to insert “big words” into the writing. It will sound stilted. The people who read the essay are going to be more interested in the writer's personal voice than anything else. They want to see what kind of person the writer is. The writing style should sound mature, and that will include the use of some SAT words, but if they don’t come naturally, they shouldn't be forced in.
Have a Strong Conclusion
The conclusion is very important. Answer the question, “so what?” Why should the reader care about what the topic, or why does it matter so much? The writer's passion should be very evident here. Restate all the earlier points and leave the reader with something to think about.
Have Someone Proofread It
This is the best thing the writer can do for the essay. Several people should proofread it and share what they think. They’ll point out where it doesn’t make sense, where the writing could be smoother, and if there are any silly typos. It's not necessary to use all the edits they suggest, but it’ll be helpful to hear a different perspective.
College Essays Can be Easy
Writing a college essay doesn't have to be a daunting process. By splitting the task into smaller tasks, and putting a lot of forethought and care into the process, an excellent college application essay is easy to write.
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