Write A Great College Essay! Tips From An Admissions Counselor

Write A Great College Essay! Tips From An Admissions Counselor However, it ranges between 250 and 650 words in universities. The word limit is usually specified in the requirements. Either 250 or 650 words, that is quite a short essay. Thus, you should be able to demonstrate your writing skills in such a short paper. Strong verbs, not adjectives and adverbs, will make your admissions essay come to life. When an essay has two or three adjectives or adverbs in every sentence, the admissions folks will quickly feel like they are in the presence of an immature writer who is trying too hard to impress them. When writing your admissions essay, be careful to avoid overusing flowery language . Before you send your essay to colleges, have someone you trust read it and provide feedback. Usually, your English teacher will be happy to take a look. Your college essay gives you the chance to talk about your best assets. 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. The college essay length requirements differ among universities. The author is writing about her brother, a person who has had a major influence on her life. However, her praise is expressed almost entirely in clichés. Finally, colleges can use the essay to begin picturing how you’ll connect with and make the most of resources within their specific campus communities. My College Options ® is an online college planning program that connects millions of high school students with colleges and universities. Before you begin to tackle this essay prompt, there are a few points of which you should be aware. First off, don’t reiterate information that can be found in other parts of your application. Instead, use this opportunity to showcase an additional side/aspect of yourself. Don’t just say that volunteering in a soup kitchen allowed you to see the importance of helping others. Admissions committees really want you to speak to the experience and really explain the impact it had. Finally, you’ll need to be able to strike a balance between being self-effacing and being a braggart. Spellcheck won’t catch every spelling or grammatical error! While your essay should convey your best qualities, you want to avoid bragging too much. If you write about an activity or an experience, focus not on how good you are or what you have accomplished, but instead on what the experience/activity means to you. Good essays are always quite personal without being sentimental. Another very simple tip, but many of the less compelling essays we read each year fail to focus. Think about the special nugget of information you want the reader to know about you at the end of your essay and write with that central theme in mind. Too many adjectives and adverbs can ruin the reading experience. Digression isn't always wrong in a college admissions essay. Sometimes a colorful aside or anecdote can help engage the reader and enhance the reading experience. Secondly, you must recognize that schools don’t only view “big” achievements as a viable topic. You don’t need to have worked on a cure for AIDS or helped send a rocket into space to write a compelling essay. 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.