You’ve stared at the blinking cursor. You’ve rewritten the same sentence five times. Whether it’s a late-night paper or a college application essay, editing is often the hardest part of writing.
During your time as a student, you’ve probably written plenty of essays and short pieces as assignments. But the language arts are hardly confined to your English and history classrooms. From crafting your first employment resume to crafting your social media captions, writing has likely played a significant role in your personal life as well. And when it comes to college admissions, there’s no question that essays are critical to expressing both your academic and personal achievements. Whereas test scores and grades provide a quantitative picture of your accomplishments, a well-edited essay will present a multifaceted window through which admissions officers can glimpse what you are really like behind the numbers.
Having the final drafts even quality-checked before they submit their applications, though, can be a significant challenge. From idea generation to final drafts, expressing yourself with clarity and persuasiveness can be challenging, yet it remains a critical part of your college application process. When it comes to your personal statements, no one can write them for you. Although it may seem like scaling Mount Everest using a paper map, the view from the top makes all the effort worthwhile.
Ring a bell? Don’t worry, we’re here to help! Here are 10 valuable tips to incorporate into your editing process to perfect your drafts and submit essays you feel confident about. Let’s get started!
Our 10 tips for excellent essay edits
1. Take a break before you edit
Our first tip might be the most exciting one we have for you today – before you begin editing, take a break!
The drafting process is a challenging task, even for experienced writers. Taking a break is a necessary part of each editing round. Yes, you have permission. Especially if you tend to pour everything from your head onto paper without taking pauses to reflect, a break can be a relief. It gives your mind and eyes a chance to unwind, lifting some of the pressure of writing.
We suggest taking a few hours to step away and get some fresh air, doing something you enjoy. Remember, this is a marathon journey, not a race. A change of perspective can make all the difference in your rereads and help you catch things you might have missed or errors you previously overlooked.
Here are some helpful activities you can try!
- Go for a 30-minute walk (bonus points if you bring your pet)
- Listen to easy-going music
- Take a shower
- Do a yoga practice or listen to a meditation video
- Play a few rounds of a game
- Read a chapter or two of your book
- Take a nap (sleep does a lot for the brain!)
- Draw or paint a picture
2. Read your essay aloud
Another tip we have for you is to read your essay aloud and review it multiple times. Or, even better, record it and play it back. Listening helps you catch awkward phrasing, long-winded sentences, or areas that don’t sound natural.
Don’t worry; it happens to the best of us. It’s easy to get lost in your brainstorming and writing, but once you take a step back and read what you’ve written, you might catch yourself scratching your head, wondering what you’re looking at. You look at strange phrasing and rhythm, or you discover you have too many run-on sentences. Hearing your essay read out loud not only helps you identify these issues but also builds confidence in your writing, knowing that your essays read the way you want!
Taking a break every time you complete a drafting session and reading it out loud will help you produce an essay that is clear to read and flows well from start to finish. It’s also a way to help you know that you’re answering the prompt and to hear if you’re on track. Trust us—it may seem redundant and bothersome at times, but you’ll be glad you did when it comes time to submit college apps!
3. Check your thesis and structure first
Nobody wants to read something they can’t follow! That goes for essays, like everything else. Building your essay up so that it flows smoothly from start to finish is crucial for producing your best work. To do this, ensure each paragraph connects clearly and coherently throughout the piece. This clear structure will make your essay more organized and easier to follow.
It’s okay to be creative, but unless you’re answering a very short prompt, your writing should have a strong structure that includes a hook, a thesis, supporting details, and a firm conclusion that leaves your readers satisfied. Altogether, your essay’s structure should support your story, not restrict it.
While you need those essential elements—hook, thesis, supporting details, and conclusion—remember that admissions officers read thousands of essays every admissions cycle. Many students do write similarly, but what makes yours memorable is how you weave these components together in a way that reflects your unique personality and growth. Be sure to focus a significant amount of attention on the framework of your essay before you concentrate on other supporting details!
4. Eliminate unnecessary words and phrases
Another essential step in the editing process is to avoid overcomplicating your narrative with unnecessary words and phrases. Oftentimes, we want to impress our readers, so we’ll use complex sentences, unique words, and fillers to make our stories sound elevated and interesting. While it may be appealing to do this at times, this causes our true story or point of view to get lost in the jungle of unnecessary content.
Here are some unnecessary words and phrases to avoid:
- Absolutely, certainly, completely, definitely
- All of the
- As to whether
- At all times
- Due to the fact that
- For the purpose of
- In my opinion
- Like
- Um
Here is an example in action:
Poorly written story:
“I have always been someone who likes to help people, ever since I was a young child. In high school, I volunteered a lot at the local hospital because I wanted to give back and do something good. It was hard at times and sometimes boring, but I stuck with it. I think this experience made me realize that I want to help people for a living, maybe as a doctor or nurse. This experience taught me many things, like being patient and kind and how to deal with stress. I know that college will help me learn more and become better at helping people.”
Revised and stronger example:
“Every Wednesday afternoon for two years, I wheeled a cart loaded with books and crossword puzzles through the long halls of St. Luke’s Hospital. Initially, I saw it as a means to earn service hours. But one day, I met Mr. Alvarez, a retired schoolteacher recovering from surgery. Each week, he would ask for the same mystery novel and insist I stay to chat. Over time, our brief visits evolved into long conversations about poetry, teaching, and the importance of being fully present for others.
Volunteering at St. Luke’s showed me that caring doesn’t always need a stethoscope. It’s about presence, empathy, and a willingness to connect. This experience sparked my interest in public health and motivated me to pursue a career that combines science with human connection.
I look forward to continuing that journey in college, where I hope to develop not just as a student but as a compassionate advocate for others.”
Comparing the two, it’s clear that editing your writing to weave a narrative can make a real difference! The first example is straightforward, but it doesn’t quite reach that college-level tone necessary for admissions and might get overlooked. In contrast, the second example tells a more nuanced story that captures the student’s emotions and experiences more compellingly, allowing the reader to step into their shoes, even if only for a moment.
5. Vary your sentence structure
Just as you avoid unnecessary words in your narrative, ensure that you also vary your sentence structure in your writing. If you keep every sentence sounding the same, your writing will sound monotonous and robotic, and we know you’re not a robot!
For example, see which sounds better:
- I walked to school. I saw my friends. I said hello. We went to class.
- I walked to school and saw my friends along the way. Smiling, I waved and called out to them. Together, we headed to class.
Which one did you enjoy reading more? If you guessed #2, that’s the better choice! While they both share the same information, the second example reads at a higher level, making it sound more like storytelling rather than just stating facts, and it flows much more smoothly.
Avoid redundancy by asking yourself:
- Have I already made this point earlier?
- Can I combine these ideas into one tighter sentence?
- Am I saying the same thing over using different words?
Repetition applies to your sentence structure, too. Varying your sentence structure helps emphasize your points further, and providing different types of sentence lengths helps move the reader through your narrative, building suspense or emotion depending on what you’re looking to convey. This helps demonstrate maturity and sophistication in your writing, which is something admissions officers look for.
6. Check for consistency in tone and voice
We all see life differently, through our perspectives and interpretations. This comes out in our writing much more than we think–your voice is just like your own art style. You have a unique voice, so ensure that it shines through in your writing. Your writing should always sound like you! Making sure to stay true to your natural way of expressing ideas will create the most compelling and memorable essays.
Your best essays often emerge when you write as if you’re sharing your story with someone you trust. Use the vocabulary that feels natural to you—don’t force sophisticated words that don’t reflect how you communicate. Admissions officers can sense when students are trying too hard to sound “academic” rather than authentic, so use the language you’re used to using and carry that throughout your writing piece!
Here are some helpful tips from Harvard on how to best approach writing (and editing!) your college essays:
7. Verify facts and claims
A necessary part of any writing practice (especially in 2025) is to make sure all facts are legit, up to date, and include citations for any claims you make. Ensuring your writing is accurate is crucial for establishing credibility as both a writer and an individual, especially in the realm of higher education! When applying to college, sharing your sources with your readers (such as admissions officers) when necessary demonstrates that you’re a trustworthy and honest candidate for admission.
Honesty is always the best approach, and confidently sharing your ideas (with receipts!) can make a real difference. While you might be tempted to use AI to assist with your draft, it’s important to verify every source it uses. AI isn’t a perfect or entirely accurate source of information, so if you do utilize an AI tool, take the time to double-check all citations, sources, and facts it provides.
8. Look for grammar and punctuation errors
When we begin the drafting process for any piece of writing, typically, we just let out a stream of consciousness of words and stories without paying attention to the extra details. But when working towards a final draft, it’s essential to make sure you fix any grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. Admissions officers, of course, are looking for your main point. Still, they’re also paying close attention to whether your writing matches a college level–mistakes unfortunately don’t fly in higher education courses.
Rereading and checking for any errors before you push the submit button will make sure your readers can easily flow through your story without getting distracted by errors that their eyes catch. You can use tools like Grammarly or the Hemingway app for an extra layer of review, but don’t rely on them completely — manual proofreading is still essential. It will also ensure you’re seen as a credible and careful writer and will allow your story to shine through the way it should.
9. Review your introduction and conclusion
Your introduction is the most essential part of your admissions essays. It’s where your readers enter into your headspace and decide whether they’re interested in your story or if they wish to move on, so making sure it’s relevant and memorable is key. Remember, admissions officers only have minimal time to read your application (they’re going through thousands to hundreds of thousands of applications every admissions season!), so making them get hooked from the jump is essential.
Also, your conclusion is just as important as your introduction hook; where you send your readers off will be the make-or-break point. You’ll want them to remember you and what you had to say long after they’ve finished reading your application. By revisiting and refining your introduction and conclusion to create a connected and seamlessly developed narrative, you will make a significant difference in your essays.
10. Get a second opinion
Our final tip today is to get other eyes on your work. Taking the time to share your draft with others can make a huge difference–sometimes it takes having other eyes on your job to help catch certain things you might’ve missed, or places where you can improve your narrative!
Whether it’s a counselor, teacher, or trusted adult, a good outside perspective can help identify inconsistencies, gaps, or areas that need refining. Choose someone who knows you well and can help tell if the essay is straying too far from your authentic self.
Let’s consider Chris’s story as an example. As an 11th grader preparing to apply to college, he started writing the first draft of his college essay. He discussed his hobby of being a travel planner throughout high school and how it helped him make many friends and learn about different travel destinations. However, as he finished his first draft, he felt like there was still a lot missing and didn’t feel confident about submitting it as it was. He became frustrated, unsure of how to improve the readability and make the copy more engaging.
Chris brought his draft to his college admissions counselor. Since he wanted to apply to business programs, he was able to connect his stories to an overall theme that demonstrated his interest in the program. His counselor pointed out areas where he could improve to create a more streamlined and straightforward narrative that both answered the prompt and gave readers a better understanding of how Chris’s passion for travel planning would positively influence his studies and the campus community.
He took these suggestions home with a fresh perspective and worked on refining his essay. After a few more discussions with his counselor, they managed to craft a compelling, mistake-free, and well-written piece that impressed admissions officers. In the end, he was accepted to his top-choice university!
One last thing: keep this list handy for review
- Does your opening sentence immediately capture the reader’s attention?
- Is it clear what story you’re telling and why it matters?
- Does each paragraph build naturally on the previous one?
- Are your ideas interconnected?
- Does the essay maintain reader engagement throughout?
- Does this sound genuinely like you?
- Have you shown how experiences shaped you?
- Do you reveal meaningful insights about yourself?
- Does your essay fully address the specific prompt?
- Are you within the specified limits (typically 650 words)?
Other important things to consider:
- Spell-check and manually review for errors
- Check for proper comma usage and apostrophes
- Maintain consistent tense throughout
- Mix short, impactful sentences with longer, complex ones
- Avoid repetitive sentence patterns
- Read aloud to ensure natural flow
Now what?
All in all, the editing process is a time-consuming one, but well worth the effort and time it takes. You want to ensure that all your writing is as good as it can be, so utilizing the different tips we shared today will give you a good starting point to help you write your best.
If it feels stressful right now, don’t give up! Getting the hang of editing your work takes practice, so keep working at it and rely on others to provide support throughout the process. Writing is a lifelong skill. We know you got this, and we’re here for you every step of the way.
Empowerly’s team of essay specialists has helped thousands of students transform raw stories into compelling personal statements that resonate. Book a free consultation today to find a counselor who can assist you in writing an essay that genuinely reflects who you are and increases your chances of getting into your ideal university.
Still need more support? Don’t navigate college admissions alone. Get your copy of the “Empowerly Expert’s Handbook to College Admissions” for your north star guide to standing out during the admissions process, featuring expert insights and proven strategies for college application success. Purchase yours today!
