10 tips to a better college entrance essay...
Think about the teachers and administrators, and whoever else colleges must hire, who review the thousands upon thousands of college applications each year. One critical part of the application packet is the personal statement, or entrance essay. These poor people probably sit in a big room with a huge stack of them, skimming the pages, just waiting to come across something exciting. Experience that isn't cliche. A story that isn't full of sobs. These stories might work on shows like American Idol, but admissions officers want a genuine account of why you would add diversity to their school.
They'll give you some sort of prompt. Either the "tell us about yourself" one. The "why us." Or the more open-ended "creative" question, which might be the best bet for some of you. Such as, "Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence." No matter what it is, the following 10 tips will get you noticed:
1. Brainstorm! Spend a few weeks thinking about your topic options. Write down your ideas and do some free writes to get the juices flowin'.
2. Follow directions. Is there a word count listed? Are there specific topics to cover? If so, stick to them!
3. Have a memorable, focused topic. Instead of an essay about your family, football, a trip to France, etc., zero in on something-a single Christmas Eve, a museum in France you visited, or some other moment that is representative of you.
4. Don't tell them what you think they want to hear. Most admissions officers read plenty of cliche essays about the charms of their university, the evils of terrorism, and the personal commitment involved in being a lawyer. Bring something new to the table.
5. Don't include information found elsewhere in the application. Your essay will end up sounding like an autobiography or resume.
6. Try to highlight any extracurricular activities you've been involved in-volunteering, sports, business organizations, ASB, etc.
7. Explain a low standardized test score or bad grade if applicable. Everyone makes mistakes. And not everyone knows how to ace a timed test.
8. Avoid wordiness.
9. Make sure it has personality.
10. Proofread! Find grammar help online or in a writing handbook.
Keep these 10 tips handy and increase your chances of getting in to the school of your dreams!
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