3 Common College Essay Mistakes To Avoid

3 Common College Essay Mistakes To Avoid This is your opportunity to provide insight and interpretation. Essays that become travelogues or resume narratives have little value to the reader and are wasted space. Admissions officers are seeking students who are purposeful in their pursuits when choosing among highly talented students. They see a ton of candidates who are drawn by the fame or prestige of their institutionsâ€"who are simply applying to see if they can get in. College essays, however, are arguably the most challengingâ€"and, potentially paralyzingâ€"assignments you will face during your senior year. These are the beginnings of two very different, very accomplished writers. One student is really into ceramics and stock market simulations; one wants to study Archaeology and to continue teaching kids tennis in her self-started after-school tennis program. But by failing to maximize on the opener, by failing to take a stance, they are mushing themselves together with identical openers. Not only that, but they’ve burned about 6% of their word count in doing so. In order to write a good essay you should be sure to stay on topic, be creative, be honest, ask for help, and edit your work. Be specific and highlight traits that speak to your talents and interests. Don’t be vague and make sure you answer the prompt. When you try to impress an admissions officer, it can often appear that way and seem inconsistent with who you are. Let’s start with mistakes to avoid when writing your essay. Generate a list of adults that can help you with the writing and application process. You may already know of writing tutoring agencies in your area. Tutoring agencies are often area specific and it will be best for you to search the ones that are local to your area on your own. When finding a tutor, always ask for help from an adult to locate a trustworthy certified tutor. Use this space to show the school something special, be proud of who you are and let it shine through your written response. An essay that is presented in a few long paragraphs is not only hard to readâ€"the resulting word “blocks” can be overwhelming to tired eyesâ€"it effectively obscures the author’s key messages. And rememberâ€"a one line, one sentence paragraph can be more impactful than a 3-4 sentence paragraph. Don’t restate information that can be found elsewhere in your application. Your essay should reveal how and why have they shaped you. College professors don’t want to have to teach you how to write. From a technical point of view, then, your essay should reveal that you have good command of the language, understand the rules of grammar and can convey ideas concisely. If you are asking yourself, how can I impress the college admissions folks without sounding, you know, braggy? Okay, maybe I’m overreacting â€" but I cannot for the life of me understand that award. Identify a topic or talk about something that is unique and different Or, breathe life into a mundane subject by approaching it differently. Be careful about bragging and using your essay to explain perceived injustice. The essay is one way to ascertain whether you can write well and support ideas with logical arguments. Another great thing about this book are the examples. There are student personal statement examples and vivid examples from famous writers. Ask others - those who know you well and those who do not - to read your work. Honest, critical feedback will move you forward. Know the essay word limit and stick to it - ours is 650. Such candidates, regardless of their credentials, are not very compelling and are easily dismissed. Admission officers want to get past the facts of your application to better understand how you think. How do you process information about yourself and the world around you? you can “Focus Out” and write an essay that people actually remember. Listening to yourself reading your essay aloud will help you understand what is clear and what is confusing. Don’t start with the end in mind, write to find out what you actually have to say.