Application Essays

Application Essays There are many different types of essays, including narrative, expository, argumentative, persuasive, comparative, literary, and so on. The type of essay will determine your topic and thesis. Essays for standardized tests are typically either persuasive, in which you will answer a question, or literary, in which you will write about something you read. Spellcheck won’t catch every spelling or grammatical error! Take the time to read over all your essays carefully and keep an eye out for things like “out” when you meant to say “our” and other common typos. Have a parent or counselor read over the essay, too, to catch any errors you might have missed. Spelling and grammar errors can take away from an otherwise stellar essay â€" so be mindful. When developing a topic that reveals something new, find a way to frame the story or idea that shows a slice of your life or the event. Be descriptive and give details that appeal to the senses â€" taste, touch, smell, etc. Evidence that you’re not just out there to help yourself but that you are willing to extend assistance to other students who may need it. It should reflect your social skills showing that you are an interesting individual that others will want to share their college years with. Every year, more than 3 million essays will land on the Admissions desk in universities across the country. As long as your message is succinct and to the point, brief, and realistic your essay should have an impact. Each university has its own set of prompts you should write about. Here is an example of a prompt from the University of California. They also are looking to see how well you interact with other students, your willingness to see others succeed. Your essay should show evidence of how you interact with others. Often, students feel pressure to write about a completely unique, never-before-seen essay topic that will help them stand out. When these students can’t think of anything “cool” or “special” enough, they make something up. You may have been advised to take risks with your college application essays, but you don’t want to be too risky. If you do write about someone who influenced your life, make sure that you only briefly describe them. With so many eager young minds seeking acceptance in a school of higher learning, one can easily see just how difficult it is to get noticed when applying to a quality university. It’s particularly important when writing a piece about yourself that you write naturally. By planning the layout of your essay ahead of time, you’ll avoid changing your writing style mid-story. When writing about a meaningful experience or event, you don’t have to give a long timeline of events. Instead, give the reader the piece of the puzzle that conveys your message. Admissions officers want to get to know applicants. There’s only so much that application readers can deduce from your extracurricular activities, transcripts, test scores, recommendation letters, and other application materials. Many times the best way to get a clear picture of a student’s goals, accomplishments, and character is to hear it directly from the student him or herself. In fact, it’s important to write in your authentic voice and avoid using “fancy” vocabulary just to impress admissions officers. For standardized tests, students usually have to write a five paragraph essay, which should be 500 to 800 words long and include an introductory paragraph, three supporting paragraphs and a concluding paragraph. When you begin to write your essay for a standardized test, you must first decide what type of essay you are being asked to write. Remember that the purpose of a college admissions essay is to help admissions officers get to know you. If your essay is filled with lies and exaggerations, then you’ve missed the point entirely. It’s possible that college admissions officers may suspect you’re lying, which is a poor reflection on your ethics and morals. Even if they don’t suspect you’re lying, you’ve missed your chance to showcase the real reasons that you’re a good fit for this school.