5 Tips to Write a Winning College Essay
The admissions committees are looking for an impressive multi-dimensional applicant who would be able to maximize what he/she gains from and contributes to the school.
The essay section is particularly important as the schools can learn a lot about you from your choice of essay topics, to the way in which you answer each question.
Strong and successful essays have some key common characteristics which include:
1. They showcase a well-rounded applicant – Each essay covers a different aspect of your personality/experiences/interests, and the top schools demand that you are actively engaged at:
(a) the individual level – this is most clearly represented through exposure to different art and media (books, music and film), as well as through travel and work experiences.
(b) at the academic level – subjects that you are currently proficient at, what you’re doing for supplemental learning outside the classroom, academic rigor, and subject choices for the undergraduate level.
(c) at the community level –Strong knowledge on current affairs to active community involvement at the local, national or international level
2. Content, Content, Content – Content is the crux of the essays. It is important that you check for the content at each stage of the writing process. As the content gets refined, it is easier for the structure and language to automatically fall into place.
Don’t overlap content across the application – use the essays to showcase different sides of you.
3. Keeping it simple – The essay should be crisp, the content strong and the question clearly answered. You need to show that you can competently organize your thought process, make a persuasive argument and present yourself in a coherent manner.
4. A high level of maturity – Admission committees are looking for students that display an outstanding level of maturity, so this needs to permeate through your essay. Focus on supporting opinions with evidence as well as stylization. Please ensure, however, that you maintain your integrity and individuality at all times, but also make sure that you do not seem as though you are taking yourself too seriously.
5. Make sure you answer the exact question – make sure you read the essay topic over and over again. Answer exactly what the prompt asks and in the word limit specified. Remember – it’s a limit and you cannot exceed it.
And of course, it goes without saying they are void of silly mistakes and, grammatical errors. So make sure you proofread multiple times.
Essays are your best chance to share a great story about you. It is a great opportunity for you to convince the admissions committee that you are a perfect fit for the school.
Sloppy writing in your essay is bound to leave the wrong impression on the reader. Use our FREE Essay Editor Tool to ensure you submit an error-free essay.
The article has been written by Grishma Nanavaty, Lead Counsellor, ReachIvy.
Grishma Nanavaty has completed her MBA from the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Warwick, having done her GCSE’s and A-Levels in Hong Kong.
Grishma brings her global perspective on education to ReachIvy and is eager to share her experiences and assist students with their educational endeavors.
ReachIvy offers college essay editing services for aspiring students and help reach top tier educational institutions globally.
ReachIvy sincerely hopes that this article serves as a critical tool to increase your knowledge base. For study abroad consultation or career counselling with ReachIvy, Submit a Query now! Also, review our resources section to access our free premium content..
