15 College Essay Writing Tips To Get You In Your First Choice
Writing an excellent college essay requires self-reflection, introspection, and the ability to present yourself in a unique and compelling way. Here are some tips to help you write an outstanding essay:
1. Introspection
Before starting your essay, think about what is unique about you that will make you stand out to an admissions panel. You can start by asking yourself questions about your interests, curiosity, and memorable experiences. Consider what moments were most enlightening, enjoyable, or valuable to you, and what people or circumstances in your life are unique and fascinating.
2. Find Your Story and Arc
Think of a small anecdote or story from your life that serves as a microcosm of who you are and what is important to you. It will help you narrow down your focus and find a gem of a story if you first think about your application arc or theme. Once you have an arc determined and a story to share, think about what you want that story to say about you.
3. Essay Brainstorming Techniques
If you're having trouble finding a story or have writer's block, try stream-of-consciousness writing, journaling, or Twitter-style writing. You can also look at how characters unfold in great movies and books to see how they are introduced without much background or context.
4. Figure out a way to get started
If you're struggling to start your essay or how to introduce yourself well, go look at some short stories like The Most Dangerous Game or Mateo Falcone. You can also start with a small anecdote or story from your life that highlights who you are and what is important to you.
5. Get personal
This is your chance to show colleges who you are beyond your extracurriculars and stats. Share your unique experiences, perspectives, and values. Don't be afraid to get vulnerable and show your authentic self. After all, colleges are looking for students who will contribute to their campus community in meaningful ways.
6. Avoid mentioning your stats and awards
This information is already listed in other parts of your application, and it may come off as arrogant if you constantly remind the admissions officers about your achievements. Instead, focus on telling your story and showcasing your personality.
7. No rankings in your "why college" essay
Do NOT mention prestige or rankings as a source of interest. This is a major red flag because it suggests that you are only interested in the school for its reputation and not for what it can offer you personally.
8. Start early
Prioritize your early applications to avoid burning out. Writing multiple essays can be overwhelming, so it's best to pace yourself and avoid procrastination.
9. Don't plagiarize or let your parents heavily edit your essay
Colleges want to get to know the real you, not a perfect piece of writing. So be honest, genuine, and write in your own voice.
10. Undestrand that writing essay is its own sport
Many students underestimate the importance of essays, but the truth is that they matter a lot. Even if you're a top performer in the classroom and on tests, neglecting your essays can hurt your chances of winning scholarships, being placed in your desired major, and receiving honors. It's not a popular answer, but it's the reality. As long as you're able to write at a high school level, there's no reason why you can't achieve an average score. Our evaluation process considers both Personal Achievement and Academic Achievement, each of which accounts for 50% of your overall score. While great grades and test scores can help offset weaker essays and resumes, the opposite is also true. In short, both aspects are equally important and should not be overlooked.
11. Avoid big words that you don't entirely understand
My biggest annoyance is when writers use unnecessarily complicated language and uncommon words. Using terms like plethora incorrectly doesn't impress me. In fact, these things can actually diminish the quality of an essay.
12. Inject some humor
If appropriate, try to add a touch of humor to your essay. This can help to lighten the mood and make your writing more memorable
13. Edit carefully
After you've finished writing your essay, take the time to edit and revise it carefully. This will help to ensure that your personality shines through, without distracting grammatical errors or spelling mistakes.
14. Don't forget about good writing
Writing well is a major factor - it creates the first and overall impresison and is the only tool you have for showcasing your personality. You certainly don't want to sell yourself short with obvious grammar and vocabulary blunders.
15. Have a lot of people read your essays
The best way to make sure your writing is clear and transmits just what you wanted is to share it with other people and ask for their honest feedback. You'll see the parts that people tend to misunderstand and words that aren't as convincing as you'd hoped them to be.
Summary
In short, take your time and re-try several times, if you need to. Your first draft certainly won't make it through the final cut - the key is to keep refining your work until you are left with a piece that represents you and does so clearly and in an engaging way.
