Nervous About College Essay Writing?

Nervous About College Essay Writing? It may be easier to tell the story out loud to someone first, then write it down. This way, your written “voice” may be more genuine and true. While colleges often pose different essay questions to their applicants, there are typically a handful of traditional queries that many schools employ. In order to respond to the best of your ability, it’s important to understand what universities are driving at/asking. Be thoughtful in both your topic choice and the tone of your writing. Colleges look for students who have dealt with adversity, have overcome challenges and continue to grow from their experience. Admitting shortcomings is a sign of maturity and intelligence, so there is no need to portray yourself as a superhero; they will see through it. The college application process is stressful, and the essay can seem like an insurmountable hurdle. She tells me large schools receiving 30,000 to 60,000 applications are using software to crunch numbers and manage the volume of applications. It is a good idea to make sure different audiences understand what you have tried to write. Test your essay with a friend, a teacher, a parent, even a younger reader. Ask them not to judge but simply read to see if they know what you are saying. Once you’ve proofread and edited the essay till you’re sick of it, let a few people you trust look over it. If they’re willing, get one of your English teachers to read it. Since 2007, students who have worked with College Essay Whiz were accepted to the following colleges and universities. Once you have a revised draft of your college essay, call in your friends and family to take a look. Have them give you comments and encourage them to be honest. These people will point out things you never would have noticed on your own. John Hopkins University has a page full of essays that worked; one in particular, entitled“Breaking Into Cars”, showcases what the writer learned from his experiences well. This second version isn’t going to win any awards, and it definitely needs more work, but the specificity is there. If the person reading this essay had no idea about marching band or music, this description would give them enough detail to empathize with the writer. Your essay may be the ultimate product, but before you start worrying about the final edition you’ll send off to colleges, take some time to work on the process. Free-writing will help you hone your skills and practice for the real thing. Not writing it may be interpreted as a lack of enthusiasm or motivation. Admissions officers don’t want to read an essay full of criticisms, whining or complaining. If you have had tough life experiences, focus on what you learned and how you are a different individual as a result of them. Tell a story.Use the prompt “Did I ever tell you about the time…” to get started. Admissions officers can have a sense of humor too, and, when used appropriately, humor can make you stand out. However, don't make being funny one of your top goals in your college essay. Instead of just stating your point of view, you want to make your reader feel the experience. But don't use quotations simply to use them; make sure they make sense within the tone of your essay. Last year, CMC had eight admissions officers and 10 part-time readers for 7,100 applications. Both Stanford University and University of California Berkeley officials insist they read all essays. Patricia Krahnke, president of Global College Search and former assistant admissions director at Rutgers University and Vermont State Colleges’ dean of admissions, agrees with Stevens. “Tell me,” say to them, “exactly what you got from this.” If there is confusion, fix it. Prompt invests thousands of hours identifying top Writing Coaches. We help thousands of students gain admission to top-50 colleges every year. Check out my comprehensive list of college admissions guidebooks, essay guides, financial aid and scholarships.