If you’re a high school senior trying to decide which college to apply to, or you’re an adult looking at your life and wondering what else you can do with your education, having a well-crafted college application essay is key.
Why is a college essay so important?
College essays are the most important part of your application. If you’re getting a lot of applications and have so much time to plan, make sure you go through each one carefully. What’s more, it’s not just about what the admissions officer reads, but also about what they think is important. If you write one that goes beyond what’s expected, you’ll stand out from the rest of the applicants and be in good standing for admission.
A college essay is a personal story that reflects who you are. It’s the chance to talk about yourself and your interests. With the proliferation of apps, websites, and digital portfolios, more students are writing most of their essays ahead of time and submitting them at admissions offices electronically. This means that they skip the crucial step of crafting their own unique voice in an essay – and what’s worse, it also makes for homogenous content.
How to write a winning college application essay
Writing a college essay is an often daunting task. It’s crucial to understand the purpose of a college application essay. The essay should be about you, what you like and what you want to do with your life. You must be honest and stand by your values, but in a way that shows you have an understanding of the difference between right and wrong.
The essay is the most important part of your college application. It’s your chance to show a college committee what you’re made of and how, with hard work and determination, you can succeed on their campus. What do you need to write a winning essay?
Outlining your essay
Outlining your essay can help you see the flow of your essay and find places where you might want to add more information or spend more time. You should also consider preparing a rough draft before you start writing once you’ve outlined your plan.
Your essay should have a main body and a main idea. The main body is where you give your own perspective or experience on the topic that you are writing about. This is typically in the first paragraph and should be followed by a strong thesis statement.
Crafting an accessible topic
You need to write about something you’re passionate about. In order to do that, try thinking about your favorite activity outside of school and how that relates to the content of your essay. If you’re not sure what you should write about, start with an idea and add more thoughts until you find a topic that really captures your heart.
One of the most important steps you can take in your college application essay is to choose an accessible topic for your essay. The most important step is to find a topic that you have a personal stake in whether it’s something you’ve already experienced first hand or something that is on your bucket list.
Crafting a provocative opening sentence
Those are the moments that make college admissions officers run for cover.
Start with something provocative, unique, or unusual and the rest will follow.
One of the keys to a strong college application essay is writing with passion. It’s important to start off your essay with an exciting opening sentence, or even a paragraph, to intrigue the reader from the beginning.
Crafting the conclusion
Crafting the conclusion of your college essay is an important part of the process. It is your chance to share with the admissions office what you can contribute to their school, and how you feel about it. You should remember that this essay is going to be read by many people, and not just those on the admissions committee.
Some admissions officers have an almost rule-like approach to admissions essays. They expect a thesis statement that is clear and concise at the beginning, then for the conclusion to expand on this point. This often leads to essays that lack a strong conclusion or are just plain boring.