Getting into college requires a college application that speaks volumes about who you are as a prospective student. With most applicants having the same high GPAs and extracurricular activities, it’s important to use the essay portion of an application as an opportunity to stand out from other candidates. Learn how to write a winning college application essay below.
Stick to an outline
Every good essay begins with a good outline. While it’s important to show your creativity, you definitely shouldn’t just fly by the seat of your pants when it comes to writing. A college essay should be structured and well organized regardless of the fact that it’s essentially a personal statement about your experiences.
Starting your writing process with an outline ensures that you’re answering every portion of the given instructions. More importantly, you can choose which paragraphs to highlight your strengths before actually having to flesh them out.
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Don’t just write what you think they want to hear
You’ll probably be tempted to tell the college admissions committee about what makes you the perfect student. And that’s because, throughout your years of schooling, there has always been one correct answer to every question. But personal essays are different. Admissions officers can tell when you’re using cliche metaphors just to make it seem like you’re checking their boxes.
They can tell when you’re simply sharing an experience to boast about how you’re a perfect fit at their institution. Avoid being a cliche. Don’t talk about how you have dreamt of attending their university your entire life because that experience likely isn’t unique to you as an individual. In fact, all of the other applicants probably feel the exact same way!
Provide evidence of your claims
When it comes to personal essays, you can’t just state that you’re passionate about neuroscience and have the admissions committee take it as fact. You need to back up your claims and talk about how you won a neuroscience research prize or competed in international science fair.
Talk about how the field has impacted you personally and use specific details that really show off your personality. If you make any statement, make sure to flesh it out and show off your perspective. Talk about your motivations and show evidence behind your beliefs.
Make multiple revisions
Editing and revising is one of many ways you can guarantee a winning college application essay. Have someone else read it and see what they think. Better yet, have a college essay consultant review your work.
When you have the help of an admissions expert at Empowerly, you can get suggestions and edits within 24 hours. Having expert advice from education consultants really makes the entire process seamless and a lot more manageable.
Be yourself
This is the last and most important step to writing a winning college essay. Many qualified applicants get into their ideal schools because they are earnest and transparent about who they are and what they want to achieve at school. Creative writing turns out better when you are authentic about your experiences and share your perspective on the world in your own way.
Being authentic helps you find the right fit as far as acceptances go. If you get rejected, it likely just means it’s not that you weren’t “good enough” to attend; it probably just wasn’t a good fit based on your personality and what you’re looking for out of a college experience.
Writing a personal essay and sharing your story just to get into college seems like a lot of work. But doing your best and showing off your most authentic self can lead to finding the best school for you.
So, grab those sticky notes and start brainstorming! And don’t forget to have someone look over your essay before you hit “submit.”