120 College Essay Examples For 14 Schools + Expert Analysis

120 College Essay Examples For 14 Schools + Expert Analysis The last thing you want to do is tell the University of Florida that you’ve always been a huge Seminoles fan. This video explains what not to include in your college admissions essay. Your computer’s spell check option may not catch every little mistake you make so you should plan to read back through your essay a few times on your own and have as many other people go over it as you can. Be sure to address the question, especially if it is a two-part question â€" admission essays are just as much about showing who you are as they are about proving your writing skills. This video explains the importance of your college admissions essay. You should also try reading the essay aloud to yourself. Don’t feel obligated to max out your word count just because the Common App allows you to write up to 650 words. Every word matters, so make sure everything in your essay is serving a purpose. It’s easy to play it super-safe and get sucked-into the clichés and tropes of the “Why Us? In the end you may produce a competent essay, but at a school with a single-digit admit rate, just about everyone will have produced something competent. To gain an admissions edge, you need to transcend competent blandness. If, due to a time crunch, you end up playing a degree of college application Mad Libs, at least make sure you play it flawlessly. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid. You plan on getting a graduate degree and want to immerse yourself in research throughout your undergraduate years. You spent your high school years independently pursuing an area of passionâ€"creating your own reading list, seeking out adult mentors, etc. Now, you have gotten the admission officer’s attention. Remember, admissions officers want to see that you have done serious homework on their institution indicative of students who, if admitted, is likely to actually enroll (the whole “demonstrated interest” thing). The best recipe for creating something unoriginal is beginning from a place of fear. Our suggestion is to start with a brief story of just a sentence or 2 to hook the reader. Then, respond to the question as succinctly as possible. In other words, you’d run a triathlon to get out of writing an essay? Whichever way you lean, let’s talk a little bit about strategy, implementation, and getting ‘er done. A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew’s experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans more than one decade. As you edit and revise, focus on making your story tighter and more concise by eliminating unnecessary words and sentences. You might encounter supplemental essay prompts that allow only 100 to 150 words. These essays can be tricky, because you don’t have a lot of space to respond. If, after reviewing your composition, you can check both of those boxes, and you’ve avoided the common pitfalls highlighted previously, then you can rest assured that you have mastered the “Why Us? Now that you’ve done strong research and extracted some key facts as well as the ethos of the school, it’s time to show why you belong there. You value substantive and constructive feedback over chasing A’s. Once you have completed your application essay, be sure to find a couple of people you trust to look over your work before you submit it. I don’t recommend a friend who is afraid to correct your mistakes, or a parent, if you can help it. A teacher or family friend would be a great choice. Since you already know how it’s supposed to read, and you’re accustomed to reading it, it’s often easier for another person to catch your mistakes. Similarly, if I handed your essay to a parent or a friend, they would instantly recognize this personality on the page as yours. Your essay should show the unique person you are. Are you a natural-born writer or is it literally the last thing you want to do?