10 Things To Avoid In Your Essay

10 Things To Avoid In Your Essay You may have an amazing story to tell for your college application essay, but your writing is going to fall flat if it doesn't use an engaging and effective style. For your essay to truly shine, you need to pay attention to not justwhat you say, but also how you say it. These style tips can help you turn a bland and wordy admissions essay into an engaging narrative that improves your chances of being admitted. Emily guided me through the revision process of my writing and helped clarify my drafts for a supplemental college essay. She provided thoughtful feedback and kept prompt communication to meet my deadline. We have years of experience helping students craft their admissions essays. Ivy Experience provides application essay consulting for students applying to any school. You may have a beautifully crafted essay or a wonderful story to tell, but if you don’t take the time to proofread, your essay may be overlooked and end up in the rejection pile. Careful proofreading shows the reader you care and you aren’t sloppy. She also worked as a consultant for the Boston Public Schools District and the Department of College Counseling. Ms. Then has presented her work for local, regional, and national organizations, including the National School Counselors Association and the National College Access Network . She holds a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Boston University and a master’s degree from Bridgewater State College in School Counseling. Here are some college application essay dos and don’ts for students to keep in mind as they complete their applications this fall. 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. We love to see our students' personal growth in the years since high school as they take their next steps towards law school, medical school, or graduate programs in any field. We try to make sure our students finish all their essays and applications before the start of senior year. We keep students on deadlines for all drafts and applications, providing critical feedback on every essay draft, and ultimately polishing and proofreading all essays and applications. Use this space to show the person behind the history buff or mathlete. Ultimately, that will give your application more weight. Jodi Then is the High School Counselor at Boston Green Academy. Before joining BGA, Ms. Then spent 15 years working at a non-profit organization that specialized in college access and financial aid. My College Options ® is an online college planning program that connects millions of high school students with colleges and universities. Even if a school does not assign a maximum word count, that doesn’t mean you should write with wild abandon. Admissions officers have to slog through thousands of essays. They don’t have time to devote an hour to your 30 page masterpiece. I highly recommend Emily if you need assistance for your college essay. Vagueness isn’t a problem unique to admissions essays. It’s something all writers struggle with â€" including myself; I struggled with it while writing this very article. Ah, college application essays â€" the necessary evil of college-bound high school seniors everywhere. If you’ve just finished your junior year of high school, then these may very well be in your near future. The goals are now different, but the process of working together is the same. We especially value having the opportunity to work with students again who we advised back when they were in high school! Remember, these essays are simply meant to be a snapshot of you. You should not attempt to include your entire biography. Stick to your chosen topic or theme and be concise. After all â€" a good writer knows when to edit him/herself. Your transcript already alerts people to the fact that you excelled in American history or that you nailed your SAT scores. There’s no need to mention either again; it won’t make the achievement seem more impressive if you elaborate. Beyond successful students, colleges are looking to create an incoming class that will complement their campuses.