College+Essay+writing+tips

College Essay Writing Tips A great application essay will present a vivid, personal, and compelling view of you to the admissions staff. It will round out the rest of your application and help you stand out from the other applicants. The essay is one of the only parts of your application over which you have complete control, so take the time to do a good job on it. Check out these tips before you begin. Your essay must prove a single point or thesis. The reader must be able to find your main idea and follow it from beginning to end. Try having someone read just your introduction to see what he thinks your essay is about. Essays that try to be too comprehensive end up sounding watered-down. Remember, it's not about telling the committee what you've done—they can pick that up from your list of activities—instead, it's about showing them who you are. Develop your main idea with vivid and specific facts, events, quotations, examples, and reasons. There's a big difference between simply stating a point of view and letting an idea unfold in the details: Avoid clichéd, generic, and predictable writing by using vivid and specific details. Most admissions officers read plenty of essays about the charms of their university, the evils of terrorism, and the personal commitment involved in being a doctor. Bring something new to the table, not just what you think they want to hear. Don't include information that is found elsewhere in the application. Your essay will end up sounding like an autobiography, travelogue, or laundry list. Yawn. "During my junior year, I played first singles on the tennis team, served on the student council, maintained a B+ average, traveled to France, and worked at a cheese factory." Eliminate unnecessary words. Typos and spelling or grammatical errors can be interpreted as carelessness or just bad writing. Don't rely on your computer's spell check. It can miss spelling errors like the ones below. "After I graduate //form// high school, I plan to work for a nonprofit organization during the summer." "From that day on, Daniel was my best //fried//."
 * Write an Effective Application Essay **
 * Dos **
 * Keep Your Focus Narrow and Personal **
 * Prove It **
 * Okay: **<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> "I like to be surrounded by people with a variety of backgrounds and interests"
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Better: **<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> "During that night, I sang the theme song from Casablanca with a baseball coach who thinks he's Bogie, discussed Marxism with a little old lady, and heard more than I ever wanted to know about some woman's gall bladder operation."
 * <span style="color: #b07a22; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Be Specific **
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Okay: **<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> "I want to help people. I have gotten so much out of life through the love and guidance of my family, I feel that many individuals have not been as fortunate; therefore, I would like to expand the lives of others."
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Better: **<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> "My Mom and Dad stood on plenty of sidelines 'til their shoes filled with water or their fingers turned white, or somebody's golden retriever signed his name on their coats in mud. I think that kind of commitment is what I'd like to bring to working with fourth-graders."
 * <span style="color: #b07a22; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Don'ts **
 * <span style="color: #b07a22; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Don't Tell Them What You Think They Want to Hear **
 * <span style="color: #b07a22; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Don't Write a Resume **
 * <span style="color: #b07a22; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Don't Use 50 Words When Five Will Do **
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Okay: **<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> "Over the years it has been pointed out to me by my parents, friends, and teachers—and I have even noticed this about myself, as well—that I am not the neatest person in the world."
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Better: **<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> "I'm a slob."
 * <span style="color: #b07a22; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Don't Forget to Proofread **