Students who are in their final year of high school and are ready to send out those college applications prepare for a particular challenge: how to write the college essay. This is no less than a piece of writing instead this is a way to introduce yourself, your life experiences and the contributions that will be required in the university. A carefully crafted college acceptance essay interestingly has the ability to distinguish you among other college candidates, hence time and effort have to be spent on developing this theme. Here is some information that will assist you on how to write a winning college essay that will appeal to the audience.
Do Not Wait Till The Last Minute, Start Way Before The Deadline
Procrastination can be the most impotent factor that can work against a college essay; as a result students always tend to start their college essays very late. In fact you should be brainstorming about ideas and essay outlines months before the application date approaches. This allows for much time needed to delve into your past and refine the text. You might want to draw out a schedule that includes topics generation, drafting, editing, and post editing.
Analyze the Prompt
This is another tip that falls into the category of preparation before the writing can even begin and that is understanding the given essay prompt. Most colleges give a broad theme or particular questions that you should base your narrative on. However, it is important to be specific and answer the prompt, as any divergence can result in the shattered integrity of the essay and a disappointment to the readers of the paper.
Take a Fresh Approach
The focus of your essay for college should be on you and your traits. What qualities do you possess that make you stand out and how did you manage to get these? Find a piece of your life that you would want to share, whether it is an obstacle you had to overcome, an interest that you pursued or an event that occurred and changed your life. Do not select a ring such as “the event that I became the champion” or “the one when I went for the summer vacation”. Rather, look into your life for a more intimate narrative that evokes the audience’s sympathy and defines your image and integrity.
Show, Don’t Tell
To keep the reader interested, do not just state your details but paint a picture by using figurative expressions and the art of storytelling. Instead of explaining your feelings, thoughts, and responses in clear terms, express it in a more vigorous imagery. For example, instead of stating “music is my passion” say what it is about music that made you feel such or a time when music changed your life. This enables one to share the journey of the narrator even at a personal level.
Be Authentic
Admissions boards have a good understanding of a student’s personality and can detect when it has been improved upon. Be straight forward and yourself while writing. Avoid the temptation of being what you think the colleges are looking for. This way, your voice comes out and your essay becomes more interesting as well as relatable. Your essay should not just be a polished version of you without the blemishes that make you human.
Keep It Focused
It may be important to tell even the tiniest details of your life, but your essay should remain succinct. Only write about not more than 1 or 2 important things in your life and explain how they connect to your thesis statement. The audience is more likely to read an essay that is well organized because it has a distinctive emphasis.
Final Inputs and Polishing
When you finish writing your essay draft, take time to revise it. Especially seek for the parts where you can make the essay clearer, make the text flow smoothly and avoid redundant language. Also, it is a good idea to ask for input and suggestions from teachers, colleagues or even family members who will improve your very draft. Moreover, a word count tool will also assist in determining whether your essay meets the required number of words by the college you are applying to. Here is a word counter tool that is helpful.
Read and Correct
Typos and grammatical errors can be significant problems in your essay and cause admission officers to doubt your accuracy skills. When done with revision, please proofread all over again. Preferably read the essays out loud, it will help in identifying clumsy constructions as well as errors that are not seen when reading quietly. It is recommended that the examined document be reviewed again by a different person.
Do Not Break any of the Rules
Most colleges have certain rules on the minimum and maximum word limits, formatting and submission. Ensure that you comply with these instructions to prevent problems occurring. Wrong in the instructions may put you at a bad light on whether or not you can follow basic directions and in extreme cases, cause the non-consideration of your essay.
Sound of the Future
In conclusion, when composing your college essay, it is equally important to point out and how the past has impacted your perspectives for the future. The people in the admissions committee want to know what has influenced your life such that you are going to be of value in college and in the future. Explain what your aspirations are and why you have chosen the college in question. Doing this can help solidify your passion for a certain subject of study and prove that you are able to tackle what the future holds.
