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10 amazing tips for writing the college application essay

Are you wondering how you can create a suitable application essay? Although it is a significant step in learning, most students do not know how to go about the entire process. As more students continue to apply for a limited number of spaces, different colleges have put more emphasis on these essays a means of distinguishing qualifications of different students.

10 amazing tips for writing the college application essay

Monday August 21, 2017,

4 min Read

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The good news is that writing application essays is definitely worth the effort. An excellent college essay helps you stand out from your competitors. It might even end up being what gets you a seat in your preferred learning institution. In light of this, here are some ten tips to help you come up with top-notch college application essays!

It’s All About You

Do not shy away from describing your actual character or showing your particular interests. Colleges desire to know your different experiences, both personal and professional. Keep in mind that more personal essays have greater chances of generating more success. Indicate your hobbies, talents and personal achievements. Even so, do not get too personal and forget to show your professional qualifications. Always try to find a balance between these two critical factors and you’ll be one step closer to landing your preferred learning institution!

Make Yourself A Champion!

Your college application essay should also say good things about you. Questions which you need to answer here include:

- Are you passionate about what you do?

- Do you have a keen business mind?

- What are your leadership skills?

Indicate your best qualities and go on to describe and expound on each one. You’ll find that maybe one or two ideas outweigh the rest.

What Exactly Have You Learned?

Irrespective of the topic, you need to show what you gained from your different life experiences. Let us take the example of family traditions. It's crucial to not only mention them but also to indicate how these traditions helped to shape and mold your character and principles. If you’re also writing about a favorite relative, do not only show his or her biography. It is essential that you also talk about the lessons learned and the impact they had in your life.

Bigger Is Not Necessarily Better

Keep your application essay brief and straight to the point. Most colleges only ask for around 500 words so look for small but interesting topics. Avoid broad subjects such as summer vacation experiences. Instead, it is advisable to focus on at least one aspect that suits you perfectly or even an event that took place in a shorter time frame.

Be Unique!

Generate original content – this is how to start an essay than will guarantee you a place at that college. It is possible that many students can write a similar piece, so, consider writing a topic that’s more personal. Go deeper and find out which topic has greater meaning in your life.

Write In Your Voice And Tone!

Your college essay topic should sound like you, not like a text to your best friend or professor. If you use words such as “therefore” and “however” then your essay is too formal. Using abbreviations and poor sentence construction means that your article is probably too casual.

Come Up With a Perfect Introduction

Three techniques captivate your reader. These include:

- Start in the middle or where your conflict or action begins

- Ask an engaging question

- Create suspense by not revealing everything at a go. Your story should unfold as you write.

Be Detailed!

Properly explained details add more interest and show that you’re familiar with what you're writing. Here, you could use your senses, try to think about how things looked, tasted, felt or sounded. Then go on and pick the best adverbs and adjectives. Feel free to give names to your characters and come up with some form of dialogue if you find it appropriate.

Proofreading Is Critical!

In any writing project, proofreading is crucial. Ensure that your essay is correctly punctuated with high-quality grammar skills. Also, try to correct confused or misplaced words such as “their” and “there.” A good way of proofreading your work is giving it to a trusted friend or professor.

Give Yourself Ample Time

Avoid finishing too close to the deadline. It's nice to allocate enough time for reviewing and correcting mistakes. You’ll be more settled and comfortable by ‘sleeping on’ your essay.

Conclusion

Are you now ready to write an impressive college application essay? The above tips should give you all the much-needed arsenal to help you come up with captivating and intriguing college application essays!