More than any other part of the application, your admission essay is intended to give the college admission team a look at your personal life, goals, and achievements. This article reviews eight things to include in your admission essay to increase your chances of being accepted into the college of your choice. We hope you find this checklist helpful as you start drafting!
And of course, remember that we’re here to help if you get stuck. Deciding on what colleges to apply for, then beginning the application process, can bring much-added stress in your life. With the proper support, however, that stress does not need to reflect in your writing.
So, let’s get started. Your high school counselors may have shown the dos and don’ts of writing a college application essay. However, they may not have taken you through the entire process. Not to worry, Empowerly offers college counseling to work with you through the entire journey.
To give you a glimpse into our services, we are sharing the eight things to include in your college admission essay:
Make It Unique And Personal
The committee in charge of admission wants to know who you are. Talk about your personality, passions, values, achievements, goals, and what motivates you. If given a topic to write on, ensure you shine through it. Your uniqueness is the most important part of the application!
Pick One Area In Your Life, And Focus On It
Writing an in-depth essay about yourself can feel overwhelming, considering all the information you could cover. Instead, focusing on an area that expressly gives well-detailed information helps craft a structure that is easier to read. Essentially, it produces more clarity than packing so many options in one essay.
Select a single activity, passion, or project to which you can relate and produce the best write-up. If you need help, we offer college counseling services to help fully express your train of thought.
Ensure You Write About The Best Version Of Yourself
The admission committee wants to read about the strong, positive information that makes you who you are. You should be able to write about experiences that have brought out a part of your character, built your mindset, or become an important lesson. Demonstrate qualities that will make you a great addition to their campus.
Include Traditions And Culture That Shape You
Schools are always searching for diverse perspectives to add to the cultural richness of their intellectual landscape. Feel free to include stories of your family emblem, heritage, tradition, and culture if you feel they have shaped you. Acknowledging and celebrating these aspects of your history is key.
Research, Research, Research
Read up about the school you are applying to. These details demonstrate passion and interest in your future! Not only that, citing specific programs or clubs in order to talk about what you will bring to the table is very compelling to admissions officers looking to build a strong freshman class.
Write Only The Truth
It doesn’t matter if you exaggerate the details or go as far as plagiarizing; if you are caught, you will be immediately rejected. It’s not worth writing anything other than the truth. Besides, you do have a chance of winning their hearts by showing your honesty and authenticity.
Vocabulary Matters
First, you’ll want to avoid using the same word in multiple places, unless it’s the focus of your essay. Following that, however, you won’t benefit from using words that you choose out of the thesaurus at random, without reason. And finally, your essay should not include uncommon slang, niche scientific phrases, or overly flowery language that confuses the meaning of your sentences.
Grammar And Spelling Must Be Correct
You can write conversationally, but if the grammar and spelling are not correct, it will reduce the overall effect of your essay. Incorrect spelling can happen by mistake, but proofreading should correct it. Show that you care enough to review your essay and put your best foot forward.
Have Your Essay Read By Someone Else You Trust
Good job completing your essay draft! The next step is to have it read by someone knowledgeable enough to give objective responses. That means you want to find someone who can pinpoint errors, notice if certain paragraphs are rambling, and can tell you if the impression is not what you were going for. With this feedback, you want to be certain your application is the best reflection of your work.
Of course, at Empowerly, we offer services that include college counseling, reading your admission essay, making all necessary corrections, and giving you the best pre-college experience. So if you don’t have a good essay editor in mind, you can always reach out to us.
