Writing A College Essay

Writing A College Essay The point of this essay is to show who you are, not who you wish you were. Stick to what you know and your true personality will shine through. Don't use big words just for the sake of using big words. I don’t think that originality should come at the expense of honesty. If you’re worried that your essay topic is a bit run-of-the-mill, you have two options. The first is to find another topic that feels authentic to you. The second is to find a unique angle within the topic. You want to make sure you've used proper spelling, grammar and punctuation, so ask an expert to proofread your essay. Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it. You don’t have to make changes based on everyone’s comments, but give them all some careful thought and try to imagine how the essay would look if you made each change. An introduction like this is colorful and intriguing. It gives the reader a sense of expectation and excitement, without giving too much away from the beginning. Writers live by the rule of “in medias res,” or starting in the middle. This is your story, or some small but significant part of it, as told or reflected upon by you. Formatting and presentation cannot replace substance, but they can certainly enhance the value of an already well-written essay. Tell us something different from what we’ll read on your list of extracurricular activities or transcript. Essays should have a thesis that is clear to you and to the reader. Your thesis should indicate where you’re going and what you’re trying to communicate from the outset. Remember, this essay is about you, so use words you normally use. Sometimes creating an outline for your essay can help you get started. It will also help you organize your thoughts and develop a framework. Self-exploration can be fun, but don't procrastinate on the actual writing. The conclusion finishes off the whole essay by nodding towards what came before without being repetitive and summarizing the takeaway. The outline is not for writing perfect sentences but rather for putting your ideas in the right sequence. Make sure you arrange your thoughts so that they make sense and lead one into the other. Feel free to tell us about a time you stumbled, and what happened next. Don’t be afraid to reveal yourself in your writing. Focus on one event, one activity, or one “most influential person.” Tackling too much tends to make your essay too watered down or disjointed. Especially if you’re recounting an event, take it beyond the chronological storytelling. Begin thinking about answers to the common application questions and review the pre-writing techniques. To identify the first steps to starting an essay. But what’s so wrong with having a wide range of interests? This is inherently not a bad, nay, it’s a good thing for a college applicant. Essay writing tips adapted from Kelly Tanabe’s “Four Steps to Writing a Winning Admissions Essay, Part I”. See how eliminating extra words actually makes your point stronger? Eliminatingprepositionsis a great, easy way to tighten your writing. Start with a creative lead.Capture the readers’ interestin the first two sentences. Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. You don't want to rush or be up against a tight deadline; it will affect your work. With a wealth of experience as a writer, journalist, and educator, Robert Schwartz has written for all four major television networks. In the feature film world he has written or rewritten screenplays for all of the major movie studios. Submit it, and treat yourself to something nice â€" like your favorite film, a run, quality time with your dog or whatever it is that you enjoy. Ask people you trust for their feedback, but don’t let anyone else tell you how you should write it. Take a notebook and write a page or two on each of your possible subjects. Where were the ideas pouring out and where were they feeling stuck? Let this exercise be the compass that points you in the direction of your topic.